He explores the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean, but the strangest creature he finds might just be himself.
Deeply Dave, an imaginative graphic novel by Oscar-nominated animator Michael Grover, offers a thrilling adventure perfect for middle-grade readers. Dave, a determined young diver, is on a quest to rescue his astronaut mother, whose spaceship has crashed deep in the ocean. As Dave descends further and further into the dark abyss, he encounters a strange and wonderful world of bizarre sea creatures, alien monsters, and the mysterious “Big Doom.” With help from unlikely allies like Amos, a friendly crustacean, Dave faces both the physical dangers of the deep and his own fears in a rescue mission that explores themes of family, courage, and perseverance.
Deeply Dave with its graphic novel format, even with many wordless pages, immediately lowers the barrier to understanding by allowing students to decode the plot and character emotions through the expressive, cartoon-style panels. The book’s most unique feature is its vertical layout; students physically flip the pages upward to follow Dave’s descent, making the reading experience feel more like an interactive game. The language is direct and accessible, with simple sentence structures that avoid confusing idioms, a great help for students building their English vocabulary. Acclaim from sources like The New York Times Book Review and endorsements from beloved creators like Kazu Kibuishi of the Amulet series confirm its high quality. The combinination of a high-interest, emotionally resonant story with an incredibly accessible and innovative format,makes this book a useful tool for building reading confidence and showing students that “diving into a book” can be a fantastic adventure.
