HOME SCHOOL BOOK REVIEW
Book: Frankie Stein
Author: Steven T. Seagle
Illustrator: Marco Cinello
Publisher: Image Comics Inc., 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-60706-191-5
ISBN-10: 1-60706-191=0
Related websites: www.manofaction.tv (series) , www.imagecomics.com (publisher)
Language level: 1 (nothing objectionable)
Reading level: Ages 6-12
Rating: 5 stars (EXCELLENT)
Reviewed by Wayne S. Walker
For more information e-mail homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com
Seagle, Steven C. Frankie Stein (published in 2010 by Image Comics Inc., 2134 Allston Way, 2nd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94707). Who or what is a monster? Frankie Stein is a young boy who looks a little like the movie depictions of Frankenstein’s monster and lives in a castle outside of Transylvania (Transylvania, Pennsylvania, that is) with his father, a scientist named Dr. Stanley Stein, their butler Mr. Graves, and their housekeeper Miss Kritch. It is Frankie’s birthday, Oct. 31. Dr. Stein has said that the whole town of Transylvania is full of monsters and that Frankie should never, ever leave the castle but stay in it forever. However, Frankie talks to a couple of boys from Transylvania who were dared to go see the monster in the castle. They call him a monster. So he decides to sneak away after his birthday party that night and see what’s in the town. It’s Halloween, after all, so what do you think he’ll find? Monsters? Normal people? Or perhaps both?
Here’s a Halloween story with a heart! Since each person is unique, all children undoubtedly feel at one time or another that they’re different from everyone else, and this book addresses that issue in a way that will appeal to kids. Author Steven T. Seagle has written numerous comic books and graphic novels, and has co-created the cartoons Ben 10 and Generator Rex with his friends at Man of Action Studios. Illustrator Marco Cinello has drawn for lots of different animated movies and shows, of which his favorites are Spongebob Squarepants and The Rugrats: The Movie. Maybe by reading this book, you too will come to understand what the observation, “Sometimes what you don’t want is the perfect accompaniment to what you do want,” means.
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