Frances and the Monster by Refe Tuma

What worked:

Frances hasn’t left the manor in seven years, as her inventor parents are overly protective since she lost an ear in a car accident. The author uses this fact as the cause of Frances’s boredom and frustration in not being allowed in the outside world. She’s just smart enough to think she knows more than her parents, and her impulsiveness leads to many bad decisions. Her parents have well-stocked laboratories in the basement, so the kindling is present for Frances to create real problems. Finding a specimen from her great-grandfather’s failed experiment provides the catalyst for a disaster. It’s evident that Frances will discover a surprise about her past since the author mentions several times that she can’t remember much about the accident.

Hobbes, a robot tutor, and Fritz, an intelligent chimpanzee, make for fascinating and entertaining characters. Hobbes spends most of the book as a disembodied head thanks to another poor choice by Frances. It humorously makes obvious observations and comments that thoroughly annoy Frances, but it also provides timely and important advice. Fritz is able to communicate with Frances using sign language, and he follows her orders independently. They have a close bond after their years together, and he comes to her rescue when needed. Unfortunately, his intelligence serum may wear off in two days.

The adventurous plot is easy to follow, as the conflict is centered on capturing a runaway monster. Complications arise since Frances doesn’t remember life outside the manor, and she manages to transform a policeman into her personal tormentor. It’s unclear what’s motivating the monster since it stays out of sight and Frances can’t see a pattern to its path of destruction. It’s harder to search for it with the officer constantly popping up wherever she goes. The story’s resolution leaves the door open for a sequel, although there aren’t any indications that one is in the works. It not, the final pages only create more questions and problems to be solved.

What didn’t work as well:

When will young characters learn they don’t know everything and that making more bad choices doesn’t cancel out the ones they’ve already made? The answer is never, but Frances seems overly headstrong and out of control in creating the monster. However, that’s her personality, and it’s what identifies her character. She eventually starts to understand the monster and develops empathy for it, so the end of the book takes an exciting turn.

The Final Verdict:

Hunting down a monster. The connection between Frances and the monster is what drives the plot, as she feels responsible for its destruction and terror. She’s forced to learn about friendship during her quest, and the emotional climax brings everything together. Overall, middle-grade readers should love the book, and I highly recommend you give it a shot.