In the Spotlight: The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier

I was introduced to this book awhile back, and I just have to share it! 

First here's what it's about:

The Simpsons meets  The Walking Dead in this hilarious post-apocalyptic graphic novel for middle-grade readers. 

Ever since the monster apocalypse hit town, average thirteen year old Jack Sullivan has been living in his tree house, which he's armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew scavenged from abandoned stores. But Jack alone is no match for the hoards of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack's loyal pet monster, Rover; and Jack's crush, June. With their help, Jack is going to slay Blarg, achieve the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success, and be average no longer! Can he do it? 

Told in a mixture of text and black-and-white illustration, this is the perfect book for any kid who's ever dreamed of starring in his or her own comic book or video game. And stay tuned for the sequel, coming in Summer 2016.

Praise for the book:

This terrifically funny illustrated novel…[is] snarky end-of-the-world fun.”

— Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A gross-out good time with surprisingly nuanced character development.”

—School Library Journal, starred review

“Terrifyingly fun! Max Brallier’s The Last Kids on Earth delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs.” —Jeff Kinney, author of the #1New York Times bestseller Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Doesn't this sound fun and cute! I mean, I love The Walking Dead, so that makes me interested right away. I know, I know - is that really ok for middle school kids? This book is. It's fun, has some suspense and the graphic novel aspect is perfect. I know I would have many kids that would love this especially if they like graphic novels!

About the Author and Illustrator

Max Brallier (www.maxbrallier.com) is the author of more than twenty books and games for children and adults, including the pick-your-own-path adventure Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? He is the creator and writer of Galactic Hot Dogs, an ongoing middle-grade web serial which was released as a book this spring. He writes for licensed properties including Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Uncle Grandpa. Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series for Scholastic Books. He is a game designer for the crazy fun virtual world Poptropica and does freelance game design for numerous online properties. In the olden days, he worked in the marketing department at St. Martin's Press. Max lives in New York City with his wife.

Douglas Holgate (http://www.skullduggery.com.au) has been a freelance comic book artist and illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia for more than ten years. Douglas has illustrated comics for Image, Dynamite, Abrams, and Penguin Random House. Follow Douglas on Twitter @douglasbot.

I was challenged by the publisher to create a Last Kids on Earth survival kit—what would you a make sure to have in your treehouse at the end of the world?

Here's my list:

Coffee!

Books

Chocolate

I guess a weapon on some sort....

Protein bars (can't live on chocolate and coffee alone!)

Pictures of my kids and family

Something to make me laugh

Blanket (the softer the better!)

Toothbrush and toothpaste

What would you include on your list?