Lynn: Everyone who watches horror movies KNOWS you should never go down in the basement! But Ben Hatke may change our minds with his wonderful new graphic novel, Things in the Basement (First Second, 2023.) For one thing, reading will solve the mystery that plagues us all – where do the missing socks go??

Ben Hatke may be my favorite graphic novelist and this new book checked every box for me. The storytelling, art work, pacing, world building, and characters were all richly created. I read this in one sitting and then went back and re-read it more slowly and I can see that each additional reading will yield more.

Young Milo, his mom, and infant twin siblings have just moved into a new rather spooky-looking house. One of the babies has lost a sock, specially knitted for her, and Milo’s mom asks him to go find it – IN THE BASEMENT! If the house was spooky, the basement is terrifying but Milo wants to help his mom. Following a mysterious creature who has stolen the sock, Milo finds a previously unnoticed door. Behind that door is a whole other huge world and it is full of incredible creatures. Some of those creatures are friendly and some, like the Gobbler, are hideous and dangerous. As Milo explores the basement world, he makes some friends and learns just what it takes to really be a true friend.

Hatke’s illustrative work is masterful, brilliantly using light and shadow to intensify the suspense, mystery, and danger. Light touches add moments of relief only to plunge back into the foreboding murky dark. The world’s inhabitants are wonderfully imaginative including the Gobbler and the skull who speaks in pictures. What a great touch.

The story comes to a satisfying conclusion but clearly, the creaky door is wide open for another adventure. A must-purchase for all libraries where kids love graphic novels…. all libraries!