Monster Friends

by Kaeti Vandorn

Two friends: one big, one little. One old, one young. One grumpy, one cheerful. Both: MONSTERS!

Reggie's plan is to spend the whole summer brooding over his latest adventure gone wrong. But his friendly and curious neighbor, Emily, won't let him sit alone and unhappy in his house forever! Despite their differences, these two monsters make the perfect pair of explorers. And with a map to make, a beach party to plan, and a sea monster to find, Reggie will have to learn to talk about his feelings and let new friends in!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Comics, Fiction, Friendship

272 pages, Library Binding

Published June 22, 2021

Reviews

[Kathryn]

I'm just dipping my toe into this genre so I don't have a strong basis of comparison. Graphic novels were never my thing, but after The Tea Dragon Society practically jumped into my arms at the library last year (I couldn't resist that cover, and ended up loving the series!) I've decided to explore a bit more. My boys were super drawn to this and started reading it as soon as they saw it in the stack from the library, so I'm going to work on bringing more graphic novels into our home so my personal reading tastes don't dictate theirs. (Recommendations welcome for graphic novels suitable for elementary ages!) We really enjoyed this book. The characters and setting are super cute. It's like Totoro bunny-cats living in The Shire ;-) and the other characters are really fun and creative, too (love the tiger!) The beginning seemed a bit confusing with so many character introductions but it soon evened out. A few of the choices the characters made weren't ones I would want my kids to emulate (for example, snatching someone's letter and running off with it or sneaking off to a cave by yourself) and I'm a bit puzzled by the final two pages. But, overall, it has a sweet message of making friends and staying true to yourself even if you think others might be disappointed in you or find you odd. Overall, an enjoyable experience!

[Maia]

Shy grey Reggie returns home after a season of adventuring which has left him with nightmares. Curious, boisterous Emily draws him out of his shell with her enthusiastic friendship. They explore beaches, caves, and forests together and meet many friendly neighbors. This kid's comic is absolutely adorable, but I questioned some of the story choices... especially the way the opening scene was set up and the way Reggie's backstory was revealed. But it is very delightful to look at, and I think young readers will simply enjoy it and not notice any of the things I quibbled with.

[jude]

i loved monster friends!! a sweet, heartwarming story about two unlikely friends who help each other learn and grow and reach out of their comfort zones to explore new things. the illustrations are so bright and cheerful, and the world that reggie and emily live in makes me want to live in it too!! there's a real appreciation for nature throughout the book, and it's fun to follow the characters to all different types of settings: the beach, the forest, a cave, and more.

in the back of the book there's an explanation about original characters and how it can be fun to create your own. there's also a little "how-to" on how to draw reggie and emily, and how to create your own monsters. this makes the book really fun and interactive, and encourages kids to play and learn through art and imagination.

a very fun read!

[Rachel Aranda]

3.5-3.75 stars

This was such a cute graphic novel! I love that the author shows how to draw Reggie and Emily at the end too. I’ll definitely be trying that. This is a book I had to restart a few times because I forgot about it… Not sure how with its cute cover but what I read just didn’t stick with me or make me focus on reading it all in one setting. I’m glad I remembered I had it and made a point to finish it. Definitely was a fun read that I’d recommend for people to read with their kids or to get for their kids.

[Emily]

3.5 rounded up. Thanks to my goodreads friend Kathryn for alerting me to this one. The pacing didn't completely work for me, and I share some of Kathryn's reservations, but the overall adorableness made me round up. I particularly liked the enchanting depictions of the shadow hobbits' (or whatever they're called) house.

[Dana]

I was drawn to the bright and colorful art and cute style, but that's about all I enjoyed. The story was a little hard to follow as things aren't well explained until towards the end. I didn't know who any of the other monsters were and because they immediately left, I wasn't sure why we were introduced to them at all. The lesson or moral of the story was pretty simplistic but will go well with kids.

Overall, a good graphic for shyer, younger kids.

[Beth Heltebridle]

The sweet author’s note pushed this over the 4 star mark for me. The book equivalent of a weighted blanket.

[aqilahreads]

SO!!! ADORBZ!!!! too cute oh my goodness. cant help but to go OMG SO CUTE in like every page lmao

it focuses on friendships and about making friends - sharing the importance of helping one another, learning & growing together. maybe i have quite a high expectation for it but pretty decent coming from a graphic novel that targets to younger readers.

the art is so lovely and worth checking it out though!! i love the little artsy bits at the end where theres a guide to draw monsters and its main characters. ugh very very cute.

