Review Detail

WHEN FRANKIE MADE A HUMAN is an intriguing new chapter book twist on FRANKENSTEIN. The story follows Frankie, who feels lonely as he does not have any friends amidst the monsters in school. Eventually, Frankie decides to make a friend - a human friend. However, this human friend causes more trouble than he would have expected.

What I loved: This was an interesting new take on FRANKENSTEIN that flips the plot. The story contains heavy themes of friendship and loneliness which may resonate well with some readers. The illustrations included were great and really added to the story. For children who may or may not be familiar with the original story, this is a great way to get them into this world and recognize the power of Mary Shelley's book. There is also a lot of humor throughout that will appeal to the intended age range well.

What left me wanting more: The story borders on scary with some of the monsters and their abilities, and the other kids can be cruel to Frankie (on the flip side, it would be relatable to children who have experienced bullying). There was a lot that was not fully explained and the story felt troubled with details about some things but not others that left it feeling a bit disconnected. As it is an early chapter book, children can overlook some of this and still appreciate the core plot.

Final verdict: Overall, WHEN FRANKIE MADE A HUMAN is an interesting new twist on FRANKENSTEIN that will appeal to chapter book readers who enjoy some humor and monsters.