ALA Booklist

Drew's doodles slip off the paper and become her good-natured, if occasionally mischievous, companions. When her art club visits the Chicago Art Institute for inspiration, though, things take a surprisingly dark turn. Drew produces a Leviathan that travels between flat surfaces like its fellow doodles and becomes a terrifying and destructive force to the Doodleville world they inhabit. This, it turns out, is a manifestation of Drew's feelings of anger and insecurity, and it's only with the help of her diverse cast of friends and her own artistic instincts that she tames the inner/outer monster into compromise. Sell (Cardboard Kingdom, 2018) has conceived a heady metaphor, one that proves somewhat unwieldy when not clearly defined. His characters sometimes also miss the mark, repetitive and often overreactive in a way that can undermine emotional authenticity. However, readers will definitely respond to the idea of large emotions that are hard to control, as well as the therapeutic joy of art kewise Sell's use of encroaching darkness and his luminous figures, warmly rounded but imbued with wonderfully emotive features.

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

Drew, protagonist of this action-packed and heartwarming graphic novel, has a unique artistic talent: her doodles come to life. The lovable, mischievous residents of "Doodleville" are her closest friends, but the downside is that they frequently escape Drew's sketchbook and get into trouble. When she introduces her latest character, a sweet-tempered creature she calls "Levi" (short for leviathan) to her fellow (real-life) art club members, they are unimpressed. "Is he supposed to look so...goofy?" Drew's hurt and frustration build until Levi rampages into the other kids' drawings, now every bit the "menacing monster" they'd expected in a leviathan. It takes the other art-club kids and all of their characters working alongside Drew and the doodles to tame Dark Levi. The digitally created illustrations are dynamic and expressive; Sell's impressive range is evident in the depictions of the kids' wildly different artistic styles as well as those of famous painters. A wide range of skin tones, body types, gender expressions, and sexual orientations are represented in both the human cast and the kids' creations. Readers will relate to -- and root for -- Drew as she learns to accept her difficult emotions, take responsibility for consequences, work collaboratively, and strengthen her friendships.

Kirkus Reviews

In a world where art literally comes alive, a girl must figure out how to create harmony between her doodles and her friends.Ever since she was little, Drew has loved drawing-a particularly exciting hobby in a world where art comes alive! Whether on a field trip to the Chicago Art Institute or at her parents' diner, Drew's cheerful character doodles like to escape from her sketchbook and get up to harmless shenanigans. Drew does the best she can to contain them without imprisoning them; she's hung a large drawing of "Doodleville" on her bedroom wall to give them an enriching home. But when she adds a new doodle to her crew-Levi, short for Leviathan-and he becomes a threat to the safety of Art Club's other creations, Drew must figure out how to create balance and harmony. Sell's worldbuilding is simple and may leave some readers with questions, but he tells an engaging story that uses a fantastical idea to ponder real-world dilemmas: How do you cope when things feel out of control? How do you reduce harm, and how do you make amends for harm that you've caused? Characters are shaped a bit like bitmojis, with slightly oversized heads and skinny necks. Drew has pale skin and dark hair, and her friends are a diverse bunch in terms of racial presentation, pronouns, and gender presentations. Several pages of backmatter discuss the history of Doodleville and its denizens.Will draw readers in and inspire doodles galore. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Nine-year-old Drew-s primary companions, a friendly-looking crew of living Doodles that live in paper town Doodleville, are known to escape into the human world, where they can alter art. Even so, Drew takes them on an art club trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, where they run amok through classic paintings, sitting at the bar in Hopper-s Nighthawks and enacting a pillow fight in van Gogh-s Arles bedroom. Drew-s increasing insecurity about her creations-visualized by Sell (The Cardboard Kingdom) as erratic, sometimes eraserlike scribbles that cut through colorful spreads-spurs her to create leviathan-like Levi: -Something big! Something amazing!- that can compare to her peer group-s impressive characters. But when her peers don-t understand Levi, Drew-s anxiety manifests, turning Levi into a monstrous, art-destroying creature that the club must band together to handle as Drew learns the power of embracing one-s style. Sell-s caricatured illustrations provide strong action, and single-hue overlays (purples, greens) highlight emotionally charged moments for the friend group, which includes kids of various ethnicities and gender identities. Ages 8-12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (June)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6 Chicago native Sell's ( The Cardboard Kingdom ) latest graphic novel does triple duty as a tribute to the power of art, a message of the importance of friendship, and an inspired romp through the Windy City. The only child of busy parents who own a diner, nine-year-old Drew has few friends. Instead, she takes solace in her doodles, who, when they're not hanging out in "Doodleville," pop off the page and cause mischief. When Drew and her art club take a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago, the doodles run amok among the famed paintings, frightening one of Degas's ballet dancers and making a splash among Monet's water lilies. When an angry museum bigwig scolds her for defiling a painting, Drew is consumed with worry, and her anxiety sky-rockets when her newest doodle, a leviathan, destroys Doodleville, invades the other club members' (magical but better behaved) artwork, and devours another character. Though racked with guilt, she must overcome her angst before it envelops her, with the help of family and friends. Sell has crafted a tender yet action-packed tale of a young girl who uses her creativity as an outlet for her emotions and learns to draw strength from those around her. Vibrant, whimsical cartoons keep the focus on characters' facial expressions. The tone and palette reflect the story; gentle, muted hues and controlled linework are replaced with angry purples and frenetic scribbles when the leviathan wreaks havoc. VERDICT Aspiring artists, fans of The Cardboard Kingdom , lovers of graphic novels, and anyone struggling with friendship will appreciate Sell's newest tale. Beronica Puhr, Oak Park Public Library, IL