ALA Booklist (Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Pablo and Jane are bored, bored, bored. What could be better than exploring the nearby scary mansion? After they sneak through the creaky front door, a mustachioed mouse leads them to a secret lab and a nifty-looking vehicle gathering dust. They hop in and start pushing buttons, but a dastardly cat maniacally cackles as the contraption rumbles to life, and the mouse, Jules, starts to talk just as the bulbous green machine winks out of sight. Jules tells them they have traveled to the monster world, but the cat, Dr. Felinibus, has stolen machine components they need to get home. Over the next dozen two-page spreads, Pablo and Jane flit among cities, and detailed Where's Waldo? like scenes invite readers to hunt for the missing thingamabobs among crowded monster antics. The jewel-toned, doodlelike creatures press close together in the jumbled scenes, which makes finding each object a satisfying challenge. Though the oblique shapes of the figures occasionally make it difficult to decipher what's going on, kids who love seek-and-find books will dig this offbeat offering.

School Library Journal (Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Gr 2-5 With the frantic and enthralling pace of an animated cartoon, this graphic novel bends genres to create an exciting new format. Jane, a red-haired adrenaline junkie, and Pablo, a bespectacled fraidycat, are bored enough to want to explore the mysterious castle on the hill. As they creep around, they meet the geometric mustachioed mouse professor Dr. Jules, who takes them for a ride in his time machine. Alas, they are foiled by a one-eyed villain, the cat Dr. Felinibus, who breaks their time machine and scatters the pieces all over the Monster Dimension, a place where familiar landmarks are twisted into creepy scenes. The graphic novel also transitions into a search-and-find where readers hunt for the machine's missing pieces so that they can all return home. The search-and-find scenes include monsters from mythology and history. The art is engrossing, with an abundance of detail and humor matched by its clever text, and the colors are elegant and bright. The sequential art sections sometimes feel a little cramped, but the square format and picture book-size trim help open up the layout. This work will engage readers on all levels with its thrilling adventure and interactive aspects. VERDICT An exciting new use of the graphic novel format; a first purchase. Lisa Nowlain, Darien Library, CT