Dogchild

in this stark tale, Brooks (Born Scared) imagines a postapocalyptic future in which Jeet, a child raised by dogs, plays a vital role in the continuation of humankind. On the orders of town Marshal Gun Sur, Jeet chronicles “the times and lives of our people” leading up to looming final battle with their enemies, the Dau. He begins with his own story: being separated from his people as a baby, then brought up by a pack of Deathland dogs, and, years later, rehumanized. In the narrative’s present, Gun Sur directs Jeet to raid the Dau encampment on the same day that Chola Se, a dogchild with whom Jeet feels a connection, goes missing. In order to fulfill his mission and rescue Chola Se, Jeet must reconnect with his pack, blending his human and canine abilities and skills. After the two escape, Chola Se reveals to Jeet that she has been repeatedly raped in the camp, by Dau as well as by a leader from their own town. Together, the two seek to thwart the traitor and determine their own destiny. Brooks has created unique characters that convincingly bridge the gap between human and animal thought processes, though Chola Se’s multiple sexual assaults skew uncomfortably toward device. The unusual figures, the harrowing scenario, and the taut, relentless action sequences combine to produce a story—told without apostrophes, quotation marks, or traditional chapter breaks—that readers will find difficult to put down. Ages 14–up. [em](June) [/em]