🫣 In this fun, mildly scary, and utterly charming middle grade graphic novel, our protag Milo embarks on a huge adventure in the basement of his new house to find his baby sister’s missing sock. To say this basement isn’t a typical basement is an understatement!

🫣 While Milo fears the basement at first, he gathers courage to go down and retrieve the sock. But, of course, his curiosity gets the best of him, and he ends up on an epic adventure in a basement that contains a portal to a secret world!

🫣 I love that kindness and courage was emphasized in this story. Milo met many unique creatures in the basement world, and he learned that kindness makes things better for everyone.

🫣 The captivating artwork drives the story—literally. With fewer words than typical graphic novels, this book relies heavily on its incredible illustrations to convey the narrative. And it does it very well!

🫣 At the end of the book, there is a reference to an attic. Perhaps a sequel is in the works? I hope so!

Thank you @netgalley and First Second Books for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was a strange little story, but, intriguing nonetheless. I think young children and reluctant readers would devour this book. It has lots of detailed artwork and very few words. It's almost like the reader is taking an adventure back through different eras of artwork while the main character is on a mission to find a missing sock in the basement (or is it a labyrinth?). I think most everyone can relate to having a missing sock. Often times, we have no idea where it ends up. This is an interesting imagining of where one might be!

Another fabulous graphic novel by Ben Hatke! The illustrations carry the reader through the story: What will happen next? What fantastic creature will appear (and will it be friendly or dangerous)? How will Milo possibly find the sock, help his friends, and make his way back home?

At turns funny, sweet, and suspenseful, this is a great read for both graphic novel lovers and those new to the reading graphic novels.

What's in the basement? A missing sock... and more basements beneath the one for humans. It's bigger on the inside, with rats that steal laundry. Milo goes down to fetch a sock for a baby sibling, because he made a promise, and packs a flashlight on realizing he's in over his head. A few unlikely friends along the way may do the trick, as they all have reasons for living so far underground.

This story is a grand adventure, that reminds us things are not always what they seem. Skeletons can laugh, and monsters can weep. You can also reason with ghosts. The ending made me laugh, and feel for Milo. He's a hero, and someone determined to help his friends.

I generally love Hatke and this book is no exception.

There is, however, one minor quibble I have. There's a moment when a character has a goat that they've seemingly given an Arabic name and then the main character gets the name 'hilariously' wrong. We're.... not doing this bit anymore, right? It's no longer 'funny' (was it ever?) to not be able to pronounce others' names just because they are in some way atypical for us.

Who doesn't fear the dark basement? Milo is sent on a quest to recover his baby sister's special pink sock - down in the basement laundry room. When he discovers it has been snatched by a sock rat, he follows it through the labyrinth below his house accompanied by a muse (skull) and a vision (an eyeball/octopus) to discover what lies below. This solid adventure about bravery and kindness is sure to have many fans. Do I sense a sequel as Milo is sent to the attic???

Fun & inventive visual storytelling perfect for a middle-grade audience that creatively explores fear and the experience of having one's imagination take over.

If you are looking for artistic, adventurous graphic novels Ben Hatke is a solid, consistent choice. You can count on his books for odd adventures that explore a child's emotional development, that look at what it means to be brave, to be a hero. This book is in many ways typical of Hatke's work as seen in Zita the Spacegirl or Mighty Jack. This book is a little more sparse in the text, a little less action oriented. It's a simple quest but highly atmospheric. And it makes careful use of color and facial features. And each panel is so packed with details that you could leaf through the book a dozen times and not see everything.

This charming graphic novel was an absolute delight. It maintained an air of mystery right until the end, and the conclusion itself had me laughing out loud.

Picture a world where all those vanishing socks end up - that's where Milo embarks on an adventure in search of his sister's lost sock.

Along the way, he encounters new companions, journeys deeper and deeper downward, uncertain whether he'll locate the sock or just how expansive this basement truly is.

The illustrations perfectly complemented the story's ambiance. I'm eagerly anticipating the possibility of a sequel!

This isn't my usual kind of graphic novel, but it was a lot of fun. I know a lot of young readers love Ben Hatke and I can totally see why. This is about a boy who ventures into the basement of his new house and discovers a whole new world, full of magic and monsters. He befriends a friendly skull who accompanies him on this journey. It's a super fun story and a classic type of fantasy adventure. Ben Hatke's art is kind of simplistic but really fun, and the color scheme in this is so cool. I also like that a big part of the main character's quest to leave the basement and return to his family is learning to be kind to the monsters. He learns to meet all these monsters without judgment and manages to make some allies. The ending was very sweet as well, and I think this is great for a middle school library collection.

