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Fifth Grade Monsters #2
Born to Howl
Fifth-grader Howie Wolfner comes from a long line of hairy relatives, but lately he's found his sudden transformations into a wolfboy embarrassing. He wants to be a real boy like his friend Danny Keegan. The only question is—can he do it?
Howie's other monster friends at P.S. 13 are full of suggestions. C.D. Bitesky thinks an old gypsy woman might have just the right spell. Frankie Stein's computer recommends a stake through the heart at midnight. Yet it's Danny's sister Barbara and Elisa Stein who come up with the best cure for Howie's problem—by leading him on a truly hair-raising adventure!
WELCOME TO P.S. 13!
Howie's other monster friends at P.S. 13 are full of suggestions. C.D. Bitesky thinks an old gypsy woman might have just the right spell. Frankie Stein's computer recommends a stake through the heart at midnight. Yet it's Danny's sister Barbara and Elisa Stein who come up with the best cure for Howie's problem—by leading him on a truly hair-raising adventure!
WELCOME TO P.S. 13!
90 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1987
26 people want to read
About the author
Mel Gilden
120 books16 followersMel Gilden is the author of many children's books, some of which received rave reviews in such places as School Library Journal and Booklist. His multi-part stories for children appeared frequently in the Los Angeles Times. His popular novels and short stories for grown-ups have also received good reviews in the Washington Post and other publications. (See new publications under his name at the Kindle Store of Amazon.com.)
Licensed properties include adaptations of feature films, and of TV shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210; and NASCAR Racers. He has also written books based on video games and has written original stories based in the Star Trek universe. His short stories have appeared in many original and reprint anthologies.
He has written cartoons for TV, has developed new shows, and was assistant story editor for the DIC television production of The Real Ghostbusters. He consulted at Disney and Universal, helping develop theme park attractions. Gilden spent five years as co-host of the science-fiction interview show, Hour-25, on KPFK radio in Los Angeles.
Gilden lectures to school and library groups, and has been known to teach fiction writing. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where the debris meets the sea, and still hopes to be an astronaut when he grows up.
Licensed properties include adaptations of feature films, and of TV shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210; and NASCAR Racers. He has also written books based on video games and has written original stories based in the Star Trek universe. His short stories have appeared in many original and reprint anthologies.
He has written cartoons for TV, has developed new shows, and was assistant story editor for the DIC television production of The Real Ghostbusters. He consulted at Disney and Universal, helping develop theme park attractions. Gilden spent five years as co-host of the science-fiction interview show, Hour-25, on KPFK radio in Los Angeles.
Gilden lectures to school and library groups, and has been known to teach fiction writing. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where the debris meets the sea, and still hopes to be an astronaut when he grows up.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 11, 2021
Now that we've been introduced to fifth-grader Danny Keegan and his monster friends—Howie Wolfner, C.D. Bitesky, and Frankie and Elisa Stein—we learn more about the kind of kids they are in book two of the series, Born to Howl. Howie Wolfner cuts a dapper image most of the time with his English accent and proper manners, but recently he seems unhappy as a werewolf. When Ms. Cosgrove takes their class from school on a field trip to the Price Wax Museum, featuring the chilling Chamber of Horrors exhibit, an ill-timed werewolf transformation on Howie's part spoils the trip. This isn't the first time his lycanthropy has caused problems, but at least the adults around him remain willfully ignorant of his paranormal identity. Danny senses that Howie is sad about the museum incident, but he doesn't realize how sad until Howie admits he doesn't want to be a werewolf anymore. He wants to become a normal kid.
While Danny, C.D., Frankie, and Elisa brainstorm ways to help Howie, Danny's fourth-grade sister Barbara has her own problems. She's a proud member of the Girls' Pathfinders organization at school, led by Mrs. Bumpo, a no-nonsense lady who has been a Pathfinder since her own childhood. Barbara wants to earn merit badges and rise through the ranks, but her ambition is halted by the Big and Little Pals program. Every Pathfinder is assigned an older member to be her mentor, and Barbara is dismayed to be paired with Elisa Stein. Even if the adults refuse to see it, Elisa is a monster! What if she waylays Barbara during the Girls' Pathfinders camping trip on Long Island and eats her brains? Barbara wants a partner she's not scared of, but Mrs. Bumpo won't budge on the selection. If Barbara wants the woodcraft merit badge, she'll have to adjust to Elisa.
