My Favorite Thing is Monsters

Last year, Nimona was my favorite book of 2016, which surprised me, but there you go. I just finished My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Volume 1 by Emil Ferris and it’s a very strong contender for my favorite book of 2017. It is funny, the drawing is amazing, and the story is intriguing.

Karen Reyes is a young girl growing up in Chicago in 1968 and she would rather be a monster than a little girl. She lives with her mother and older brother, making her way through a tumultuous time both in her own home and the national events of that year. The story went in some very unexpected directions, dipping into World War II history, the mob, and dynamics of grade school life, but it was so well done, it worked together perfectly.

But even more than the story itself, the drawing in this book is amazing. It looks like it was all done in ball point pen and it’s on ruled notebook paper, we are in Karen’s notebook and reading her story as she sees it. There were many spreads where I just stopped and looked and lingered and was caught off guard by how beautiful it was.

A side note: this is Ferris’ first published graphic novel. She started drawing and writing in her 40s and is now in her 50s. Her personal story is inspiring, so do read about her as well. I can’t wait for volume two to come out this fall.