Survive the Dome

Reminiscent of Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give, Jackson's too-close-to-home dystopian novel adds a level of thought-provoking complexity that will undoubtedly compel readers to grapple with the use and abuse of power by government entities -- Booklist, (STARRED review)

The Hate U Give meets Internment in this pulse-pounding thriller about an impenetrable dome around Baltimore that is keeping the residents in and information from going out during a city-wide protest.

Jamal Lawson just wanted to be a part of something. As an aspiring journalist, he packs up his camera and heads to Baltimore to document a rally protesting police brutality after another Black man is murdered.

But before it even really begins, the city implements a new safety protocol...the Dome. The Dome surrounds the city, forcing those within to subscribe to a total militarized shutdown. No one can get in, and no one can get out.

Alone in a strange place, Jamal doesn't know where to turn...until he meets hacker Marco, who knows more than he lets on, and Catherine, an AWOL basic-training-graduate, whose parents helped build the initial plans for the Dome.

As unrest inside of Baltimore grows throughout the days-long lockdown, Marco, Catherine, and Jamal take the fight directly to the chief of police. But the city is corrupt from the inside out, and it's going to take everything they have to survive.

A hopeful ending is painstakingly earned, and frankly these smart, brave, and loyal Latinx and Black kids flat out deserve this win and then some.--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

This novel will keep readers on their toes, holding their breath, and hoping Jamal makes it out of the dome alive. A highly recommended, thrilling read -- School Library Journal, (STARRED review)

Plan to read this on the edge of your seat, knowing the whole time it's a little too relevant for comfort of any kind. -- School Library Connection

In a first-person POV that's both unafraid and unapologetic, Jackson brings a sci-fi twist to the reality of police brutality and the oftentimes literal silencing of marginalized peoples, putting queer people of color at the helm of effective change -- Publishers Weekly

...a searing futuristic story of systemic racism, police brutality, and unchecked power -- Horn Book

A speculative thriller about personal growth that deals with all-too-real traumas. -- Kirkus