The Life and Deaths of Frankie D.

April 1, 2021

Gr 7 Up-Life as an orphan is hard enough, but Frankie D. must also deal with a skin condition called lamellar ichthyosis, which means her skin looks and feels scaly like an alligator's. Having been found on the street as a child, Frankie knows nothing about her past. Things get strange when she starts having visions of someone else named Frankie. This Frankie is young and works in a carnival side show as "alligator girl." Each vision gives her a little more information about this other Frankie and why she is having these visions in the first place. Nelson has crafted a magical realism story that will keep readers wondering until the end. Most teens will relate to Frankie, as she wears her insecurities literally on her skin. While Frankie's ethnicity isn't stated, a few other characters are BIPOC. VERDICT Readers who like mysteries and a little bit of magic will enjoy this one.-Rena Gibson, Ralph Ellison Lib., Oklahoma City

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April 1, 2021
A teen's troubled past links her to a freak show performer from the 1920s. Frankie Doe doesn't remember anything about how she wound up in foster care, but she remembers her abusive foster homes all too well. Luckily, her current foster mother, Kris, is supportive, helping her to address her anger and encouraging her art. Friends are another story. To conceal lamellar ichthyosis, a genetic disorder that leaves her skin cracked and peeling, Frankie wears heavy goth makeup, which also conveniently keeps anyone from getting too close. When, in her dreams, she suddenly becomes Frances--aka Alligator Girl, a freak show performer who shared her disorder--she discovers that Frances' past and her own share disturbing similarities. And when, to her horror, an eerily familiar man invites Frankie to join his circus, she's plunged into a nightmare that threatens to destroy both her and Kris. She might have to ask for help--but whom can she trust? Flashbacks from Frances' perspective sympathetically explore the complexity of freak shows, portraying disabled people's exploitation and camaraderie as well as the societal prejudice that prevented them from finding other work. However, Frankie's storyline falls somewhat flat amid convenient coincidences and loose ends. Trauma is respectfully explored, though some references to sexual assault are presented in a way that leaves readers little time to process. Most characters default to White; several are Egyptian Canadian, and Frances' father is M�tis. An alternately muddled and engaging read. (Paranormal suspense. 13-16)

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