Valentine Frankenstein

by Maggie Twohill

Valentine's Day is coming, and Amanda's class has decided to have a party - complete with valentine's boxes. Amanda knows her best friend Walter is very shy and not very popular with other students. So she devises a plan to make sure Walter gets more than his share of valentines. But her plan backfires because shy, quiet Walter has been suddenly transformed into VALENTINE FRANKENSTEIN!

Genres: Childrens, Young Adult

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Molly Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. Was a little disappointed that there was no actual Frankenstein 😑

[Laina SpareTime]

Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and everything.

This is cute and ultimately harmless. It's a little dated, mostly in the language - "slacks" for pants being a prime example of things I have not heard fifth graders say basically every - but there aren't really weird stereotypes or anything. It's mostly just kind of bland. None of the characters are that exciting, and the whole thing of Walter getting really arrogant is never really resolved. It's not amazing, it's not terrible. It's pretty run of the mill, middle of the line, for the time period it was published.

I probably would have liked this as a kid because of one of the things I find unrealistic - these fifth graders act like they're like fourteen. And that's okay, I think. Unrealistic, yes, but also okay. This has a RL3 on the back, and I think when you're a kid, you always think older kids are going to be infinitely more glamorous and awesome than it actually is. I find it amusing, and again, harmless. I also did like the message that Valentine's Day can become a popularity contest, and I am totally for schools having policies about giving everyone in their class valentines. Kids seriously don't need more reasons to get picked on.

Mostly I read this because I own it and I needed an extra book for my posts, and this is the only Valentine's themed book I owned. My copy has water stains on it... possibly my fault, I can't remember that either. I may have dropped it in the bathtub at some point. The cover is kind of faded and scratched up, and I just don't think there's anything here that kids would be irresistably drawn to. I also don't think I'll read this one again, so I will probably be passing this one along to free up the shelf space. If I don't want to read it again, and I don't think the kids I care for would want to read it, there isn't much point in holding onto it. There's nothing to worry about if kids do read this that they'll absorb anything harmful from it, but it's just kind of... cute and harmless and kind of bland.

Although I will say this cover is hilarious to me. Look at that kid's face! He's just like "YES!!!!!!" Cracks me up.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a lonely boy without having any friend at school maybe the hard thing to get through to Walter. But that is not enough. He knews that he wasn't pupular, even he have only one bestfriend, Amanda, his neighbour. The Worst thing happen when it comes to Valentine's day.

His class have happened to bring out The Valentine Box, You can put your valentine card for the one you like anonimously. Walter know it, he would never accept valentine card although just one pieces. It'll emberassed him, his classmates will know that he isn't a popular boy at all.

Being his bestfriend, Amanda got an exellent idea. She planning to put down a LOT of valentine card to Walter signed anonimously. Walter won't be embareassed, he will be really happy, and their classmates will consider Walter as a popular boy. For the very first time, this idea seems to working amazingly. But, Amanda never thought it will turned Walter into something monster.

I choose this book, first because i like the bookcover, and second because the title which could make you really want to know what Valentine Frankenstein really is. For the first time, i suppose the story will be a horor story otr something thriller, but i was wrong. There is totally none of fear or horor words in it, and lately i know what the meaning of Frankenstein is.

[Elizabeth Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way this book was written made me feel like the characters were in high school, not 5th grade. I can't imagine a 5th grader using words like "reinstate", "unraveled", or "resigned" in normal conversation. I also can't imagine the average 5th grader saying "public popularity contest" without reading it from a script, or having any idea what "hyperventilating" means. Apart from that, the story line was fast-paced and interesting. In general, I think middle school girls would enjoy reading it and may be able to relate to it.

[Holly Ristau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book in contention for the Maud Hart Lovelace book award during the 1995-6 school year. This was my response at that time: Very easygoing reading. girl gives unpopular boy 50 valentines which makes him popular.

[Kayla Cook]

it was okay

[Hannah S.]

I haven't read this, but my sister has.