The Frankenstein Journals

Fourteen-year-old J.D. discovers why he never fit in at the creepy orphanage -- he's the son of Frankenstein's monster! The boy always wanted a big family. Now he's got a doozy: the donors of his jigsaw puzzle-papa! Fans of adventure and classic monster movies will gasp with delight as they follow J.D. through this diary-style thriller. Old photos, maps, artifacts, and entries from the mad scientist's own journals will plunge the reader into J.D.'s quest to track down his Frankenstein family. But will he be in time? A shadowy stalker seeks the journals -- and J.D. -- to build a new, more powerful monster!

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–7—Many 14-year-old boys feel awkward, but J. D. suffers more than most. His eyes are different colors, one leg is longer than the other, and his feet are huge and different sizes. He's also an orphan. It makes a crazy kind of sense when the orphanage tells him his real father is Frankenstein's monster and gives him Victor Frankenstein's original journal. J. D. sets out to find the nearest thing he has to a family: relatives of the people whose body parts were used to create his father. Standing in his way is the legendary doctor's pretty but evil daughter Fran Kenstein, who schemes to find the relatives first and use them to build her own monster. The rapid-fire plot wastes no time, whisking J. D. around the globe from Antarctica to California in search of family from whom he inherited various body parts. Sonneborn cleverly links the body parts with strengths J. D. didn't realize he had (a detective's eye, an explorer's feet) and gives characters names that sharp readers will recognize (Mr. Shelley, detective Sam Hammer). Colorful, full-page illustrations and J. D.'s witty doodles add strong visual appeal. There are 18 chapters, but the work is clearly divided into two separate narratives. The ninth chapter reaches a climax that sets up the hero's next adventure, which should begin right away, but instead, the following chapter unnecessarily recaps the events of the first half; it's odd, but readers will likely overlook it. Will J. D. find more cousins and his famous monster father in the next book? Only his nose—or his ear, hand or arm—knows. Readers who love monsters, mildly gross humor, and action-packed silliness will want to join him on his quest.—Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

About the Author

Scott Sonneborn has written more than 20 books, one circus (for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey), and a bunch of TV shows. He s been nominated for one Emmy and spent three very cool years working at DC Comics. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two sons.Timothy Banks is an award-winning illustrator known for his ability to create magically quirky illustrations for kids and adults. He began drawing at a very early age, and soon found that he loved creating pictures for his family and friends. His work has been described as edgy, whimsical, and fun, but he likes to think of his art as his most favorite thing in the world. Timothy creates his illustrations by using his computer, a drawing tablet and lots of imagination fueled by an overactive imagination (and sometimes ice cream). He has received honors and awards for his work from 3x3 Magazine, Creative Quarterly, Society of Illustrators Los Angeles and PLAY! Illustration. He has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art & Design, and he also teaches fledgling art students in his spare time. Timothy lives in sunny Charleston, SC with his wonderful wife, two beautiful daughters, and two crazy pugs. They enjoy playing in their backyard, and watching alligators swim by their house. You can see more of Timothy s work on his website, timothybanks.com.

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