KIRKUS REVIEW
The unlikely trio from Earth Space Moon Base (2014) now has a mystery to solve—this time in the dark depths under the sea.
The water has lost its light, and it is up to Robot, Monkey, and Deep-Sea Diver (formerly Astronaut; a person of many talents) to find out why. They plunge down deep in their submarine, the Guppy. Amid the shadowy black, purple, and cool blue hues they spy a slimy green trail. The best course of action is to follow it. This world is much more cluttered than the lunar landscape of the previous adventure; the sea teems with sharks, jellyfish, crabs, and large, swaying tentacles—in a nod to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea—from an attacking squid. A new creature lurks behind every shadow. “Beyond the ancient ruins / buried deep among the weeds, / the slimy trail comes to an end. / But where does it all lead?” The mystery is revealed: millions of starfish are trapped inside a large (and slightly terrifying) eel. The team keeps its cool and figures out a solution—of the gastrointestinal variety. Happily, the sea is illuminated once again, and the palette brightens in a celebratory conclusion. A sense of urgency never really develops, however; the delightfully creepy sea creatures keep the pages turning, not the meandering plot.
Visually striking but not so rich in the story department (Picture book. 4-7)
