From School Library Journal
Gr 3–5—When the cleaning slimes escape and proceed to demolish the schoolyard at Gravelmuck Elementary, Fizz Marlowe is on the case. Fizz considers himself a talented detective and he is determined to help the school janitor, Mr. Snag, escape punishment. Along with his best friend, mechanically inclined, high ponytail-wearing Tank, these two junior detectives proceed to gather clues and try to evade the eight legs of the spider school principal and her network of baby spider spies. The mystery grows when Fizz and Tank discover something sinister going on with the new cleaning company the school hires. Something slimy is running amok in Rockfall Mountains, and it isn't the cleaning slimes. This chapter book brims with reader appeal. Fizz's snappy personality and loyal nature make him a fun protagonist. He steals the show, eclipsing the slightly less-developed Tank. Thankfully, Tank's love of mechanics and engineering make her a unique and refreshing addition and her excitement jumps off the pages, helped by Deas's artwork. The world of Rockfall Mountains and its characters (gremlins, goblins, slimes, and monsters) is reminiscent of Pixar's famous "Monsters Inc." film series and may hold appeal for children who have grown up with those characters. While the artwork sometimes feels superfluous to the text, only adding minor dialogue scenes, it definitely brings the inhabitants of Rockfall Mountains to life. Though this first book in a new series is not a runaway success, there is still plenty of action, adventure, and imagination to make it a strong addition to library collections.—Sarah Wethern, Douglas County Library, Alexandria, MN
Review
"O'Donnell rolls out a slick subterranean caper flavored with a diverse nonhuman cast, topped off with a suspenseful scramble. It's all served up with a quivering dollop of complications related to the uneasy local détente between monsters, who are more comfortable with machines, and the dark mages of Slick City's mysterious Shadow Tower. Deas' frequent cartoon illustrations add zesty incidents and punch lines to the plot. Young readers will slurp up the gumshoes' gooey first exploit with relish. And perhaps a few choco-slug cookies." ― Kirkus Reviews
"Something slimy is running amuck in Rockfall Mountains and it isn’t the cleaning slimes. This chapter book brims with reader appeal. Fizz’s snappy personality and loyal nature make him a fun protagonist...[Tank's] love of mechanics and engineering make her a unique and refreshing addition and her excitement jumps off the pages, helped by Deas’s artwork. The world of Rockfall Mountains and its characters (gremlins, goblins, slimes, and monsters) is reminiscent of Pixar’s famous 'Monsters Inc.' film series and may hold appeal for children who have grown up with those characters...Plenty of action, adventure and imagination to make it a strong addition to library collections." ― School Library Journal
"The humorous plot is also full of purple magic dust, slimes, and strange creatures. Readers will be amazed to discover a principal with hundreds of baby spider spies, a dragon selling off his treasures, and a school for wizards. Liam O’Donnell’s action-packed text is complemented by the illustrations created by Mike Deas..This graphic novel is a seamless melding of text and visuals in an entertaining ghoulish storyline populated by trolls, goblins, gremlins, ogres, dragons, kobolds, mages and other fantastic creatures. Readers who like slimy humour and lots of amusing and improbable action will definitely enjoy this book." ― Resource Links
"A magical and suspenseful page turner that young readers will be sure to enjoy...Tank and Fizz is an entertaining mystery narrative full of monsters, detectives, and magic. The story notably includes many incredible comic vignettes illustrated by Mike Deas to provide readers with a visual accompaniment to the events taking place in the text. The comics are woven into the narrative and function as an aesthetic bridge with the written text of the story... An enjoyable read!" ― CM Magazine
"O’Donnell’s text entertains, and the well-crafted story will leave readers anxious to solve the mystery." ― CanLit for Little Canadians blog
"O’Donnell...knows how to weave together elements of detective stories, such as multiple plot lines, red herrings, and the usual suspects. With the addition of graphics by illustrator Mike Deas...[the book] is elevated from a simple middle-grade mystery or graphic novel to a clever amalgam. The graphics...complement the uproarious text...[and] the well-crafted story will leave readers anxious to solve the mystery...A monstrously imaginative and funny read, and a great introduction to a new series." ― Quill & Quire
"The escapades are all a little gross and rather funny, and the nonhuman cast is creative and effectively detailed...The frequent illustrations carry forward the story either with pictures alone or with speech bubbles, and their rich details are worth the extra attention. Offer this to recent fans of Scroggs’ Snoop Troop mysteries or to readers who have outgrown Rylant’s High-Rise Private Eyes detective series." ― The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Lots of fun illustrations as you ooze your way through this story." ― Coombs Report Summer Reading List for Kids
"This fast-paced mystery series is a graphic novel hybrid...The mix of creatures, inventions, and fear of magic create a layered world. This series makes mysteries approachable for graphic novel fans." ― School Library Connection
Book Description
Who let the slimes out?
From the Back Cover
monsters, fantasy, detectives, mystery, magic, crime-solving, graphic novel, dieselpunk, fantasy noir
About the Author
Liam O'Donnell is an author and educator who has created over forty books and graphic novels for young readers, including the Max Finder Mystery, Graphic Guide Adventure and West Meadows Detectives series. He was born in Northern Ireland and came to Canada when he was five years old. He studied media at Ryerson University and has worked on film sets in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Liam lives in London, Ontario.
Mike Deas is an author/illustrator of graphic novels, including the Sueño Bay Adventures, the Tank & Fizz and the Graphic Guide Adventure series. While he grew up with a love of illustrative storytelling, Capilano College's commercial animation program helped Mike fine-tune his drawing skills and imagination. Mike and his family live on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.
