How To Survive an Apocalypse: The End of the World Doesn’t Have To Be the End of the World

Prepper podcasters Coonradt and Hardy (hosts of The Casual Preppers) put an enjoyable, over-the-top spin on preparing for world-altering events in this graphic guide geared towards middle-grade readers. The book avoids frightening its audience by focusing on zany apocalyptic scenarios: What if you were surrounded by zombies? What if aliens invaded your town? Pondering these unlikely scenarios should be more fun for young readers than thinking about realistic crises like catastrophic floods, sustained civil unrest, and pandemics. The book’s two-page spreads focus primarily on how to respond to crises with calm, deliberate action, teaching first aid basics, how to handle loss of electricity, communicating without cell phones or the internet, and ways to store food and water. Coonradt and Hardy maintain an upbeat tone that encourages collaboration over self-isolation. Stebleva’s brightly colored illustrations feature a diverse range of kids and families alongside a few vampires and the occasional little green alien. For readers with a snarky sense of humor and a firm grip on modern life’s complexity, this will be a useful place to start thinking about skills worth cultivating.