#898 of 1001 · January 15, 2023

What’s that noise in the basement? And what has become of the parent who went downstairs to check? Dick Gackenbach uses these ominous questions as the basis for his wryly spooky Harry and the Terrible Whatzit. A young boy complains of a noise in the basement, and his mother decides to go down and investigate. When she does not return, the boy goes down after her, only to discover a bizarre, two-headed monster with glowing eyes and needle-sharp talons. While the creature is at first frightening, a few good whacks with a broom soon shrink it down to a manageable size. The takes pity on the grotesque thing and recommends that it try scaring the neighbor boy instead. The mother, it soon emerges, has been out in the back garden the whole time. With gentle text and merry, two-toned illustrations, Gackenbach offers an valuable insight about the importance of confronting one’s fears head-on. #boy #mother #basement #monster #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks