Frankenstein's Fright Before Christmas

September 15, 2014
Walton and Hale, again collaborating under the pen name Ludworst Bemonster, return with a Christmas companion to their 2012 Frankenstein-meets-Madeline mashup, Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody. Lumpy-headed little Frankenstein can’t wait for Santa’s arrival at Miss Devel’s decrepit castle; he even drags a Christmas tree—ornamented with bats, snakes, and bones—in from the graveyard. When Santa Claus lands on the roof, it gives way, and he crashes unceremoniously onto the floor. But no matter, he’s got gifts: new heads for the tiny monsters, who have been making do with toasters, cacti, fishbowls, and other off-kilter substitutes after literally losing their heads in the opening scene. Despite a muddled sequence of events once the presents are delivered, the book’s wicked sense of humor will have mischievous readers cackling—Hale even manages to use the red-and-green Christmas palette to cadaverous effect. Ages 4–8.

September 1, 2014
In their second collaborative parody, Walton and Hale join forces under the pen name of "Ludworst Bemonster" to create a comic tale combining elements of the Frankenstein story, "The Night Before Christmas" and the classic Madeline. Twelve young monsters live in an old Victorian house with their guardian, Miss Devel, a mad-scientist sort with a white lab coat and safety goggles. On Christmas Eve, Santa attempts to deliver presents to the little monsters. Due to the deteriorating nature of the old mansion, Santa and the reindeer fall through the roof, and out of his sack come raining new heads for all the monsters but young Frankenstein. He tells Santa that he would like to learn to fly as his gift, so all the monsters pile into the sleigh for a trip to the North Pole. The text loosely follows the structure of "The Night Before Christmas" with an occasional line from Madeline. ("Something's not right!") There's lots of humor: monsters switching heads and wetting beds, a Christmas tree decorated with snakes and bones, and plenty of pratfalls and crashes. Echoing the style of Bemelmans, most illustrations use a limited palette of gray and lime-green with splashes of red for Santa and his sleigh. Children do not have to be familiar with Madeline or even Frankenstein to get the humor; slapstick comedy needs little introduction. Frightfully funny. (Picture book. 4-8)

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October 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Frankenstein and his little monster friends are taking on Christmas in this follow-up to the Madeline-inspired Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody (2012). Walton and Hale again combine their talents, taking on the rhyme scheme, rhythm, and plot of "The Night Before Christmas." "The monsters' bad manners had taken their toll./They'd lost their heads! They were out of control!" Miss Devel soon hears a clatter and who should appear at the castle door with a "CRASH" than little Frankenstein bearing a motley-decorated tree. Soon, Saint Nick arrives calling out to his reindeer, "On Whoozit, on Whatzit, and all of you others" and more chaos ensues. The watercolor digital illustrations in greens and red are a perfect match for this monstrously fun Christmas offering.-Diane Olivo-Posner, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2014
Preschool-G This pint-size Frankenstein's monster, last seen in the Madeline spoof Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody (2012), returns this time to riff on 'Twas the Night before Christmas. Mad scientist Miss Devel is having a devil of a time with her little monstersthey currently don't have any headsbut her long night gets longer when Santa's sleigh crash-lands through the mansion roof. Out spills Santa's goodies: heads! But wait, the monsters put on the wrong headsoh no! But then they fix themhooray! OK, so the plot is wrapping-paper thin, but it's the Halloween-meets-yuletide specifics that make this a treat, with Walton cleverly updating the famous poem ( She sprang from her slab to see what was the matter ), and Hale's green-tinged comic art lending a jack-o-lantern goofiness. Dash away, dash away all, and check it out.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)