The Groundworld Heroes

By Adrian So (Monarch Press, 2024)

Genre: Fiction/Middle School/Animals

Pages: 149

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So there we were. Her Royal Momness and I. Hanging out. Chasing frisbees. Munching on extra crispy bacon. When that stupid ping thingy pings. Telling She Who Must Be Obeyed she has email. Seems a fourteen y.o. in Canada or some other foreign country has a debut novel coming out about animal heroes.

Well. Who can resist that? So here’s the scoop:

The Microwave Version:

The Groundworld Heroes is the story of how an unpretentious, unassuming and ordinary Junior Digger mole named Benjamin becomes a Groundworld hero.

The Regular Version:

The underground animal residents of Soiland are happy and content with their ordinary lives until a band of Nasty Hoomans digs through the roof of Groundworld, threatening its citizens and its very existence. Benjamin mole and the inhabitants of Soiland are forced to flee as refugees into the neighboring kingdom of Puddleland. They have to overcome their differences and their terror to rally and ultimately defeat the invaders. Cuz the hunting hoomans are after the animals’ fur to sell on the black market. (See? Nasty Hoomans!)

So this is a story about mindless cruelty on one paw and courage, resilience, resourcefulness, determination and heroism on the other. Cuz “Where there’s a mole, there’s a way.” Remember that, Toots.

Also aardvarks. Anteaters. Gophers. Mice and moles. Conner the meercat. Her Cheesy Goodness. (Not to be confused with Her Royal Momness, thank you very much.) A Conner kidnapping. A wedding gift. Five nasty hoomans. Hwa. Hehe. Hwa. The Fantastic Parmesan. A Golden Whistle. Master Macker Cheese Donut. The Whizzy Fizzy Speed Machine. “The armadillos are coming! The armadillos are coming!” (Works best with that, “One if by land, two if by sea” thingy.) Cheese Smoothies (cheese, cheese, and more chunks of cheese).

Twists

And without giving too much away, let’s just say it ends with a twist. As in, “The End. The Actual One.” We love twists. Especially if they involve chocolate and vanilla. What?

Kimber: This book kinda reminds me of that Mike Mulligan guy and his pet steam shovel, Maryanne. Or that Tricks Potter lady.

Mom: “Tricks Potter?”

Kimber: Yeah. You know. The Peter Rabbit lady. Or maybe that Downwater rabbit thingy. Animal Harm. The Wind in the Wills.

Mom: That’s Watership Down, Animal Farm, and The Wind in the Willows, babe.

Kimber: Picky. Picky. Sheesh. By the way, what’s a jerboa? (Askin’ for a friend.)

Crunchy

Bristling with spunk and spirit, the plot snaps, crackles, and pops. Kinda like that cereal stuff, says Kimber. Only crunchier. Peppered with suspense, action, and hefty doses of wit and whimsy, The Groundworld Heroes is as fresh and original as a dew-kissed rose.

The writing also brims with creativity and cleverness. We really enjoyed it. Indeed, animal lovers and other hoomans who enjoy a lithe and lively story that’s as vivid and vibrant as today’s sunrise will appreciate The Groundworld Heroes.

I’d grab a copy as soon as it comes out in August ‘fize you. Just sayin.’

Our Rating: 4.0