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There's a Zombie in the Basement
"Milo won't fall asleep because he thinks the monsters in the basement are gonna get him. And, if he can't get to sleep, no one will. Mom and Dad better hope his
wild imagination doesn't get the best of him!"
wild imagination doesn't get the best of him!"
- GenresGraphic Novels
38 pages, Hardcover
Published May 3, 2016
217 people want to read
About the author
Stan Yan
28 books51 followersStan is an award-winning, first generation American-born-Chinese, Denver-based writer, illustrator, caricature artist and instructor.
He helped to co-found the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, was a board member of the Colorado Alliance of Illustrators and is currently the co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (RMC-SCBWI), and a member of the Cuddlefish Gang art “cuddlective.”
His work has been seen in THE SUNDAY HA HA, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS (BlueWater Productions / Storm Comics / Tidal Wave), THERE’S A ZOMBIE IN THE BASEMENT (Squid Works Kids), DENVER COMIX, KITE TALES, the RMC-SCBWI annual calendar, THE QUEUING DEAD (British zombie anthology), POP CULTURE CLASSROOM, and THE WESTWORD, among many others.
His late middle-grade graphic novel, THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG is being published by Atheneum (S&S), scheduled for Fall '25.
His work was the grand prize recipient of the 2022 SCBWI-FL Conference Portfolio Excellence Award!
He currently teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and via the Cuddlefish Academy.
He helped to co-found the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, was a board member of the Colorado Alliance of Illustrators and is currently the co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (RMC-SCBWI), and a member of the Cuddlefish Gang art “cuddlective.”
His work has been seen in THE SUNDAY HA HA, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS (BlueWater Productions / Storm Comics / Tidal Wave), THERE’S A ZOMBIE IN THE BASEMENT (Squid Works Kids), DENVER COMIX, KITE TALES, the RMC-SCBWI annual calendar, THE QUEUING DEAD (British zombie anthology), POP CULTURE CLASSROOM, and THE WESTWORD, among many others.
His late middle-grade graphic novel, THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG is being published by Atheneum (S&S), scheduled for Fall '25.
His work was the grand prize recipient of the 2022 SCBWI-FL Conference Portfolio Excellence Award!
He currently teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and via the Cuddlefish Academy.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 11, 2016
THERE'S A ZOMBIE IN THE BASEMENT
Written and Illustrated by Stan Yan
2016; 32 Pages
Mascot Books
Genre: children's, picture book, fantasy
(I received an ARC from the AUTHOR in exchange for an honest review.)
4 Stars
Milo cannot sleep knowing that there are zombies in the basement. His parents would like to get some sleep so try to ease that fear. I enjoyed this humorous picture book. The illustrations are great as well. While you would think this is not a great book for bedtime...you would be wrong. In fact, this is a great book for kids who have fears of what is under the bed and goes bump in the night.
Written and Illustrated by Stan Yan
2016; 32 Pages
Mascot Books
Genre: children's, picture book, fantasy
(I received an ARC from the AUTHOR in exchange for an honest review.)
4 Stars
Milo cannot sleep knowing that there are zombies in the basement. His parents would like to get some sleep so try to ease that fear. I enjoyed this humorous picture book. The illustrations are great as well. While you would think this is not a great book for bedtime...you would be wrong. In fact, this is a great book for kids who have fears of what is under the bed and goes bump in the night.
September 20, 2016
Is your child afraid to sleep at night? Then this is the book to read. It's fun, entertaining, and will capture any child's imagination!
The young boy, Milo, is afraid to go to bed, and his wild imagination pictures all kinds of creepy characters lurking around his home. His patient parents listen to him and then spin his images in a positive way, putting Milo at ease.
Opinion:
I loved this story and thought it was so creative! The story reads like a Dr. Seuss book, with all the sentences rhyming. It is fun, creative, and has wonderful illustrations! A young child could easily retell this story just by looking at the pictures. It's a perfect bedtime story!
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age: 10
The young boy, Milo, is afraid to go to bed, and his wild imagination pictures all kinds of creepy characters lurking around his home. His patient parents listen to him and then spin his images in a positive way, putting Milo at ease.
Opinion:
I loved this story and thought it was so creative! The story reads like a Dr. Seuss book, with all the sentences rhyming. It is fun, creative, and has wonderful illustrations! A young child could easily retell this story just by looking at the pictures. It's a perfect bedtime story!
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age: 10
April 5, 2018
One of my son’s favorite bedtime stories!
Title: There's a Zombie in the Basement
Author: Stan Yan
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Pages: 40
For Purchase at: AMAZON
Last year I attended a writing conference. Many of the presenters were of the horror genre. While I had only ever read popular fiction by the likes of Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz and Veronica Roth, back in the day I did enjoy a Stephen King novel or two. So, I entered the vendor room to find a man and woman sitting at a table with some creepy comic drawings and a children’s book.
This man was Stan Yan. The book was There’s a Zombie in the Basement. While I was initially drawn in by the quality of his art, Stan and I started talking. I explained that this story might be a little too scary for my over imaginative 4-year-old. A smile spread over his wife’s face and he explained that his 4 year-old, was his muse. His son had become scared of his drawings. So, in an attempt to help him see the comic drawings as nothing more than silly fiction, Stan Yan wrote, illustrated, and published this bedtime story.
At that, I was sold. And boy did this tiny investment pay off.
My little boy loves this story, still. It has the right amount of spooky to keep him interested with a sweetness that keeps him tucked in at night and not running into my room at every noise.
