My Monster Burrufu
By Alberto Corral, with illustrations from Alessandra Sorrentino
Petite Grande Idée, 102 pp.: $8.95, for ages 9 and up
Alberto Corral is an animator whose work has appeared in the Dreamworks films "Shrek Forever After," "Kung Fu Panda 2" and "Madagascar 3." In his self-published debut, "My Monster Burrufu," he follows 7-year-old Olivia, who moves to a new house with her family only to discover a lonely monster who has snuck out of the attic where he hides in search of fresh-baked cookies.
Corral self-published the book in 2011, and its performance has been quite impressive. This summer, in fact, the book reached the No. 1 spot on Amazon's list of top-rated titles for kids.