Doom's day camp by Joshua Hauke

 In a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters and mutants, small packs of mutated humans remain. Including one particular pack, under the charge of Grizzly Thorax. Oh, and don't forget his son and heir, Doom. In a world where extra powers are necessary for survival, Doom has no special abilities except having taught himself to read, an arcane skill that nobody sees any use for.

So far, Doom has survived ok, thanks to his dad who protects him from both the monsters and their own pack, including his little sister Dizy (short for Destruction) who has super-strength and a very low opinion of Doom. But now all the adults, led by his father, are taking off to find and destroy the mysterious monster that is driving their game away and the monsters towards them and he's left... Doom to babysit?

Doom will have to deal with his own ineptness and feelings of uselessness if he - and the pack's kids - are going to survive. Luckily, Doom has discovered an abandoned building full of books and if the other kids will just give him a chance, he might be able to improve all of their lives. But, led by his sister Dizy, the other kids are as unsure of Doom's value and leadership as he is himself and the mistakes he makes destroying their shelter and food supply don't help.

From (literally) explosive farts, caused by a kid formed of mud who overeats on library paste to a disaster when a girl's protective suit is opened and her untrammeled brain powers are set free, Doom will have to tackle one wild adventure after another. But with the help of a giant mutant library fish and the books he's found, maybe he has a chance to make things work and fix his past mistakes.

This is definitely on the Pilkey line with the weird/gross factor, but also hits on classic themes from comics like mutants and outcasts with a side of the nerdy kid who saves everyone. There are some mildly serious moments and occasionally a real sense of danger, but the cinematic action moves on quickly and there's little time for reflection when the kids are trying to calm down Slimon, the sentient blob that's gotten mad at its best friend or fight off Snot Wolves.

Verdict: Hand this to fans of Max Brallier's Last Kids on Earth and readers who are reluctant to branch out from Dogman but willing to try anything funny, action-packed, and leavened with potty humor.

ISBN: 9780593205419; Published April 2022 by Penguin/Razorbill; Review copy provided by publisher