Ten-year-old Sonny has always looked out for his little sister Jane, but nothing could prepare them for the day their quiet town is torn apart by a mysterious accident at the power plant. In the chaos of the evacuation, the children are separated from their mother-and their father never comes home from work. Alone but determined, Sonny makes a promise: I won't let go.

With only each other, a scrappy little dog, and the memory of their parents' words-Eyes open. Mind steady.-the siblings must navigate empty streets, soldiers at checkpoints, hunger, sickness, and fear. Yet even in the ruins, signs of hope remain: a stranger's kindness, the bond between a brother and sister, and the stubborn marigolds pushing up through cracked concrete.

Inspired by real events but told through the eyes of children, When the Sky Turned Strange is a story of survival and resilience-of finding light in the darkest places, and of family ties that cannot be broken.