Review by Booklist Review
Dave is searching for his missing mother at the bottom of the ocean. As he travels deeper and deeper, he encounters different creatures warning him of an ominous presence referred to as the Big Doom, including a very helpful crustacean named Amos, until he finally finds her ship. Once on board the eerily abandoned ship, he looks for signs of his mother. In the ship's log, he finds old footage of his mother studying an extraterrestrial life-form in captivity, but where is she now? With the help of his new friends, Dave keeps searching for his mother while learning more about the Big Doom. Grover's playful cartoon artwork in an appropriately dark palette is a great match for the adventurous undersea mystery, which comes with plenty of deep belly laughs thanks to Amos, his pet shark, and an octopus occupying a human skeleton. Fans of the off-kilter humor of Dav Pilkey's Dog Man (2021) will appreciate this elegantly executed sf adventure with a sweet dose of genuine emotion at its core.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--8--The award-winning webcomic Deeply Dave comes to print, reaching a wider audience. Dave ventures into the ocean to find his astronaut mother, befriending odd sea creatures--some helpful, others working against him--as he uncovers the truth: the feared "Big Doom" is actually his mother. Determined to save her, Dave embarks on a daring mission to bring her home. A unique blend of line art and cartoonish illustrations create an immersive, atmospheric setting. The limited color palette enhances the story's surreal tone. The plot and storytelling are carefully plotted. Although the narrative occasionally drags, the book remains engaging, and its fast-paced nature will appeal to young readers. The comic's ending directs readers to the website, where the animated version offers an extra treat. VERDICT Readers seeking a mix of silly humor and adventurous escapism will certainly gravitate toward this book.--Esther Keller
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
When his astronaut mom crashes into the ocean, a boy bravely dons a diving suit and descends to the rescue. In this work, originally published as a webcomic, the undersea expedition plays out episodically over several chapters interspersed with prompts ("Turn the page tojump into the hole") to draw readers into the action, with sudden twists abounding. Frequently wordless and simply drawn cartoon panels colored primarily in blues against a solid black background depict Dave descending at the end of a very long air hose, eventually finding the spacecraft guarded by an apparent sea monster. The fishy local residents dub the creature the "Big Doom." Dave switches bodies with a red octopus and experiences hallucinatory visions, only to discover that his errant parent has brought a problematic guest back from her space travels. Led by Amos, a friendly "scavenger and entre-pruner" with a shrimplike head and a distinctly canine shark sidekick, the anthropomorphic (if ambiguous of species) supporting cast provides help and comic relief along the way. While the plot sometimes turns out to be a bit hard to follow, Grover does eventually contrive a reasonably tidy resolution. Dave and his loving mom have paper-white skin and black hair. A surreal undersea adventure that zigs and zags to a satisfying close.(Graphic science fiction. 8-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
