Review by Booklist Review
One night, Edison Beaker and his little sister, Tesla, begrudgingly agree to shadow their uncle at the family business. Little do they know that their uncle and his business have been hunting monsters for years, and now it's up to Edison to close the monsters' gateway before it opens into our world forever. While this is a familiar story relying upon tried-and-tested tropes of the fantasy genre, Cammuso keeps the adventure fresh from start to finish. In one scene, for instance, Edison must fight the dark in a cunning battle of wills, and the creativity and visual interest of those panels is worth the price of admission. With so many moving parts, there isn't much room for character development, but with the promise of further installments, readers can hope to get a deeper glimpse into the mystery of the gateway and the family business. Cammuso's signature retro-inspired cartoon style pairs well with the story, deescalating the horror of the monsters and adding to the overall humor. A great new series for kids who love adventure comics.--Peter Blenski Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-Like many kids, Edison Beaker is afraid of the dark. After his father goes missing, Edison keeps the flashlight he gave him to chase away monsters. When Edison and his nosy little sister Tesla get stuck with their uncle Earl for the night, they assume they'll have a quiet night in. But Uncle Earl is actually a "creature seeker" who works to keep the monsters at bay from the human world. Edison and Tesla are unexpectedly dragged into the Underwhere (prompting many jokes about its homonym, of course), and with the help of Tesla's curious pet hamster and a cool monster girl named Knox, they must do their part to keep the darkness from invading. The adults show up when convenient, letting the kids tackle most of the problem-solving. Edison and Tesla have a charming sibling dynamic-though they annoy each other, they also have a bond based on love and trust. While this volume wraps up the immediate conflict, larger questions about the world and the characters are left unanswered, so readers will be invested in future installments. Cammuso's artwork is more cute than scary, but his panel work is creative and heightens the suspense. VERDICT Hand this start to a winning series to those who enjoy Jeff Smith's "Bone" or are looking for a rip-roaring, funny adventure.-Gretchen Hardin, Sterling Municipal Library, Baytown, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Edison Beaker has his trusty flashlight to protect him from monsters, and he's going to need it when he and little sister Tesla stumble into the Underwhere, another world filled with monsters. This colorful graphic novel borrows heavily from Ghostbusters but features enough kid pleasing humor ("'He said underwear' giggle chortle") and a protagonist so charismatic that the familiar premise can be forgiven. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The search for a missing hamster leads two siblings into a monstrous underworld.Edison Beaker and his little sister, Tesla, last saw their beloved father four years ago. After his mysterious disappearance, Edison, always afraid of the dark, has kept close the trusty flashlight his dad had left him. One night, when tagging along with their uncle, a "creature seeker" masquerading as an exterminator, the Beaker siblings learn firsthand what types of pests he hunts when Tesla's hamster, Scuttlbutt, rolls his ball through an unusual portal known as the Night Door. Once over its threshold, Edison and Tesla find themselves in the monster-filled Underwhere (expect the obvious jokes) and promptly pair with an androgynous, purple-skinned creature named Knox in order to find the missing Keystone needed to seal the Night Door and keep the nefarious Darkness and its monsters at bay. This first graphic novel in a proposed series will not disappoint, and its cheery illustrations, fast pace, and easy humor will appeal to fans of Judd Winick's Hilo series or Ben Hatke's work. The tale feels comfortably familiar in its worldbuilding and its accessible theme of light versus dark, but fresh details keep it from feeling formulaic. Character diversity is all but nonexistent, as the Beakers are all the white default. While this volume has a satisfactorily tidy resolution, enough threads are left dangling to foster interest in subsequent adventures.A series opener with straightforward appeal. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