This is such a fun story, full of imagination, spooky and a little bit scary without being terrifying, with lovable characters that shouldn't be judged by their appearances. Milo's family has moved into a new house, and his mother asks him to go to the basement to find his little sister's missing sock (it must've gotten lost in the laundry). Now, basements are creepy - I've never lived in a house with one, but I remember the basement at my Aunt Annabel's house well, what thrilling fun it was to explore! Milo spots a rat running off with the sock, and discovers a whole other world down there, below the basement. He makes some unexpected friends, discovers that sometimes others look scary but turn out to be very nice, and by facing your fears, you often find they're not as scary as you thought. The art is delightful throughout, and the ending leaves open the possibility of a second book, because now that Milo's found the missing sock, there's a box up in the attic...

I completely loved this one. The familial love and the friendship storylines were so sweet. It was action, adventure and the ending was too funny and I want to read the sequel for sure! This was so inventive and fun. The artwork was perfect for this story, the colors were gorgeous and the character growth was believable.

I can see middle grade readers and above really enjoying this one. It had D&D vibes, so if you are into that, this would scratch that itch I think.

5, this was so much more than I was expecting and I want to see the adventures continue, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley and First Second for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

Ben Hatke could not write a bad book if he tried. While his books are meant for kids, they pull at the heartstrings of all ages. In this book we follow Milo as he searches for his baby sibling’s sock. Milo and his family have just moved into the new house and the basement is a tad bit scary. This basement isn’t just scary. It’s crazy. It’s crazy big and Milo meet some new fantastic friends. They are very few words in this book. And it doesn’t need them. Ben creates not just a story, but a heart gladdening tale that you hope there’s a sequel to. This book is adventure from beginning to end and love from one scene to the next. In my eyes Ben Hatke can do no wrong and this is just another of his five star reads.

His mother sends him into the basement to find his baby sister's missing sock. As he sees something disappear into the wall, Milo finds a door he'd never seen before and discovers unimaginable layers to his basement - with fantastical creatures, friend and foe. Love the artwork so so much and the adventure. I've already bought a copy for my classroom library.

I loved it. It's been a long time since I've read a graphic novel so different.
You never know where it will take you or what you will find.
It reads in the blink of an eye and metaphorically talks about many important things in life.
I found it a nostalgic novel in many ways.

This book is not for kids who were never scared about what they'd find in their basement. If you have never wondered -- is there a malevolent creature hiding in the shadows in the scariest part of my house? -- then you should choose another book. For the rest of us, this fantasy adventure is the most satisfying journey into the world(s) beneath a suburban home.

Milo has just moved into a new home when a rat steals his baby sister's special sock and his mom asks him to go get it back. It sounds easy enough, until the task draws Milo deep, deep, deep into the earth to a scary fantasy world where lost things go. He encounters many strange creatures -- some friendly and some ravenous -- and is faced with one challenge after another in order to save his new friends and find the stolen sock.

The text is sparse in this graphic novel, but the illustrations make up for it 100 fold. Gloomy, glowy, spooky, fantastical, everything you want and more. The cavern-like structure under Milo's house is created with beautiful and convincing illustrations -- that include references to the arts.

My biggest complaint? As usual, I am burdened by an ability to read Latin. And an inscription promised a dragon, but there was no dragon.

I absolutely loved this weird little horror graphic novel! Milo is sent into the basement to look for his baby sister's sock which he discovers has been stolen by a sock rat. Deciding to be brave and chase after it, he discovers secrets upon secrets. How big can a basment be anyway? Milo finds tons of historicial stuff. And he even meets a few mystical creatures. Milo's basement teaches him to face his fears and to treat even the strangest creatures with kindness. And just maybe we will finally learn where all those lost socks go. I truly hope Milo's adventures are turned into a series.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

5/5 stars
A perfect elementary age book that is beautifully illustrated with minimal dialogue. Milo goes on an epic quest in search of his sister's precious sock, but he learns so much more along the way. Perfect for Coraline lovers!

I meant to peek at the first few pages of this for a minute, but accidentally read the entire thing in one sitting. I am absolutely charmed. I was expecting to enjoy this book, but I was not expecting the degree to which I was carried away by it. An utter delight, a wild journey, and even with the gloriously spooky aesthetic it left me feeling so warm and fuzzy inside. I have already been recommending it, and I only finished it seven minutes ago. What a joy to read!

A trip to the dark, scary basement in search of a lost sock leads Milo into a secret underground world that just keeps going DOWN, and plunges him into an AMAZING adventure. There are monsters - both lovable and frightening, quests, and new friends to be made and rescued.

A new book by Ben Hatke is always cause for celebration. His artwork is a delight, and his story is entertaining and intriguing.