She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lynn Fulton - ESSENTIAL

She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lynn Fulton, illustrated by Felicita Sala. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 2018. $18. 9780525579601

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

One holiday Mary is at a beautiful house on a stormy night with her friends, mostly fellow writers. One of them, Lord Byron, declares that they should each write a ghost story and then they will vote for the best one. Mary is stumped as to what to write about, but after piecing together conversations she had previously overheard about science and the human body, her story came to life.

I was worried when I peeked inside this book that there was too much text for a picture book, but my kids and myself were entranced from start to finish. The art is beautifully dark and creepy, while also realistic. The story of Mary is layered, with discussion about her mother’s legacy, her own insecurities, her friendships, and the complexity of science without ethics. The author’s note adds additional depth to the history and discussion of Frankenstein.    

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher