“An exuberant picture book…Fabulously fun artwork…Fighting crime definitely takes imagination.” —The Wall Street Journal

“This tale offers the refreshing twist of sibling friendship that parents will applaud. Jinx and the Doom will captivate readers with their irresistible fun.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Jinx and her little brother, the Doom, are pretty typical kids—except when they turn into superheroes and fight crime—in this relatable celebration of siblings and imagination by the author of Strictly No Elephants.

A typical day for Jinx and the Doom looks like this: wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth—then FIGHT CRIME! These rambunctious kids used to fight each other, until one day they realized that they could use their powers for good instead of evil. So now they protect the planet! Defend the innocent! And then stop to have lunch.

Bright cut-paper, comic book–style illustrations highlight the power of imagination and the joy of having a sibling to play with.

About The Author

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Lisa Mantchev

Lisa Mantchev is the author of many picture books, including the internationally acclaimed Strictly No Elephants and The Trouble with Giraffes, both illustrated by Taeeun Yoo; Remarkables, illustrated by David Litchfield; and Someday, Narwhal, illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Lisa lives on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Learn more at LisaMantchev.com.

About The Illustrator

Photograph courtesy of the illustrator

Samantha Cotterill

Samantha Cotterill has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including the Little Senses series, Thankful and Heartfelt by Elaine Vickers, A Grand Day by Jean Reidy, Look by Gabi Snyder, Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev, and Just Add Glitter by Angela DiTerlizzi, which The New York Times called “a sparkle of genius.” Samantha lives with her family in upstate New York. Learn more at SamanthaCotterill.com.

Product Details

Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (February 13, 2018)
Length: 32 pages
ISBN13: 9781481467018
Ages: 4 - 8
Lexile ® AD480L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

* Imagination reigns supreme as siblings Jinx and the Doom take on chores and play with the superhero power to make even the mundane magical. . . . With similar pacing and themes to Jacky Davis and David Soman's Ladybug Girl books, this tale offers the refreshing twist of sibling friendship that parents will applaud. Jinx and the Doom will captivate readers with their irresistible fun.

– Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

A high-energy read-aloud for any young fans of superheroes, sibling dynamics, and a fun take on cooperation.

– School Library Journal

Cotterill’s vivid images capture the way pretend play can transform even the most mundane activities into adventures waiting to happen. And with superheroes everywhere in pop culture, Mantchev offers a fun introduction to what fighting crime is all about for kids who aren’t ready for the latest blockbuster action film.

– Publishers Weekly

Lisa Mantchev offers a nifty solution to the problem of squabbling siblings under the auspices of an exuberant picture book, “Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime!," for 3- to 7-year-olds. Jinx is a small girl, the Doom her little brother; we read that “they used to fight each other.” Fabulously fun artwork by Samantha Cotterill shows a cartoon-style explosion on a sofa, where brother and sister are biffing it out. After discovering a common cause, they decide to use their powers for good rather than evil. Now the siblings devote their energies to protecting the innocent (saving a stuffed bear from laundering) and protecting the planet (zapping a plastic dinosaur menacing a toy city). “They stop to have lunch . . . but then they get back to FIGHTING CRIME!”

For her illustrations, Ms. Cotterill creates 3-D pictures by photographing hand-drawn cut-outs in bright little tableaux. The shadows are the best part, because they reveal the children’s view of events. In one scene Jinx and the Doom are chasing after their dog, who’s dashing away from the bath with a rubber duck. The splashing bathwater casts a mighty wave-shaped shadow, and the dog, well, we can see from his shadow that he’s actually a terrible toothy shark. Fighting crime definitely takes imagination.

– The Wall Street Journal, February 17, 2018