cover image Do Not Build a Frankenstein!

Do Not Build a Frankenstein!

Neil Numberman, . . Greenwillow, $16.99 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-06-156816-9

There's a new kid in town, and he's a walking cautionary tale. As his peers listen raptly, he launches into a series of flashbacks, all designed to reinforce the lesson of the title. Sure, he says, a monster of one's own is fun at first (it turns out monsters are not averse to wearing drag when playing dress-up), but pretty soon the monster's enormous strength and relentless energy make it clear that emulating Victor Frankenstein is never a good idea (“He'll chase away your friends... and your pets... and he'll break all your toys”). Numberman is a nimble, funny writer, and he opts for showing rather than telling, his naïf watercolors scoring a punch line every time (the monster's vague resemblance to a giant green Homer Simpson on steroids makes the joke all the funnier). After a terrific debut as an illustrator this spring with the graphic novel–style Joey Fly, Private Eye , Numberman demonstrates his versatility and proves that he can deliver as both author and artist. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)