[Andrea Wright]

Adorable!!! It started out a bit slow and then I just wanted more. I may need a copy myself 🥰

[Van Hoang]

SO FRIGGIN' CUTE

[Peacegal]

Undeniably adorable fantasy characters scamper (and fly, and slither, and stretch) throughout the pages of this cute and friendly graphic novel. This one was more of a straight-up kids' adventure than a story with broader age range appeal.

[While both Emily's and Reggie's characters grew in maturity as the story progressed, I do wish Emily would have learned a little bit more about respecting others, as when she first meets Reggie, she grabs a letter he's writing, runs off with it, and accidentally drops it in the ocean! Not cool, Emily!]

[Jenna]

Adorable and with straightforward lessons. I'd happily get this book for my nephew and recommend it in the library. Bright illustrations and cute characters. My only gripe was that it's a bit hard to tell Reggie and Emily apart when they're surrounded by their families. Loved the shapeshifting abilities even if Reggie's legs sometimes made me squirm.

[Bailey Novinbury]

There better be more of these. This is the single cutest thing I have ever encountered

[Samantha]

I liked this a lot. It was simple, but sweet

[Aryn O'Connor]

So cute! Loved the artwork and the story was really cute as well. It gave me a mix of hobbit-y Shire vibes and Studio Ghibli. Absolutely delightful!

[Lucy]

Amazing book! The illustrations are great! I hope the author makes a book 2!

[Beverly]

This is a fun story with appealing, adorable illustrations, so that the "monsters" don't even look like monsters, just furry creatures that are not necessarily Earth creatures. All of the monsters in the story are friendly to each other. The monster friends have many adventures together, but none life-threatening, or even close to it. This would be a good monster book for sensitive children.

[Renegade Librarian Extraordinaire]

This was recommended by a friend and is SO cute I can't even! I loved it SO much!! The artwork and the story and everything about it was absolutely PERFECT! Honestly, I wouldn't mind becoming a monster if it meant I got to live in this lovely little world where everyone is friendly (and even drama is quickly resolved) for a while...or forever. I needed this book today and would give it more stars if I was able to do so.

I'm reminded of K. O'Neill and Gwen Tarpley and the Housecat Trouble: Meow and Again Boxed Set: Housecat Trouble; Lost and Found books.

[Villain E]

Cute art. Almost no story.

Reggie, a little shapeshifting monster goes, to housesit his sister's place while her family goes on vacation. We meet all 13 of them in the first chapter only to have them all disappear. Reggie likes being alone and is clearly timid. He has a secret that he's insecure about. He meets Emily, a four-legged monster, who's more outgoing. They explore the town and the ocean and the woods together. They encounter other monsters of all shapes and sizes, all of whom are friendly. Reggie works on his insecurity.

[Dan]

Although a bit confusing to begin with due to some characters being hard to differentiate, Monster Friends was a brilliant reflection on friendship, courage and community in quiet episodic chapters that reminded me of Jonny Sun's work. A joyful and insightful middle grade graphic novel.

[Kayla Zabcia]

80%

very simple storyline, but with adorable characters and charming settings. it's all very colorful, but it's subdued enough that it's not overwhelming - it's great eye candy with feel-good vibes.

[Loz]

My love for Reggie and Emily has been long established and it was delightful and very satisfying to watch them play in this format!

[Erin]

LOVED THIS!! It felt a little like an updated version of The Wind In the Willows. Just a gentle, sweet, fun read. The colors are so soft and welcoming and I can see a kiddo wanting to read this over and over again.

[Stephanie Cooke]

A GOSH DANG DELIGHT! Very big Studio Ghibli art vibes mixed with such a sweet story about friendship and acceptance.

[Toni Salvatore]

Adorable! Reading this felt like getting a warm hug from someone you haven't seen in a while. Very wholesome and uncomplicated. Classic introvert and extrovert story without any condescension.

[Briana Winters]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars for the extremely wholesome art style, absolutely ADORABLE♥️
About a 4 as far as the story. Just a simple little tale of a couple cute monsters becoming friends. Made me smile 😊

[Kareena]

An adorable book. I love how it addresses fear and anxiety. Would be great for a tween who was struggling with either, or just for kids in general. Lots of fun!

[Elisabeth]

This was extremely cute.

[alia. ✩]

a sweet and heartwarming book. the art style is absolutely adorable and the story is fun. I loved the characters and how they interact with one another!

[Grant]

Absolutely spectacular in every way. The cutest comic I ever did see!