BRUNT AND EGGBERT

In Dorrill’s illustrated children’s book, a monster and a young boy create a found family.

Deep in the forest, an ogre-like monster named Brunt lives a peaceful life tending to his garden and watching movies in his cozy cave. He wishes that he had friends, but his frightening appearance has kept him from approaching other humans who might find his short horns and strange, reptilian tail too scary. Then, a 7-year-old human boy named Eggbert gets lost in Brunt’s part of the forest. He’s the sole survivor of a boating accident that killed his family; he doesn’t have a home to call his own, but he’s made a life for himself in a nearby village, depending on the kindness of locals who were willing to feed him and teach him different skills. When Brunt encounters him, Eggbert is afraid at first, but then he strikes up a conversation with the monster, asking, “What is your favorite dessert?” From the moment they talk about peach cobbler, Brunt and Eggbert become fast friends; they spend an idyllic day in each other’s company, and quickly decide to become a family. However, they soon face challenges when Brunt ventures into the human world. Dorrill’s picture book offers a heartwarming tale about choosing and protecting one’s family and overcoming mountainous odds. Peinador’s textured, folksy illustrations place the two main characters at the center of the story. Brunt touchingly cares about Eggbert’s well-being enough to educate himself and find a way to sell his pottery to buoy their finances; Eggbert puts aside his own prejudices to befriend a lonely monster, and even puts himself at risk to protect him.

A warm, whimsical story of familial connection.