I reviewed Sky Fleet: March of the Mutabugs by Victoria Williamson, a middle-grade dystopian read with protagonists aged around 12.

I received a free review copy as part of a book tour organised by The Write Reads, and also did an unboxing which included lots of treats.

The main characters are Amberley, a 12-year-old girl in a wheelchair following a tragic plane crash that killed her parents, and her best friend Rick, who is visually impaired and aspires to be an engineer.

Both children work together to repair Amberley’s parents’ plane, the Fire Hawk, navigating both emotional and physical challenges.

The story features mutant “mutabugs” created by radiation, some of which are gigantic and dangerous — readers with phobias of insects, especially spiders, should be aware.

Williamson excels at representation: the disabilities of Amberley and Rick are integral to the story and empower the characters rather than being tokenistic.

The book includes extra elements like illustrations of the planes with specs, pilot info, and log entries, which make it engaging for middle-grade readers.

Themes include empowerment, resilience, doing the right thing even when adults don’t understand, and teamwork, alongside dystopian survival elements.

The story lends itself well to discussion in book clubs or classrooms, covering topics such as science (insects, radiation), disability, dystopian themes, and moral lessons.

Overall, I found it an exciting, action-packed, and thoughtfully inclusive read, and highly recommend checking it out.