When the rapacious aliens known as Skreeps land in the sleepy town of Vern Hollow in 1956 in search of an invention which will grant them unparalleled power, it’s the start of a surreal galaxy-spanning adventure for mechanically-gifted Jack Creedle and the brilliant Isadora Shumway. Kidnapped along with several other humans, they have to thwart the Skreeps, survive a flying saucer crash, trek across a hostile alien surface, and prevent a full-fledged invasion. No problem. Fast, witty, and wacky, The Doom Machine reads like Daniel Pinkwater mixed with classic ‘50s B-movie sensibilities, peppered with Teague’s crisply suitable illustrations. What’s not to love in a book where a cranky rooster plays a pivotal role?