Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that these monsters act, well, monster-ly. So expect some mention of blood-sucking, some scary (looking) zombies, and bad behavior on the part of Godzilla (who poops on someone's car). Also, the pictures are detailed and true to their subjects. Some kids might find them too scary. Because the tone is light and funny, other kids will find them silly fun.
Families can talk about how humor can take the edge off something scary. Kids familiar with the monsters' backgrounds can note the way their traditional histories are turned upside-down for the poems. (Like the way Frankenstein gets around the torch-wielding villagers.)
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Dawn Friedman
It's tempting to make this book all about the spectacular pictures since author/illustrator Rex's talent and range are prodigious. Using different styles for each section, Rex makes each vignette appropriately unique. For example, the phantom's scenes have the blurry feel of the silent movie, and the pictures accompanying Dr. Jekyll's poem take their cue from the Victorian era of the original tale.
The gross-out factor isn't excessive but it's there. Not only is there a glimpse of Godzilla poop (unhappily deposited on the dismayed poet's Honda), but the monsters themselves are wart-ridden and have bulging eyes, and a few fangs drip saliva. (Much to the delight of the 10-year-old boy who assisted in this review.)
Happily the poems live up to their illustrations. Rex understands the mind of your average kid (at least those who aren't scared of the detailed monster drawings) and his monster tales take inspiration from their original stories. Take the poor beleaguered Phantom of the Opera, who can't get "It's a Small World" out of his head, or Dracula Jr. who is terrified by a trip to the dentist.
The vocabulary level is high -- this isn't a dumbed-down parody -- and Rex doesn't stretch unreasonably far for his rhymes. As rhyming books tend to be, it's an especially fun read-aloud -- and funny enough to keep parents entertained, too.
From The Book
It's a world gone crazy, a world gone wrong,
when the phantom can't even write a song.
Sure, he's using his head,
but what's stuck there instead?
"It's a Small World" after all.
Plot Summary:
Rhyming monster vignettes are more funny than scary.
Related Books:
Other spooky books
Mommy? by Maurice SendakThe Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
Haunted House by Jan Pienkowski Rate It!
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