Pebble and Wren

Chris Hallbeck is a roughly human shaped collection of anxieties held together by caffeine and curiosity. He’s been publishing comics on the internet since 2006 with his single panel comic The Book of Biff, followed by his multi-panel strip Maximumble. He was the co-writer and artist for Unshelved at the end of it’s run which led to co-creating the similarly themed Library Comic. With the addition of his voice and animation, his comics have found an audience of over two million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. He lives in Michigan with his wife, two children, and a small worm in the back of his skull that whispers comic ideas to him.

"Hallbeck’s tidy narrative emerges from a format largely consisting of four easy-to-follow frames per page. The nine chapters feel episodic but are winningly tied together by the [Pebble and Wren's] developing understanding of each other, achieved through ordinary life and a few extraordinary moments [that] feel both magical and natural . . . Endearing and slightly offbeat." — Kirkus Reviews“A perfect graphic novel: sweet and hilarious with poignant moments.” — — Zach Weinersmith, creator of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal“Chris is one of the funnies comic writers out there . . . when you combine his seemingly endless jokes with the sweetness of Pebble and Wren, the result is a complete delight." — — James Stewart, creator of Dinos and Comics"A delightfully imaginative and silly adventure." — — Nathan Pyle, creator of Strange Planet“Chris Hallbeck brings an indelible charm to everything he does and Pebble & Wren is no exception. It's surprisingly wholesome for a story about a horned, shape-shifting monster living under a kid's bed. Chris even manages to sneak in little learning moments without taking anything away from the fun (I learned why we feel dizzy after spinning around!).” — — J. L. Westover, creator of Mr. Lovenstein“Pebble and Wren is unique, cute, and really fun. My kids are going to love this!” — — Nick Seluk, creator of The Awkward Yeti"Quirky and charming, this graphic novel with themes of friendship and being one’s self will find a home in many collections." — School Library JournalHallbeck’s hijinks-filled graphic novel, rendered using bold outlines and richly colored illustrations, is filled with humor and sweet gestures of connection alike.  — Publishers Weekly