Frankinschool: Monster Match by Caryn Rivadeneira
What's It About?
A princess and a monster must join forces to save their class from the mysterious effects of a creative writing assignment gone wrong.School’s a challenge even when you’re not an undead monster. Or being divebombed by bats. Or being haunted.
Let’s back up. Frankinschool: Monster Match by Caryn Rivadeneira (Red Chair Press) is a rollicking adventure through the perils of school, but with a supernatural twist. When Fred and his frenemy Luisa get caught up in a mysterious incantation during class, they need to work together to break the spell and return their school — and themselves — back to normal.
It’s Not Easy Being Green (And a Monster)
Fred’s had a difficult week. He was home sick, which meant he missed the author who visited school to do a book signing. And even though Fred’s mom filled out the sheet for Fred to get a copy of Limbo Lessons — and made to spell out F-R-E-D — the copy that Fred gets is addressed to Frank!
His classmate Luisa tells him that “maybe the author knows something you don’t … or, maybe you’re still Fred at home, but Frank in school.”
Fred’s been dealing with Luisa’s teasing for a while, and he’s getting pretty sick of it. So when the class gets a creative writing project, he decides he’s going to vent and embrace being Frankinschool — a monster who would train bats and cats to eat homework and invite ghosts to roam the halls. And Luisa would not be allowed to join in.
The problem is that Fred’s words seem to activate some type of curse! The entire class, and soon the entire school, is struck by a spell that leaves everyone fast asleep. Everyone, that is, except Fred — now looking very Frankensteinian — and Luisa! Despite their differences, the two must work together to get to the bottom of what’s happening and undo the enchantment. Hopefully then, Frankinschool can lose the green skin and the bolts in his neck.
An Unlikely Alliance
Along with themes of creativity and problem-solving, Frankinschool: Monster Match isn’t afraid to discuss the complexity of social dynamics in school, and how children should and shouldn’t treat their peers. Young readers will most likely recognize the way Luisa pokes fun at Fred — a way that Luisa seems to think is funny, but Fred finds hurtful.
Even as they try to work together, the conflict between them hampers their investigation into the strange occurrences. It’s only when they acknowledge past hurts that they make headway in their adventure.
“I guess, I thought you knew I was teasing. I thought you liked me. I didn’t know you didn’t want me around.”
“I don’t not like you,” Frankinschool said. “I don’t like being called dumb. It bugs me. Even if you are teasing.”
Through its characters’ own discussion, Frankinschool: Monster Match shows readers how to be assertive to their classmates. It reminds children that how we treat each other matters, and that speaking up about unfair treatment can go a long way.
In the end, not only do Frank and Luisa save the school from the unending sleep, but they also form a bond over their shared experience. “Frankinfriends forever,” Fred tells Luisa. With their example, children can feel confident in their ability to stand up for themselves in the face of ghosts, monsters and their peers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caryn Rivadeneira has spent her life imagining what’s up every roped-off twisty staircase, what’s behind every creaky, sneaky door, and what’s lurking in every spooky space she’s ever passed (and it’s possible she even snuck into a few of these places!). Caryn is the author of more than 20 books for children and grown- ups, including Edward and Annie: A Penguin Adventure (Tommy Nelson) and the award-winning Helper Hounds series (Red Chair Press). Caryn lives in the near-west suburbs of Chicago with her husband, three kids, and her rescued pit bulls. There may or may not be a ghost laboratory in her attic.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Dani Jones is an artist, writer, children’s book illustrator, and comics creator. She is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling PopularMMOs graphic novel series from HarperCollins and creator of the picture book Monsters Vs. Kittens from Stan Lee’s Kids Universe.
