Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Another excellent addition to the elementary grade graphic novel arena. Charming and fun.

ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

“Pebble and Wren“ with story and art by Chris Hallbeck is a graphic novel about a little girl has a live-in monster

Pebble lives in the monster world, but as part of his growing up needs to spend some time in the human world. He will either develop a power there, or have to live in the monster world for the rest of his life. Wren lives in the human world with her two dads. Wren and Pebble find all kinds of adventures and become great friends. Will Pebble end up staying in the human world or the monster one?

I liked this cute story. I love the artwork. This is very kid friendly book

This book ranks in my top graphic novels of the year! I read this egalley on an airplane and snorted laughing while I did. I couldn't wait to buy this hilarious and whipsmart story about a girl and her monster. I won't say more as I couldn't do it justice. Just go get this book - you will absolutely not regret it.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, Clarion Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful book. This adorable book full of feels is a very fun read. Loved the simple, child friendly explanations of scientific concepts (ex. Freezing and thawing of water) and the wonderful relationship between the two main characters. Definitely recommend!

*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing and e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book was really cute! I loved the relationship between Wren and Pebble and the idea that monsters need to be paired with human children to learn a special skill. I loved the emphasis on the importance of friendship. The parts that I thought were not as good were these really heavy handed explanations about science and the ways in which the world works. It was overly technical, especially for a kids book, and it definitely took me out of the story.

Pebble and Wren, adapted from a webcomic of the same name, follows a monster (Pebble) setting out on a rite of passage wherein Pebble, like all monsters always have, has to live in the human world to develop a special talent, eventually ending up as the monster under Wren's bed.

However, rather than scaring her, Pebble provides Wren with much-needed companionship (a gift she gives Pebble in return); the dynamic allows for lots of silly and aggressively cute commentary on things like sales tax, Halloween, snow, candy, and other nonsensical things about the human world which we don't question but whose logic break down quickly when Wren has to explain them to a monster.

Like the long line of human and non-human friendship stories preceding it, Pebble and Wren's strength comes from the deep emotional bond that forms between the two title characters - the deep well of understanding between them becomes not just the book's best attribute but also Pebble's special talent that the human world was supposed to teach.

The style is short and snappy - its webcomic origins give it an easy-to-follow four-panel setup and payoff structure on each page, which readers of similar comic graphic novels like Crabgrass and Big Nate will absolutely enjoy. It's lighthearted and breezy, yes, but underneath that is a deep well of warmth which makes Pebble and Wren far more memorable than other lighter graphic novels.

In a sort of Rumspringa for monsters, Pebble has to venture into the human world to see if he wants to live there, or come back to the world in which he was raised. He ends up at Wren's house, and together they share stories and learning experiences while becoming close friends. But, if Pebble doesn't "find his skills," he'll have to go back to monster world for good.

Well, this one was unusually wordy for a middle-grade graphic novel. Pebble and Wren sure do like to chat. And, though I appreciated the efforts to include STEM topics, I honestly think kids are going to find this one a little dull.

Pebble and Wren by Chris Hallbeck is a delightful graphic novel that celebrates the power of friendship and the beauty of differences. The story follows Wren, a little girl, and her live-in monster, Pebble, as they learn about the human world together. The author does an excellent job of creating a wacky and funny world that will make you laugh out loud.

The book is a tribute to friendship and how it can bridge differences between people, even those who are very different from each other. The relationship between Wren and Pebble is heartwarming, and readers will enjoy watching them grow closer and learn from each other.

The illustrations in the book are fantastic, and the characters are well-developed. The author has created a colorful and imaginative world that is sure to capture the imagination of readers of all ages. The humor in the book is silly, sweet, and sometimes gross, which adds to the overall charm of the story.

One of the book's main themes is the importance of being true to oneself, even if it means being different from everyone else. This message is delivered in a lighthearted and fun way, making it accessible to young readers. The book also explores the idea of perseverance and the value of hard work in achieving one's goals.

Overall, Pebble and Wren is an excellent graphic novel that celebrates friendship, differences, and the wacky world we live in. The story is heartwarming, the characters are endearing, and the illustrations are fantastic. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages who are looking for a fun and heartwarming read.

This is cute, though some parts are so straightforwardly educational that it kind of takes you out of the story.

Hello Again!

Recently I have been in a bit of a graphic novel reading mood. I decided to head to my Netgalley and download a bunch of the graphic novel e-ARCs I had on my account. I then spent several hours having a great time reading through them all! Pebble and Wren was the first graphic novel e-ARC I decided to pick up (a huge thank you to the publisher for a copy of the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). So without further ado, let’s talk about Pebble and Wren!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Pebble is a monster, he grew up in a world separate from the human world but now he is getting older and his society dictates that he must go into the human world and see what his new powers are. The only way to discover his new powers is to go on this journey. The people in the human world are used to the monsters coming in but not everyone is super friendly or wants one to live in their home with them while they discover their powers. When Pebble sets out on his journey, he spends time trying to find a human house to live in. That is when he finds Wren’s house. Wren is a human child and her family has agreed to take in Pebble. Wren and Pebble’s new friendship starts off a little rocky but they quickly become the best of friends. But can Pebble figure out his new powers? If he does not he will have to go back home. So Pebble must work hard if he wants to be able to stay in the human world.

