Young Adult Fiction — Review

The Undergardeners

by Desmond Anthony Ellis
Orca Book Publishers, 2006
ISBN 13: 978-1-55143-410-5
$7.95, 120 pp, ages 8 – 11
www.orcabook.com

Mouse, small for his age, one night discovers a new world where he becomes the large, wise one, even though he is an “uptopper.” In the moonlight he hears voices and sees lights and bodies scurrying to and fro. When he investigates further, he stumbles into the underground world of moles, voles, groundhogs, porcupines and mice, all part of a complex society whose rules Mouse must learn in order to be accepted. Similar to the characters from Beatrix Potter’s books and the characters in Graham Green’s Wind in the Willows, these little night creatures have original personalities, charming habits and fears. One of their biggest fears is the Creepscreech. When Mouse discovers the identity of the Creepscreech and allays their fears, he becomes their hero, a marvelous experience for a boy usually teased about his size and abilities. This book is fast-paced and contains many tense moments as the undergardeners scurry to escape a fire, evade Creepscreech and search for their friend Digger. It is a straightforward adventure tale with little character development, but enjoyable all the same.

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