Airlock

Brick is on the run after they stole some goods and left behind their handprint which means soldiers are now on the hunt for them. Survival is a struggle at best on this planet, but that was the tipping point for Brick to flee. They team up with an acquaintance who quickly becomes a supportive friend, and they manage to stowaway on a ship leaving the planet. As they’re hiding, the ship gets taken over by hijackers who are readying to expel the ship’s crew into space out of the airlock. Brick and their friend are now the only ones who can help. They sneak onto one of the shuttles to rescue the crew, and a battle for the ship ensues, but, at last, Brick and their friend save the day.

Airlock is a hi-lo reader and is aimed at reluctant readers: the sentences are short, the vocabulary simple and the pace is quick with little for extra descriptions. The book is a great introduction to science fiction as it has just enough components, like the spaceship and fleeing the planet, to fit the genre, but it also doesn’t overwhelm the reader with sci-fi terminology, settings or characters. It has some fast-paced action scenes when Brick is trying to rescue the ship’s crew, but it also has some really effective scenes of Brick’s having panic attacks which really help the reader empathize. One final notable feature of this book is that it has a nonbinary character! While this is not a focus of the book, the mere mention of nonbinary identity and the use of “they” pronouns are characteristics that we should see more of in hi-lo readers.

An ode to friendship, this action-packed book is great for reluctant readers and those who are curious about science fiction. Airlock is a great #OwnVoices addition to collections.