#MMGM: Things in the Basement by Ben Hatch
ABOUT THE BOOK
It was supposed to just be a normal basement—some storage boxes, dust, you know, the usual basement stuff. But when Milo is sent by his mother to fetch a sock from the basement of the historic home they've moved into, Milo finds a door in the back that he's never seen before. Turns out that the basement of his house is enormous. In fact, there is a whole world down there. As Milo travels ever deeper into the Basement World, he meets the many Things that live in the shadows and gloom...and he learns that to face his fears he must approach even the strangest creatures with kindness.
REVIEW
Having read and enjoyed many of Ben Hatke's previous works, I immediately ordered Things in the Basement once I heard about it. The illustrations are vintage Hatke with lots of great details, and great colorization. The story stands out as young Milo travels down into the basement of his new house and discovers a lot more than just a washing machine and dryer. When a rat runs off with the sock he was sent to fetch, Milo follows discovering hidden rooms, caves, and even what seems to be an ancient city. He makes some rather unusual friends, one rather creepy monster, and is forced to make difficult choices about his priorities. Themes of friendship, discovery, and courage shine through Miles as he makes his way through the basement. I wasn't thrilled with the bare statues found on a couple pages, even though they aren't really graphic, but it's enough to make the book a bit less appealing to some readers. The author's note at the end does explain the author/artist's desire to pay homage to famous works of art that he loves, which I understand, but it doesn't make it any more comfortable in this time of oversensitivity to such things. For those who don't mind those particular details, I can heartily recommend the book for its entertaining, mysterious story and the fabulous illustrations full of intriguing details.
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