Yan writes very rhythmically and it is easy for mom and dad to pick up on. By the first turn of the page, you are able to read through the story without skipping a beat. It is also fun for my son to “read” (recite from memory) as we go through to the end.
Do not be mistaken by the dark nature of the art. These monsters aren’t so scary after all and I give this story 5 stars!
Dacia M Arnold
Title: There's a Zombie in the Basement
Author: Stan Yan
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Pages: 40
For Purchase at: AMAZON
Last year I attended a writing conference. Many of the presenters were of the horror genre. While I had only ever read popular fiction by the likes of Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz and Veronica Roth, back in the day I did enjoy a Stephen King novel or two. So, I entered the vendor room to find a man and woman sitting at a table with some creepy comic drawings and a children’s book.
This man was Stan Yan. The book was There’s a Zombie in the Basement. While I was initially drawn in by the quality of his art, Stan and I started talking. I explained that this story might be a little too scary for my over imaginative 4-year-old. A smile spread over his wife’s face and he explained that his 4 year-old, was his muse. His son had become scared of his drawings. So, in an attempt to help him see the comic drawings as nothing more than silly fiction, Stan Yan wrote, illustrated, and published this bedtime story.
At that, I was sold. And boy did this tiny investment pay off.
My little boy loves this story, still. It has the right amount of spooky to keep him interested with a sweetness that keeps him tucked in at night and not running into my room at every noise.
Yan writes very rhythmically and it is easy for mom and dad to pick up on. By the first turn of the page, you are able to read through the story without skipping a beat. It is also fun for my son to “read” (recite from memory) as we go through to the end.
Do not be mistaken by the dark nature of the art. These monsters aren’t so scary after all and I give this story 5 stars!
Dacia M Arnold
September 6, 2016
If I were a babysitter I'd keep this book on me. The images appeal with large eyes and a just-right pallet of swamp monster pastels. The brilliant touch is the blank page at the end, which solicits a parent-child conversation about fears. To dissipate fears about a Zombie in the Basement, or under the bed or other nighttime scary creature, talk and draw. Read this book to fearful little oned and help them get to sleep. Sweet dreams for everyone. Vicki Gundrum
October 25, 2019
I don’t normally review children’s books. I have several children of my own, and while we do read together, it never occurred to me to review any of them. I’ve also never read a zombie book to my kids, so that’s probably what motivated me to write this.
It’s hard to find kids books that are unique and can appeal to me as much as they do to my kids. I have a history of falling asleep mid-book when reading to my kids. It’s probably why they’ve all learned to read earlier than many kids. They just wanted to be able to finish the books after I fell asleep. I didn’t fall asleep reading There’s a Zombie in the Basement. That in and of itself is nothing short of a miracle.
My youngest child is 5. What he likes changes from day to day so what he likes today, he probably won’t like tomorrow. We’ve read, at his request, There’s a Zombie in the Basement every single night this week. And it’s Thursday. He loves the book because he’s afraid of all things bedtime. He has a vivid imagination and, like most kids, imagines things that aren’t really there. This book teaches kids that the things in your imagination can be your friend. I love that concept. Stan Yan puts it in a way kids can understand without being scared of the characters in the book to start with.
I recommend this book, and so does my son because I didn’t fall asleep reading it, it’s actually helping my son go to bed and be less afraid, and it’s a really cute book.
It’s hard to find kids books that are unique and can appeal to me as much as they do to my kids. I have a history of falling asleep mid-book when reading to my kids. It’s probably why they’ve all learned to read earlier than many kids. They just wanted to be able to finish the books after I fell asleep. I didn’t fall asleep reading There’s a Zombie in the Basement. That in and of itself is nothing short of a miracle.
My youngest child is 5. What he likes changes from day to day so what he likes today, he probably won’t like tomorrow. We’ve read, at his request, There’s a Zombie in the Basement every single night this week. And it’s Thursday. He loves the book because he’s afraid of all things bedtime. He has a vivid imagination and, like most kids, imagines things that aren’t really there. This book teaches kids that the things in your imagination can be your friend. I love that concept. Stan Yan puts it in a way kids can understand without being scared of the characters in the book to start with.
I recommend this book, and so does my son because I didn’t fall asleep reading it, it’s actually helping my son go to bed and be less afraid, and it’s a really cute book.
December 24, 2022
Simply adorable. I wasn't sure at first because I hated that the parents were so unwilling to be flexible with the boy's nighttime fears, but I really enjoyed where the story went. I also loved the character designs on the monsters. I can see why Yan is known for monsters. My husband picked this up for me as a Hanukkah gift because it's by a Colorado local author. I love finding local authors to follow!
March 11, 2021
What a fresh, innovative concept! I love the sweet story behind this picture book. The illustration are perfect--I love how they compliment the comic book-style zombie element without being scary.
This is the cool picture book you want to gift!
This is the cool picture book you want to gift!
October 27, 2023
What a cute book! Met the author and illustrator at a book fair event. He was very kind and I really liked the fact that the book was created bc his son was creeped out by his drawings. We had no issues after reading it and it had a great ending to the story.
April 26, 2019
I loved this cute book. The children I read to were very appreciate as well. Thanks so much.
June 4, 2019
Stan in an incredible storyteller and artist. A very sweet, and enjoyably gross, book for everyone.
November 19, 2025
Laugh out loud funny, and somewhat scary, but not too much. Great for a co-read by parent and child, lots of good conversation bound to follow.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews