Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Orphaned middle schooler Maxwell Dark has a special gift: he can enter other kids' nightmares to help them find and confront their cause, thus eradicating the terrifying visions for good. But his powers haven't always been easy to control. During his first foray into a nightmare--his older sister Gwen's--Maxwell fled the frightening dream and Gwen disappeared from the waking world. Each time he aids someone during a nightmare, however, he finds traces of Gwen, which he hopes will one day lead him to her whereabouts. As he assists classmate Sid in expelling her demons, he discovers that he has become increasingly entangled in the dream universe, a realm in which "all nightmares are connected" that exists parallel to his own. Smith (Bug Sandwich) deploys stylized cartooning rendered in psychedelic color to depict human characters (portrayed with varying skin tones) dwarfed by multi-eyed monsters, tentacled terrors, and snotty, toothy, creepy cryptids, while thick line art reinforces the frenetic feeling of entrapment in a strange and horrific place. Each chapter of this promising graphic novel series launch boasts thrills and humor that's sure to impel readers into the next volume. Ages 8--12. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--6--Every day is a nightmare for Maxwell Dark, who has the paranormal ability to visit and defeat people's nightmare monsters. As an expert-level nightmare hunter with 73 successful cases, he is confident that he has seen it all and can certainly send middle schooler Sid's bedtime tormentors packing. Sid is wary of mysterious stranger Maxwell's offers to help and refuses his assistance until her nightmares become too intense to endure. Max and Sid team up to take on the worst creatures her mind can conjure in order to locate the source of her terror, but when Max realizes his past and Sid's nightmares are connected, his easy case turns into a much bigger and scarier challenge than he could have ever imagined. For readers eager to level up from the tamer scares of the "Desmond Cole" and "Goosebumps," this graphic novel builds its scare-factor slowly, but the visuals may be too intense for some readers by the end. Smith's aesthetic and characterization has a 1990s cartoon feel, and his full-page renderings of nightmare monsters are delightfully detailed. Readers will root for Maxwell and Sid as they team up to defeat the ultimate ghoul--blood-chilling Splithead--and escape the confines of her mind in one piece. VERDICT A dark and fun foray into the horror comedy genre for young graphic novel readers.--Sarah Simpson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A mysterious young orphan tries to help other kids fight their nightmares. With his sideswept bangs and skull-adorned tee over a stripey long-sleeved shirt, sullen, sulky Maxwell looks like a typical early-aughts emo-goth kid. But he's burdened with a gift that feels more like a curse. He can see the remnants of children's nightmares floating above their heads--personifications of school scaries, toilet terrors, and the occasional toothy dragon. Maxwell is particularly drawn to a young girl named Sid, who's terrorized nightly by monsters with copious claws, endless eyeballs, and overabundant heads. Hesitantly, she allows Maxwell to enter her dreams with her as he directs her toward the subconscious roots of her fear. Complications arise as the pair learn that Sid's dreams have been commandeered by a strange being. Smith sensitively explores Maxwell's own enigmatic origins--his work is driven by the disappearance of his sister, seemingly into her nightmares, during their childhood in an orphanage. The real star, though, is the visual frenzy of sea monsters, enormous bugs, and a phenomenally fierce final boss. Smith's zany drawings aren't truly terrifying, making this a solid pick for younger fright fans, but softhearted readers should stay clear. Indeed, the book's gleeful inventiveness may inspire young creatives to bring their own wildest dreams to the page. Maxwell is tan-skinned; Sid is slightly darker. An artistic riot of monsters establishes a unique universe in this spooky series starter.(Graphic paranormal. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
