Raft People by ML Katz

Description

Human errors magnify global climate change, forcing catastrophic floods over the world's coastlines. The military scrambles for ships while the wealthy run to secret ocean habitats. Meanwhile ordinary people find themselves stuck between jammed escape routes and the rising sea. While billions of people struggle to survive, several thousand turn to raftpeople.com, a website that helps them construct floating escape vessels out of things they have on hand.

During the time of the Big Flood, Liz Green is a troubled teenager living with her single mother and brothers. Faced with the rising sea to the south and jammed highways to the north, Leah, Liz's mother, decides they need to become Raft People. As the Gulf of Mexico turns into the new Sea of Mexico, they have to rely upon the help of her awkward, but brilliant brother, Mark Green, a middle aged, female former Special Forces diver named Shirley, and an eighty year old retired naval engineer, Mr. Thomson. The group of neighbors decides to become Raft People to escape before their Houston suburb floods.

Overwhelmed and ill prepared, they must struggle against nature and gangs of hoodlums. The military may provide some help, but urban guerrillas have chosen to use this chance to take out the government, and the rebels do not seem to mind some collateral damage. Can this group of children, adults, and old people make it to the “Up Above” before the sea rises?

Liz Green narrates the story of Leah's Folly, her Raft People craft, from the perspective of a young adult therapist, even though most events occurred when she was sixteen to seventeen years old. The story also includes one habitat dome, Constant, a refuge for the rich and powerful, naval rescue efforts, and some other Raft People crafts – Bayou Drink, Devil’s Island, Sisters of Mercy, Mighty Duck, and Moby Dick. The other rafts are similar to Leah’s Folly, but different too, as you may imagine from the craft’s name. You do not need to construct an actual raft to be Raft People, but you have to float.

Raft People should appeal to adults, young adults, and mature teenagers. It falls into the category of post-apocalyptic thrillers, but is also an adventure and coming of age story. There is even a bit of steam punk, science fiction, spirituality, and supernatural added to the mix. Can Liz Green face her fears and travel back to Leah’s Folly and the time of the Big Flood in order to move on and help others?