Gr 36 Doom Thorax is an average kid, living with his mountain man dad, scavenging for food, and hanging out with his annoying werewolf sister, as well as a boy made of mud, a moody mold of Jell-O, and a superintelligent ant. So maybe Doom's life is a little weird. As this postapocalyptic story begins, this oddball group is left under Doom's supervision while their adults head off to battle mysterious threats with no promise of safe return, a mildly terrifying prospect that's quickly moved past. After accidentally burning down their camp, Doom leads his friends to the remains of an elementary school he's discovered. Here, they munch on paste, play on the swings, and get into all kinds of situations that reveal their unique gifts and strugglesfor instance, one of Doom's friends is a brain in a jar, who, if let loose, can create a literal brainstorm. The crew's unsupervised circumstances foster their individual talents and encourage them to work together. Hauke's illustrations are endlessly creative and colorful, but each panel feels jam-packed with activity, giving the story little room to breathe. Doom appears Black, and his team is diverse, albeit not entirely human. VERDICT Imaginative, wacky, and a bit of a nail-biter, this tale giggles in the face of danger and promises an entertaining read. Emilia Packard

Doom is the son of Grizzly Thorax, a great warrior and the leader of their village in a postapocalyptic landscape filled with mutated humans and dangerous, toothy creatures. But he's the complete opposite of his brave, capable father, and many of the villagers look down on him for it, especially when he's the only one lacking a superpower. When monster attacks start increasing, Grizzly Thorax calls on all the adults in the pack to seek out and destroy the monsters d, to their parents' dismay, leaves Doom in charge of protecting the children left behind. Hauke's campy monster romp emphasizes how differences or quirks can be strengths and that acceptance and cooperation are what really save the day. And maybe mostly important, it shows the value of reading skills (Doom's actual power) and how vital the knowledge gained from books can be. Hauke creates a vivid, cartoonish world with entertaining monsters and well-developed characters in a story that relies on empathy and understanding. Hand this to fans of Ben Hatke's Mighty Jack series.