My Favorite Thing Is Monsters

Written by Emil Ferris and first published in 2015, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters is a fictional graphic novel based loosely on Ferris’s own childhood in 1960s Chicago. Before writing her first graphic novel, Ferris was a toy sculptor and illustrator. Writing My Favorite Thing Is Monsters acted as a form of therapy for Ferris as she recovered from a severe reaction to the West Nile Virus. Ferris had to make many sacrifices to create her masterpiece. It has won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel in 2010, as well as three Eisner Awards in 2018. The graphic novel has been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, and German, and its sequel currently awaits publication.

This study guide utilizes the March 2021 publication of the graphic novel. Please note that the graphic novel addresses potentially triggering issues that include child abuse, trafficking, murder, and other instances of violence.

Plot Summary

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters takes place in 1968 Chicago and centers around the life of 10-year-old Karen Reyes. Karen is an intelligent and intuitive girl with an affliction for monsters, art, and family. The graphic novel acts as the pages of her diary, and the images within it are drawn by Karen as she recounts the events that unfold.