- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–10
- Comedy
Boss of the Underworld: Shirley vs the Huge Beast
Book 2 of 2 in Boss of the UnderworldView the full series
A second absurd underworld quest that sends Shirley into the Under-Underworld to rescue George and face a terrifying Huge Beast. It keeps the series' visual chaos, comic timing and reluctant-reader friendliness while expanding the fantasy setting.
- 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.
After the events of Shirley's first Underworld adventure, George the giant cockroach is in trouble, and Shirley's route to helping him leads even deeper: into the Under-Underworld. There she is immediately crowned queen, teamed with Peels, a loyal banana-skin royalist, and pushed into a journey across a strange junkyard-like realm to find George and confront the Huge Beast terrorising the land. The sequel keeps the same essential recipe as book one: a bold human girl, a deeply odd fantasy world, rapid-fire visual comedy and a quest that is dramatic enough to pull readers forward without becoming too frightening. Tor Freeman's strength is in making every page feel alive with odd creatures, funny expressions and background gags. It is best for children already hooked by Shirley and George, though confident comic readers can still enjoy the silliness and momentum.
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
- 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
- Making a difference
- Adventure and freedom
- Friendship and belonging
- Being special or chosen
Why parents love it
- 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.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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