Zinc Alloy vs Frankenstein

September 1, 2009
Gr 1-3-Aliens Eek and Ack want to find out why Earth is so hard to conquer. They dress up in traditional Earthling costumes and arrive on the planet during a meteor shower, a perfect disguise for their landing. They do not realize that it is Halloween or that the Wolfman is on the loose. Harpsters characters are wonderfully drawn in dark colors, and readers see the full emotion behind these charming aliens. Reluctant readers new to graphic novels will love this book. In the second title, Zack Allen is bullied at school. When a tornado hits his town, he turns into Zinc Alloy, superhero. Things go haywire when his suit backfires and sends him through the toilet. He destroys the town by accident, and an angry mob decides that he is a mutant. He runs for cover in the forest, where he meets Frankenstein, who turns out to be a girl. They fight, but become friends as soon as Frankenstein hears that Zinc Alloy likes the comic book "Robo Hero". They join forces and wash the town clean but leave it without drinking water. Holgates illustrations are explosive and exaggerated and will appeal to children. Both books include a list of characters, a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and Internet sites."Lisa Gieskes, CA Johnson Preparatory Academy, Columbia, SC"

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