 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich
- By Adam Rex, Mordecai Richler
- Genre: Horror
Common Sense Media says
Poems, stellar art show funny side of monsters.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that these monsters act, well, monstrously. 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). The detailed pictures are true to their subjects, and some kids might find them too scary. Because the tone is light and funny, other kids will find them silly fun.
What's the story?
Rhyming monster vignettes are more funny than scary.
Is it any good?
It's tempting to make this book all about the spectacular pictures since author/illustrator Adam Rex's talent and range are prodigious. The gross-out factor isn't excessive but it's present. Not only is there a glimpse of Godzilla poop (unhappily deposited on the dismayed poet's Honda), but the monsters are wart-ridden and have bulging eyes, and a few fangs drip saliva.
Happily the poems live up to their illustrations. Rex understands the minds of average kids (at least those who aren't scared by 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 -- for parents, too.
What families can talk about
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).
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
really boring
r librarian read this to us in library and it was soooooo boring!!!!! but even though it was boring i have to say the ilistration were really good. but it's IFFY for 4 cuz it has monsters in it.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
It really depends on your kid, and your parenting style
We love this book. My daughters (6 and 4) got this book 2 years ago and have requested it often at story time. Not only are the vocabulary and rhyme schemes slightly more challenging than you might see in most kids fare, but it provides an opportunity to look at monsters in a humourous light--Frankenstein isn't scary, he's hungry for a sandwich! Drac Jr. is only afraid of the dentist when he discovers she is not a monster, but actually a rather chipper human! Rex's characters (despite some of the creepier images) are very human, and allowed us to diminish our fear of nighttime bugaboos by evaluating what makes us afraid. I found this book WAAAY less disturbing than, say, the opening scene in Finding Nemo (remember, when Mommy and her 399 eggs get EATEN? Disney is playing on children's innate fear of losing their parents for dramatic effect, Rex is using classic monster images for comic effect).
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Authors: | Adam Rex, Mordecai Richler |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Publisher: | Harcourt |
| Publication date: | September 1, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 40 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 5 - 7 |
| Read aloud: | 5 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