I absolutely loved this graphic novel! Seeing Pebble and Wren’s friendship evolve. Also getting to see the surprise at the end of the story! Additionally, the art style of this graphic novel, made it pop off the page. Bright colors, sharp lines, and lots of interesting character designs. This graphic novel just came out on April 11th! I highly recommend checking it out.

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book was a delightfully funny adventure. I loved watching Pebble learn about the human world. This book was a wonderful way to introduce scientific concepts in a fun and easy to understand way.

This is a really cute graphic novel for your mid-elementary and upper elementary students, reminding me of several other graphic novels where humans and creatures become friends (e.g., Phoebe and Her Unicorn). It's a little longer in the text than what some of my readers may like, but pretty typical for elementary school, and a little bit less fantastical due to the math & science lessons. Still, an overall good read.

Book Summary:

We've all heard the story of the monster that lives under your bed. But what if the monster only wanted to be your friend? Enter Pebble and Wren. Wren is a sweet little girl whose best friend just happens to be a monster named Pebble.

Wren is working hard to teach Pebble about the human world, but that takes work. After all, you weren't born understanding everything about our world, right?

My Review:

I can't get over how cute Pebble and Wren is. If you're looking for a light and endearing read, choose Pebble and Wren. It's basically a modern version of the 'monsters that can be our friends' trope, but with a few original twists.

The core of this story is the strong bond between Pebble and Wren. They're so very different (obviously), yet they're fast friends. More than that, their story proves that they can move mountains if they work together. I love that message.

Highlights:
Middle Grade
Graphic Novel
Endearing Monster

This is the compilation of a popular webcomic, although I suspect most of its online readers are adults (in my experience, elementary-age readers don’t follow webcomics online). However, it’s nice that this gently humorous and charming story has been put into a medium that will reach a wider audience.

An entertaining introduction to Pebble the monster and Wren, Pebble's human friend. Pebble is a monster living in the magic forest and it's time for Pebble to go out into the human world, find a human household and learn a new skill. At first Pebble doesn't want to learn a new skill because this means Pebble won't be able to go home, but Pebble and Wren get along so well that they both must work together at the last minute to find a new skill for Pebble.

This was an entertaining read and I can definitely see it becoming a series. However, it didn't really stand out to me as list-worthy for NYPL's Best Books for Kids 2023. The cells and style were monotonous and I also wasn't emotionally invested in the characters and didn't find them particularly interesting.

3,5 stars. Pebble is a little monster who had reached a time where he had to spent some time in human world to learn new skill. Then he stayed at a house where a little human named Wren lived. In no time they became inseparable.

This book was fun and hilarious. Wren and Pebble learned a lot of things related to math and science, with simple explanation. It's a nice educational book for young readers.

In a Nutshell: A cute graphic novel for middle graders. Goes a bit lengthy in some aspects but ought to be a fun read for its target age group.

Pebble is a little monster who has to go through a rite of passage to unlock his hidden monster skills: he needs to go into the human world and stay with a human family. Needless to say, little Pebble is quite apprehensive. When he reaches the home of human girl Wren and her two dads, Pebble realises that humans can be quite weird but caring. Wren teaches Pebble the ways of the human world. In the process, does he also understand how to become a better monster?

The rapport between Pebble and Wren is cute. Both of them have a mutual friendship, sharing fun as well as learning. Pebble loves maths and uses his common sense in solving practical problems, which Wren is sometimes stumped by. Pebble’s being a shapeshifter and his love for eating (and eating and even more eating) adds many comic elements to the plot.

Through Pebble’s need to leave the comfort of his home and wander into an unknown place, we also get to see his uncertainty over handling new elements and how Wren’s welcoming attitude worked wonders for his confidence. (Helpful to remember and implement this in case of a new child coming to your school.)
Plus points for portraying Wren as having two dads without making a big hoohah about it.

The story is divided into chapters, with each chapter having an episode kind of structure with varying lengths. Each episode has an interesting interaction between the two leads. This could be something as frivolous as having a day out or something educational such as understanding temperature or gravity. It is in the latter that the book falters a bit. The explanations tend to drag at times, making the comic suddenly feel like an illustrated textbook. Sometimes, the concepts are too tricky to be covered within a chapter and hence feels rushed and boring. For instance, refrigeration is too complicated a concept to cover within a few panels.

This book is based on a web comic of the same name on webtoons. The comics have been structured and colorised for this graphic novel. The graphics are quite simple but they work well for the book.

This is no Calvin & Hobbes, no matter what the blurb claims. Though it has some deep thoughts and philosophical ponderings, at its heart, it is a cute comic for kids and just kids.

Recommended to the target age group of 8-12 year olds. The silly + serious combo will work better for them.

3.75 stars.


My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Clarion Books, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Pebble and Wren”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

This is a story about friendship, finding yourself and your talents. Pebble is a monster who has reached the age in which monsters travel to the human world to discover a new talent. Pebble does not want to leave his home. When he reached the human world he is taken in by Wren and her fathers. Wren has preconceived notions about what monsters are like but Pebble is far from what she expects.

This was a cute story. At times the story would veer off into a science or math lesson that would last a little too long and I would find myself getting bored. But overall I think kids will really like the humor in this book.

My graphic novel expert thought this was adorable (in fact, tears were shed when she had to go to bed before finishing it). Definitely a candidate for our school library's graphic novel collection. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review!