- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–10
- Comedy
Boss of the Underworld: Shirley vs the Green Menace
Book 1 of 2 in Boss of the UnderworldView the full series
A fizzing, full-colour comic adventure about a girl who falls into the Underworld and is unexpectedly treated as its chosen hero. It is especially strong for Bunny vs Monkey, Dog Man and Phoenix Comic readers who want big laughs, strange creatures and fast visual storytelling.
- Best for7–10
- FormatGraphic
- Length160 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr15 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
- Onomatopoeic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Absurdist
- Adventurous
- Exciting
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Shirley is not planning to become anyone's chosen one, but a fall through a manhole sends her into a bizarre Underworld full of talking creatures, strange rules and very urgent problems. There she meets George, a giant cockroach, and learns that the inhabitants believe she is destined to defeat the Green Menace, a bullying boss with crocodilian goons and a talent for making everyone miserable. What follows is a fast, funny, full-colour comic quest through forests, sewers, emotional bogs, dangerous snacks and other ridiculous hazards. Tor Freeman's panels are packed with expressive characters, visual jokes and comic timing, making the book feel generous and easy to keep reading. It has enough fantasy quest structure to feel propulsive, but the main pleasure is the sheer oddness, charm and joke-per-page energy of Shirley and George's adventure.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–10
- Read aloud · 6–10
- Independent · 7–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Bunny vs monkey fans
- Dog man fans
- Phoenix comic readers
- Silly humour
- Visual readers
Avoid if
- Prefers calm books
- Dislikes creepy creatures
- Needs realistic stories
- Needs low visual density
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Struggling with reading
- Anxiety and worry
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, anarchic monster-comic series — a reluctant-reader favourite and classroom-library staple.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the fall through the manhole — Shirley dropped into a bizarre Underworld, a giant cockroach named George explaining she's the chosen one against the Green Menace, the quest through forests and sewers and emotional bogs and dangerous snacks. The full-colour comic for the Bunny vs Monkey / Phoenix reader.
- Being special or chosen
- Adventure and freedom
- Friendship and belonging
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The Tor Freeman comic series opener — Phoenix-style joke-per-page energy, full-colour panels packed with visual gags, fantasy quest structure pulling readers through. Strong for Dog Man / Bunny vs Monkey fans wanting something new. Generous and easy to keep reading.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Indie gem discovery
- Conversation starter
In the series
Boss of the Underworld.
2 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Tor Freeman.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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