WE ARE MONSTER CHILDREN (VI ÄR MONSTERBARN)

In Eva Whitebrook’s poetic debut picture book we meet six different little monster children who each have their own personalities and distinct challenges. One is too quiet, one is too kind, yet another has no friends … 

In other words, they’re dealing with the same kinds of feelings and problems as most children (and adults). What they all have in common is their loneliness, and that they have to find their own strength to take their place in the world. A movingingly truthful book about everyone’s right to be themselves, We are Monster Children is written in verse and with a keen eye for human (and sometimes monstrous) struggles. The poems go straight in to your heart and will prompt important conversations between children and adults. Beautifully illustrated with lots of humour and empathy by Lotta Geffenblad.

Rights

Sweden: Rabén & Sjögren

REVIEWS

“In this wonderfully and colourfully illustrated book of rhymes that flow as lightly as water, Eva Whitebrook and Lotta Geffenblad explore what it’s like to be different. Here is the monster child who has no voice, the one who is afraid of the dark, the monster child who really wants to be a fairy, and several more. Being different can be demanding, but you can always find someone who is just as unique as yourself.”
Sydsvenska Dagbladet / SWE

“The young often have to make a leap of faith to find their own identity. This also applies to monsters dealing with their parents’ expectations. Not everyone wants to follow in the footsteps of previous generations. The author Eva Whitebrook and artist Lotta Geffenblad take this up in We are Monster Children, a quirky and humorous picture book that deals with problems all small creatures confront. None of the six monster children fit the adult world’s image of them. Everyone has to take that leap in the dark to express their true self. It’s charming, even adorable, but sudden explosive moments give the conflicts a colourful charge, vividly expressed in the illustrations. The rhyming verses and the musicality of the words give the book a vibrant lyrical dynamic. It’s exhilarating to read aloud.”
Borås Tidning / SWE

“A fantastic book in verse about feeling different but finding your community. Eva Whitebrook and Lotta Geffenblad’s monsters make us see strong emotions from different perspectives. Monster children and model children all have their place!”
Kristina Sigunsdotter, August prize winning author, playwright and critic / SWE