What happens when a generation raised on convenience is suddenly forced to survive without it?

In The City We Built, a group of middle school friends in West Sacramento wake up to a world without adults — no structure, no safety net, and no one coming to help.

Survival is only the beginning. To make it work, they must learn something harder: how to lead, how to trust, and how to build something bigger than themselves.

Inspired by the author’s daughter and her close-knit group of friends, this story blends adventure, humor, and heart with a deeper question:
What kind of world would kids create if they had the chance?

Because when the world stops running for you, you finally learn how to stand on your own.