When a planet has days left to live, how far would you go to save everyone you love? Jake Rose is racing across the galaxy on a suicide mission. His destination: Rison, a volcanic planet that will implode in mere days. His goal: find the umjaadi starfish that holds the cure to a deadly plague killing both his girlfriend Em and Earth's ancient water people, the Phoke. No pressure. Aboard the starship Eagle 10 , Jake and his crew have perhaps the worst timing in galactic history. They're arriving on Rison just as the planet tears itself apart—earthquakes splitting continents, oceans boiling, and millions of desperate Risonians fighting for spots on the last evacuation ships. But Jake's foster father, a high-ranking Risonian official, refuses to help. Local politicians see the Earth mission as a threat to their own escape plans. And somewhere in the chaos of a dying world, one small starfish holds the key to preventing three species from going extinct. Jake's new ally, Utz Seehafer, knows Rison's waters better than anyone. But Utz has his own impossible mission: save his brother Derry and their beloved great white shark, Godzilla, before the planet's core collapses. As volcanic eruptions rock the ocean floor and time runs out, both boys must choose between personal loyalty and the survival of entire civilizations. Because when a planet is dying, heroes don't get to save everyone. Perfect for readers who love: Middle grade science fiction with impossible stakes - Intergalactic adventure and space travel - Environmental disaster and planet survival stories - Action-packed chapter books for ages 9-14 - Found family and sacrifice themes - Epic conclusions to beloved series PILGRIMS delivers the explosive finale to the Blue Planets World series, where middle grade adventure meets galaxy-spanning science fiction. Perfect for readers ready for stories where everything—and everyone—is on the line. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Award-winning children's author DARCY PATTISON has written over seventy books for young readers, including five that received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, or BCCB. Her expertise in both science and storytelling shines through her five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books and Best STEM Book award—credentials that fuel the authentic scientific adventures in the Blue Planets World series. Pattison's passion for ocean exploration and environmental science drives her middle grade science fiction. She's hiked volcanoes in Bali, explored New Zealand's backcountry, and conquered Colorado's 14,043-foot Mt. Sherman—real-world adventures that inspire Jake Rose's intergalactic journeys between Earth and the alien ocean planet Rison. Her upcoming bucket list includes kayaking Hawaii's Nā Pali Coast, perfect research for writing about underwater alien civilizations. With books translated into eleven languages and recognition including the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist, Pattison brings both scientific accuracy and heart-pounding adventure to middle grade readers ready for their next obsession. The Blue Planets World series combines her love of environmental science, ocean exploration, and the kind of epic adventures that make young readers believe they can save the world. When she's not writing about alien refugees or underwater civilizations, she's planning her next real-world adventure—always with an eye for the next great story. PRAISE FOR BOOK 1, THE BLUE PLANETS WORLD SERIES: ". . .an astute piece of characterization. . . . Junior high readersshould approve. A solid beginning to a trilogy that addresses all sortsof teenage alienation." Kirkus Review s. Storyteller and writing teacher DARCY PATTISON has been published in nine languages. Her books, published with Harcourt, Philomel/Penguin, Harpercollins, Arbordale, and Mims House have received recognition for excellence with starred reviews in Kirkus, BCCB and PW. Three nonfiction nature books have been honored as National Science Teacher's Association Outstanding Science Trade books. The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt) received an Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature Honor Book award, and has been published in a Houghton Mifflin textbook. She's the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children's literature. In sixth grade, Pattison read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy and Ender's Game, which left her with a life-long fascination for science fiction and fantasy. Her first published novel, THE WAYFINDER, was a fantasy. With the publication of THE BLUE PLANETS WORLD series, she returns to the genre she's always loved.
