Peri is about to learn the hard way that curiosity might not always kill the cat-but learning the truth of what's out there can change you . . . forever. Have you ever seen shapes out of the corner of your eye, then turned to see that they weren't there after all? What if those shadows hid something strange, something just out of reach-but something terrifyingly real? When fourteen-year-old Peri enters her local junkyard, she witnesses something unexplainable-something that doesn't seem like it fits this world. Lurking behind one of the piles of car parts and twisted scraps is a creature-tall, skinny, with a long snout and tail. Peri flees out of fear, but when she summons the courage to investigate the next day, she finds only a small black kitten. Taking this cat home begins a series of uncanny events in Peri's life. Now, her mother is missing, strange creatures follow her home, and she encounters . . . things . . . in the middle of the night. Soon, cats are talking, the darkness is closing in, and Peri wonders if she's losing her grip on sanity. In this dreamlike state where the mind bleeds onto the twisting fabric of the real, the question begs: if you could know what the world really was . . . how afraid would you be? The first novel of thirteen-year-old author Rei Mac, The Junkyard is an unforgettable story about staying curious even as nightmares make their way into the world around us. For ages 10 - 15, this book is perfect for fans of Five Total Strangers, offering thrills, scares, and deep questions that will keep you pondering long after the final page.