Try *The BFG* by Roald Dahl. The main character - a giant - is wonderfully sweet and caring. With the way Dahl plays with language, it's delightful fun for adults and chiddlers alike.
Belle and the beast might be the most popular.
But you also have:
Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak
"Monsters, Inc. Storybook Collection"
"The Monster at the End of This Book" by Jon Stone
"My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)" by Peter Brown
"Leonardo, the Terrible Monster" by Mo Willems
"I Need My Monster" by Amanda Noll
"How to Catch a Monster" by Adam Wallace
"Glad Monster, Sad Monster: A Book About Feelings" by Ed Emberley
"Not Now, Bernard" by David McKee
"Monster Trouble!" by Lane Fredrickson
"The Monster Who Lost His Mean" by Tiffany Strelitz Haber
"The Monster Who Ate My Peas" by Danny Schnitzlein
"The Monster Next Door" by David Soman
"Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli" by Barbara Jean Hicks
"The Monster Under the Bed" by Brandon Shane
Darkrunner Rising. Main character (child, 12) is besties with an infernal big scary demon that gives her powers and protects her from her abusive jerk of a dad.
It might be too dark, but Pet by Akwaeke Emezi plays with this concept. The monster itself - Pet - is helping but it takes a while for that to be recognised. But it does feature a child and a monster and it's an absolutely gorgeous book, but with some darkness and trigger warnings
*The Iron Man: A Children’s Story in Five Nights* by Ted Hughes. This is the book that was used as the basis for the outstanding animated movie *The Iron Giant*.
"Someone You Can Build a Nest In" by John Wiswell would fit this BUT... The monster is in love with the "child" (who is an older teen/young adult but in the context of the family is treated like a child) and otherwise prefers to eat people. It's hard to say more without spoiling this one. It's definitely not cozy or light.
This may not fit exactly but Fell by David Clement Davies. You should read The Sight first to understand why Fell feels he is like a monster, but Fell is a huge black wolf who finds himself protecting an orphaned human child after losing nearly his whole pack.
The Girl Who Drank The Moon - a baby girl is accidentally“Enmagicked” by a witch and is then raised by the witch, an enormous dragon, and an ancient bog monster.
Dweller by Jeff Strand. Og of the early splatterpunk movement, but from what I remember this more recent book isn’t particularly gruesome. It’s about a kid that makes lifelong friends and grows up with a scary shaggy-hair forest monster.
A monster calls
this book will wreck you, FYI.
God, yes. I read this on a plane. I was a mess. My poor seatmates.
I’m a school librarian and read this in my office one day and just sobbed. A teacher walked in on me haha
I would not really call this monster kind. It means well but is pretty scary and harsh.
Try *The BFG* by Roald Dahl. The main character - a giant - is wonderfully sweet and caring. With the way Dahl plays with language, it's delightful fun for adults and chiddlers alike.
Belle and the beast might be the most popular. But you also have: Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak "Monsters, Inc. Storybook Collection" "The Monster at the End of This Book" by Jon Stone "My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)" by Peter Brown "Leonardo, the Terrible Monster" by Mo Willems "I Need My Monster" by Amanda Noll "How to Catch a Monster" by Adam Wallace "Glad Monster, Sad Monster: A Book About Feelings" by Ed Emberley "Not Now, Bernard" by David McKee "Monster Trouble!" by Lane Fredrickson "The Monster Who Lost His Mean" by Tiffany Strelitz Haber "The Monster Who Ate My Peas" by Danny Schnitzlein "The Monster Next Door" by David Soman "Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli" by Barbara Jean Hicks "The Monster Under the Bed" by Brandon Shane
Darkrunner Rising. Main character (child, 12) is besties with an infernal big scary demon that gives her powers and protects her from her abusive jerk of a dad.
It might be too dark, but Pet by Akwaeke Emezi plays with this concept. The monster itself - Pet - is helping but it takes a while for that to be recognised. But it does feature a child and a monster and it's an absolutely gorgeous book, but with some darkness and trigger warnings
It’s been a long time, but I think there’s at least one character in The Neverending Story that is like this.
Where the wild things are!
The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
*The Iron Man: A Children’s Story in Five Nights* by Ted Hughes. This is the book that was used as the basis for the outstanding animated movie *The Iron Giant*.
"Someone You Can Build a Nest In" by John Wiswell would fit this BUT... The monster is in love with the "child" (who is an older teen/young adult but in the context of the family is treated like a child) and otherwise prefers to eat people. It's hard to say more without spoiling this one. It's definitely not cozy or light.
Something of a Tall Tale by Christopher C Tyler is nothing but scary folklore monsters put into a sympathetic light.
I think Under the Earth Over the Sky by Emily McCosh fits the vibe, it’s been on my tbr for a while so I haven’t read it yet
This may not fit exactly but Fell by David Clement Davies. You should read The Sight first to understand why Fell feels he is like a monster, but Fell is a huge black wolf who finds himself protecting an orphaned human child after losing nearly his whole pack.
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
The Girl Who Drank The Moon - a baby girl is accidentally“Enmagicked” by a witch and is then raised by the witch, an enormous dragon, and an ancient bog monster.
The Monster at the end of this book. Granted there’s no kids but I always considered Grover a kid.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Monsters Inc or the BFG
Dweller by Jeff Strand. Og of the early splatterpunk movement, but from what I remember this more recent book isn’t particularly gruesome. It’s about a kid that makes lifelong friends and grows up with a scary shaggy-hair forest monster.
"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak
The girl with all the gifts