Deeply Dave
Armed with a flashlight and his knife (with a sharp point, serrated edge, and nail file), young Dave prepares to dive deeper and deeper (and deeper) into the watery abyss to find his missing mother…
Deeply Dave is a graphic novel written and drawn by Michael Grover and adapted from Grover’s original webcomic of the same name. Dave is a young boy diving into the deep and dark water to look for his mother, whose spaceship went missing far below. How this came to pass is revealed throughout the story, but much like Dave, the reader is facing the unknown with only certain elements of the story being revealed at first. Throughout his journey, Dave meets a unique cast of characters, some friend and some foe, who add heart and charm to the story.
The publisher describes Deeply Dave as a “madcap, hilarious adventure” and it certainly is that, but it is more than its funny moments, though those are incredible. This book achieves the delicate balance of sprinkling humor onto a story with serious undertones mixed with hope. Such a concoction is what life is all about, which is why reading Deeply Dave is such an incredible experience.
Grover’s narrative ability is elevated through the skillful use of visual art. The characters and setting may seem simplistic at first, but the sparse use of shapes and colors is intentional, juxtaposed against meaningful perspective drawing to create depth and ambience. Grover’s original webcomic has music, animation, and a scrolling website to add atmosphere to the story. Gentle and attentive care has been taken to recreate Deeply Dave in a physical print format. Panels that once existed on the web have not simply been placed on a page and printed. Careful choices have been made in terms of adapting animations into static panels. The physical book is printed on its side so that pages are flipped vertically in order to mimic the scrolling feature of the webcomic.
The publisher’s age rating for Deeply Dave is ages 8-12, which is a great age group for it, but, much like the title suggests, this book goes deeper than that. Teens and adults will enjoy this whimsical yet serious tale that’s about more than just a boy looking for his missing mother. The publisher markets Deeply Dave for fans of the animated series Adventure Time, and the comparison is apt. There are some darker plot elements and subtle moments that will resonate with older readers. The physical book of Deeply Dave would make a great addition to libraries searching for a graphic novel with wide age appeal and an innovative style. Readers who love the graphic novel should definitely check out the original webcomic by Grover as it is one of the most original pieces of art that has come along recently.
Deeply Dave
By Michael Grover
Henry Holt, 2025
ISBN: 9781250331038
Company Age Rating: Ages 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Middle Grade (7-11), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
