- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–10
- Fantasy
Hupo and the Doom Lagoon
Book 2 of 2 in HupoView the full series
Hupo's whimsical world returns for a second airship adventure, this time to a lagoon where your worst fears can be trapped forever, until they aren't. A gorgeously drawn graphic novel about facing what scares you.
- Best for7–10
- FormatGraphic
- Length64 pp
- Read aloud~30 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
Tone
- Whimsical
- Adventurous
- Exciting
- Warm
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Hupo is off on a brand-new adventure, soaring across the land of Yip in an airship with Zimmy, a peculiar travelling companion who looks, sounds and even smells suspiciously like Hupo himself. Their destination is the Doom Lagoon, a mysterious place where you can sink your worst fears beneath the waters and never be frightened of them again. But of course, things do not go to plan. When hundreds of years of trapped fear come surging back out into the world, it falls to Hupo and the ever-suspicious Zimmy to put things right before the horrors of the Doom Lagoon overwhelm everyone. Billy Partridge returns to his beloved whimsical world with another beautifully illustrated tale of courage, imagination and the strange but freeing business of facing your fears. Funny, exciting and full of heart, it's a perfect next step for young readers who fell for Hupo's first big adventure.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Pitched at 7-10s reading independently and a fun shared read from around 6. The short, highly visual comic format keeps it easy for reluctant readers, while the imaginative world and gentle scares suit adventurous younger children.
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- Best fit · 7–10
- Read aloud · 6–9
- Independent · 7–10
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Whimsical fantasy
- Reluctant readers
- Facing fears
- Graphic novel fans
Avoid if
- Wants realistic stories
Particularly good for children who are…
- Nightmares or fears
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
A high-flying airship quest into a lagoon of trapped fears is exactly the kind of spooky-but-safe adventure kids love. Hupo is brave and funny, the world is strange and gorgeous, and the mystery of who Zimmy really is keeps the pages turning.
- Adventure and freedom
- Going on a quest
- Surviving danger
- Secret world
- The underdog winning
Why parents love it
Partridge turns 'facing your fears' into a genuinely exciting adventure rather than a lesson. The comic format and warm humour make it hugely accessible for developing readers, and the artwork is a treat to share.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Indie gem discovery
In the series
Hupo.
2 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Billy Partridge.
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Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
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