Author: Reynolds, Justin A.
General fiction (Children's / Teenage) 
Published 07/04/2022 by Scholastic in the United Kingdom 
Paperback | 304 pages
 A hilarious new middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds
that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse
under outrageously silly circumstances?
Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius
plan ever to avoid chores . . . especially the dreaded L-A-U-N-D-R-Y.
If he can wears every item of clothing in his wardrobe,
summer will be halfway over before he has to do laundry!
On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie ends up
grounded until he can get his clothes clean. While left home alone
to do his laundry, the power goes out mid-cycle. With his first
load of laundry soaking wet and the rest still filthy, Eddie sets
out to explore the seemingly empty neighborhood in just his swim
trunks and flip-flops.
As he meets up with other neighborhood kids to find out what happened,
they realize that their families aren't coming back anytime
soon.
And as night falls, the crew realizes they aren't just
the only people left in the neighborhood - they might be the only
people left . . . anywhere.
Funny, voice-driven middle-grade story
Features an all-Black 'ensemble cast' of characters,
written by a Black American author
Perfect for fans of Escape The Rooms by Stephen and
Anita Mangan, The Summer I Robbed a Bank by David O'Doherty
and The Day the Screens Went Blank by Danny Wallace
 Reviews
'A doomsday scenario is rendered surprisingly funny here . . .
and so readers are given freedom to enjoy [Eddie's] brilliant quips,
his quirky friends, and this highly unusual day without dwelling
on what comes after this trange, golden afternoon when kids
ran the neighborhood.' - BCCB
'With Reynolds' signature witticisms and jump-off-the-page jokes....[this
is] equal parts friendship story, coming of age, and
comedic apocalypse, this will be a great red for reluctant readers
and kids looking to take their summers into their own hands.' -
Booklist
'Matter-of-fact scenes with Eddie taking his ADHD medicine and
talking through school and home pressures with Trey, their school's
all-star athlete, offer insightful representations of Black boys
bonding.' - Kirkus