LAUGH RIOT

Jeremiah can’t catch a break—his parents are divorcing, his little sister thinks he’s a loser, and he’s persecuted by a classmate, a teacher, and a terrifying dog down the block.

Jeremiah only feels comfortable when he’s with his nerdy best friend, superhero-obsessed Natt Furlough, or doodling comics featuring his own creation, a prankster he calls Laugh Riot. The drawings help him imagine enacting cartoonish revenge against his antagonists, like tossing the vicious dog in a sack or pantsing the bully in front of the crowd at a lacrosse game. But then the Laugh Riot sketches start to come true—though Jeremiah doesn’t even remember drawing some of the cruel details that begin happening in real life. The beleaguered Jeremiah’s anxiety captures readers’ sympathy early. Even with his predilection for fantasy vengeance, he’s genuinely distressed when his cartoon scenarios endanger people in real life. Krovatin follows through on the premise of a malevolent psychic force that inflicts violent acts upon kids and adults alike—and takes a significant psychological strain on Jeremiah, along with Natt and new ally Will Keyes, in whom Jeremiah confides. As Laugh Riot spirals out of Jeremiah’s control, the book grows increasingly intense while remaining grounded in its generic suburban setting. A late reveal introduces a wider universe and sets up for a sequel. Jeremiah presents white, and Natt is racially ambiguous.

Psychic horror for bold readers.