The Chippewa Valley’s own Michael Perry is known for his best-selling nonfiction writing, in which he draws on topics from his life in small-town Wisconsin. But this fall he is due to release his first novel, The Scavengers.

This young-adult science fiction novel is a drastic change from his previous writings. In The Scavengers, the world is falling apart. Survivors have the choice of living inside “Bubble Cities” or taking their chances and trying to survive outside. The story follows young Maggie (or “Ford Falcon” as she calls herself) and her family as they do their best to survive “Out Bubble.” But when she comes home one day to find her family missing, she must go on a journey to save them.

The Scavengers is being published Sept. 2 by Harper Collins, which has also published Perry’s other titles, including Visiting Tom, Coop, and Truck. His publishers are supporting this sweeping change in subject matter, so Perry’s fans shouldn’t worry about it either.