Mika and the Howler (Mika and the Howler #1)

An imaginative child battles a domestic object turned fearsome foe in this action-packed comic. Early panels establish young Mika’s dauntless nature, depicting the pale-skinned, tiger-suit-clad child escaping the confines of a crib. But a stroll into the living room turns chaotic when Mika trips over a long green form that begins writhing with a toothy “WRRRRR.” As the long-necked creature proceeds to “chomp chomp” along the floor, Mika manages to stay a few steps ahead of danger. Spotting the “howler” snacking on a sock causes upset until the child hatches a messy plan to vanquish the troublesome monster. Lively pencil-drawn and watercolor panels center the intrepid protagonist’s perceptions of local events, capturing a range of emotion with spare text and sound effects in this promising start to Loth-Ignaciuk and Kolomycka’s series, whose star character seems well poised to lead early readers on future adventures. Ages 3–6. (July)