A novel in verse following Joe, a boy with an off-and-on absent mother left to be raised by his grandmother who struggles to pay the bills. Joe takes refuge in his favorite comic books, where his favorite heroes often face "and then, BOOM!" moments and come out victorious on the other side. Then, the worst "BOOM" of all hits--Joe is left on his own, the electricity gets shut off, and he worries about telling anyone what is really happening to him. Only when he takes in an abandoned dog and her pups does Joe find something to live for again.