Under Pressure

In the second book of this inclusive near-future adventure trilogy, the kids from box #242 take a deep dive into a secret underwater world in hopes of finding their missing best friend and saving another from a life-altering bionic augmentation.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Leo (they/them) and Jayla (she/her), the boxmates from the B.E.S.T. Academy are lost at sea and their best friend, Grayson Bix, is missing. Their hoverpod is busted, their stomachs are empty, and their hopes are crushed. When a mysterious vessel approaches, Ace, Leo, and Jayla are certain they'll be carted back to the Tower of Power, with their punishments for escaping awaiting. But a twist: The crew is rescued and introduced to a vibrant and thriving underwater world that is off the grid and out of Bixonics's eye...and one step closer to finding Grayson.

From the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the stratosphere, hijinks, adventure, and emotional challenges ensue as the gritty kids meet a whole new cast of characters, weigh out the costs of life-changing bionic enhancements, and blow the top off of an earth-shattering secret that has global implications.

In book two of this action-packed near-future adventure, Cory McCarthy crafts an incredible world with high-stakes storytelling, magnetic characters, and thematic undercurrents that spotlight the complexities of family and friendship, self-empowerment, and the magnitude of truth.

One mission to find a friend. A secret underwater city that could change everything.

• Missing Friend Mystery: Grayson Bix vanished after his bionic augmentation. Now his friends Leo, Jayla, and Ace are lost at sea in a desperate search, following a signal that could lead them to him—or into a trap.
• Secret Underwater City: Rescued by a mysterious crew, the boxmates discover New Atlantis, a hidden deepscraper society living off the grid and out of the sight of the powerful Bixonics corporation.
• Nonbinary Protagonist: Told in part from the perspective of Leo (they/them), a fierce competitor and loyal friend who will risk everything to bring their found family back together.
• High-Stakes Action: From malfunctioning hoverpods to tense encounters with the Resistance, this middle grade adventure is packed with thrilling escapes and emotional challenges.