I did have the pleasure of reading the first book in this series, but that is by no means necessary before diving into this one.

The authors dive off into the undersea (and a bit on land and ice too) of the arctic. The novel begins with a wonderful hook as it starts back in history with an ship, which was stuck in the ice and the crew didn't survive. From here, it races into more present day and an expedition up to the arctic with a few small adventures along the way.

The comic illustrations are nicely done, which is surprising considering the source. That end deserves a big thumbs up, flows well and offers everything it should.

The tale itself covers a large range as all sorts of creatures are discovered, shown in illustrated form, and accompanied by many details concerning everything from physical aspects to living habits. For sea life friends, there is a ton of useful information...and even involves creatures not every one has heard about. There are even extra tidbits about igloo building, inuit lifestyles and even other interesting facts. So, on the science and information end, this book is a gem.

As a graphic novel, it is an interesting attempt to bring across the information in a way young readers can connect with. The information is brought across in an understandable form, and with the graphics, it is eye-catching. Unfortunately, it didn't grab completely, though. While the first hook is great, it drops completely away. The explores make interesting discoveries and learn a lot, but there's very little drive to push any sort of plot forward. It becomes a travel with tons of interesting information...but just that. Which I found too bad because with a little more story and clear direction, even more reluctant readers might be really grabbed. Still, it is a nice non-fiction read and readers will learn tons about life in the arctic and under it.

I received a complimentary copy and found it fun to gaze through and learned quite a bit, too. ( )