PEBBLE AND WREN

A young monster makes a human friend.

When Pebble, who is ungendered, must venture out of the hidden forest and into the world of humans (to unlock their skills, a monster rite of passage according to their parents), everything seems daunting. But one house is welcoming: It’s populated by Wren, a human child with black hair and light skin, and her two fathers, one brown-skinned and one pale. Pebble is a shape-shifter and by default is a stout, orange bean shape with two big eyes; skinny, stretchy arms; and two large horns. The little monster is fond of food or, in fact, anything that can be eaten, including books, rocks, and furniture. Pebble’s special skill seems elusive as the pair become close friends. Wren, however, has talents of her own. She enjoys explaining things and instructing Pebble on a variety of topics: moon phases, humans’ inner ear structure and skeletal anatomy, and the thermodynamics of refrigeration. Hallbeck’s tidy narrative emerges from a format largely consisting of four easy-to-follow frames per page. The nine chapters feel episodic but are winningly tied together by the pair’s developing understanding of each other, achieved through ordinary life and a few extraordinary moments. An adventure into the monsters’ forest to retrieve a special pen, a shared dream sequence, and Wren’s learning to communicate telepathically with Pebble feel both magical and natural—so much so that Pebble doesn’t realize their special skill has actually been found.

Endearing and slightly offbeat.