As Barbara tries to overcome her uneasiness around Elisa, Danny and his monster friends investigate how to turn a werewolf human. They research lycanthropy at the library but mostly come across superstitious bunk with no relevance to real werewolves. Howie finds more reliable information in his parents' collection of books at home, but nothing on how to alter his genetic structure. Halloween is approaching, and Howie wants to be a real boy by then so he can relax and enjoy the holiday. A gypsy named Zelda Bella offers a spell that should do the trick, but hold on a minute: Howie's werewolf senses may be needed when Barbara and Elisa disappear in the Long Island woods during the Girls' Pathfinders camping trip. Is he ready to stop being a werewolf forever, losing the advantages it gives him? And can Barbara bring herself to be friends with Elisa despite the older girl's bizarre physical appearance and supernatural traits?
Like M Is for Monster, the first book in the Fifth Grade Monsters series, Born to Howl is surprisingly philosophical, but with a more disciplined story. Howie's disillusionment with his own nature is complex, and isn't easily resolved. "Ask yourself this, Danny", he says. "Is the fun of playing Long John Silver worth the trouble of having one leg cut off?" That's an insightful way to explain Howie's feelings. Being a werewolf is sometimes fun, but does that make up for the angst it causes? C.D., himself a vampire, ultimately has the best response. "We can't help being what we are...Besides, even being a werewolf must have its advantages. Find them. Use them." We all have strengths and weaknesses, and success is measured by how we manage both. The challenge is what makes life interesting. In addition to its thoughtful content, I appreciate the Fifth Grade Monsters series for its hidden references to monster pop culture: Danny's dog is named Harryhausen (presumably for stop-motion movie animator Ray Harryhausen), and in Born to Howl, the wax museum is owned by a Mr. Price (presumably to honor legendary horror icon Vincent Price). The writing can be awkward, but I'll give Born to Howl two and a half stars, and I'm excited to follow the series from here. It has real potential.
While Danny, C.D., Frankie, and Elisa brainstorm ways to help Howie, Danny's fourth-grade sister Barbara has her own problems. She's a proud member of the Girls' Pathfinders organization at school, led by Mrs. Bumpo, a no-nonsense lady who has been a Pathfinder since her own childhood. Barbara wants to earn merit badges and rise through the ranks, but her ambition is halted by the Big and Little Pals program. Every Pathfinder is assigned an older member to be her mentor, and Barbara is dismayed to be paired with Elisa Stein. Even if the adults refuse to see it, Elisa is a monster! What if she waylays Barbara during the Girls' Pathfinders camping trip on Long Island and eats her brains? Barbara wants a partner she's not scared of, but Mrs. Bumpo won't budge on the selection. If Barbara wants the woodcraft merit badge, she'll have to adjust to Elisa.
As Barbara tries to overcome her uneasiness around Elisa, Danny and his monster friends investigate how to turn a werewolf human. They research lycanthropy at the library but mostly come across superstitious bunk with no relevance to real werewolves. Howie finds more reliable information in his parents' collection of books at home, but nothing on how to alter his genetic structure. Halloween is approaching, and Howie wants to be a real boy by then so he can relax and enjoy the holiday. A gypsy named Zelda Bella offers a spell that should do the trick, but hold on a minute: Howie's werewolf senses may be needed when Barbara and Elisa disappear in the Long Island woods during the Girls' Pathfinders camping trip. Is he ready to stop being a werewolf forever, losing the advantages it gives him? And can Barbara bring herself to be friends with Elisa despite the older girl's bizarre physical appearance and supernatural traits?
Like M Is for Monster, the first book in the Fifth Grade Monsters series, Born to Howl is surprisingly philosophical, but with a more disciplined story. Howie's disillusionment with his own nature is complex, and isn't easily resolved. "Ask yourself this, Danny", he says. "Is the fun of playing Long John Silver worth the trouble of having one leg cut off?" That's an insightful way to explain Howie's feelings. Being a werewolf is sometimes fun, but does that make up for the angst it causes? C.D., himself a vampire, ultimately has the best response. "We can't help being what we are...Besides, even being a werewolf must have its advantages. Find them. Use them." We all have strengths and weaknesses, and success is measured by how we manage both. The challenge is what makes life interesting. In addition to its thoughtful content, I appreciate the Fifth Grade Monsters series for its hidden references to monster pop culture: Danny's dog is named Harryhausen (presumably for stop-motion movie animator Ray Harryhausen), and in Born to Howl, the wax museum is owned by a Mr. Price (presumably to honor legendary horror icon Vincent Price). The writing can be awkward, but I'll give Born to Howl two and a half stars, and I'm excited to follow the series from here. It has real potential.
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