In a Handful of Dust

Fans of classic frontier survival stories, as well as readers of dystopian literature, will enjoy this futuristic story about an epic cross-country journey.

In a Handful of Dust is set ten years after the first novel, Not a Drop to Drink, as a dangerous disease strikes the community where teenage Lucy lives. When her adoptive mother, Lynn, takes Lucy away from their home and friends in order to protect her, Lucy struggles to figure out what home means. During their journey west to find a new life, the two face nature’s challenges, including hunger, mountains, and deserts.

New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant says Not a Drop to Drink is a debut “not to be missed,” and this companion title is full of Mindy McGinnis’s evocative, spare language matched with incredible drama and danger. In a Handful of Dust is perfect for fans of the Partials, Enclave, and Legend series.

One desperate journey. Two women against a broken world.

A Desperate Cross-Country Journey: Teenager Lucy and her fierce adoptive mother, Lynn, flee a deadly plague, heading west across a desolate and dangerous America in search of a new home. Found Family: With no one else to trust, the bond between a hardened survivor and the girl she’ll do anything to protect is the only thing that might keep them alive. YA Survival Story: A gripping, high-stakes fight against the elements—and other survivors—where every mile is earned and every choice could be their last. High-Stakes Dystopian Fiction: Perfect for readers who love the desperate worlds of the Partials, Enclave, and Legend series, this companion to the acclaimed Not a Drop to Drink delivers relentless tension.