Do you want a book where your main character has a “loud personality” and is a big sister, and is a person who does not realize that people do not like to be scared (not even a little bit) most of the time (if not all the time)? Then you probably want to read the graphic novel, Shelley Frankenstein! V01 CowPiggy by Colleen Madden.
There is a cute sister/brother relationship, and the historical aspect is amusing (yes, THOSE Frankenstein’s are the ancestors of Shelley and her brother Iggy). And things are realistic (though we do have Frankenstein’s Monster, The Bride and one hairy wolf-man handyman). And the message, while obvious, is not preachy and it feels like the character “gets it” or learns the lesson, while still staying true to herself.
There are cute illustrations that make even a shark-cat or a bat-ostrich adorable. Yes, our girl Shelley is trying to make the scariest, evilest monster ever! After all, people love being scared (in fact, she cannot get enough scares! Does not matter if it is a book or movie, you name it, she wants to be scared by it). Though her kid brother, loyal, sweet and the perfect Igor to her Doctor, tells her that maybe she is not exactly right. But though she does not (at first) listen, he is right there with her. Right up to the day one of Shelley’s experiments finally does scare the kids and the consequences are serious.
There is a lot of humor and adventures. There are a few twists and turns, but most of the time things smoothly sail along. And while most ages could read, best for ages 8 to 10. (Read via an online reader copy, due late August-early September 2023).