Franny K. Stein

Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist Scientist, Lunch Walks Among Us

Lunch Walks Among Us

Concoction, scientist, dungeon, nuclear-powered brain amplifier, flying piranha.  These are many difficult, yet quite useful words and phrases Georgia has come to know by reading the Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist books.  Franny is the intelligent, inventive and caring girl I hope my daughter will someday be.  However, I am hoping she waits until college to try and build a monster by sewing balogna sandwiches together.

I recommend this book for anyone with a child reluctantly moving into chapter books.  Jim Benton has managed to create a sympathetic character who faces the same challenges as many children.  In FKS #1, Lunch Walks Among Us, Franny tries to change herself in order to make friends in a new school.  At the same time, Benton brings in fantastic twists in the story, such as a lunch room garbage can accidentally fermenting a ‘Giant Monstrous Fiend’ from crab ravioli in pumpkin sauce, gum, old gym shoes, and unstable industrial waste.  Franny, of course, saves the day by being her true self, and all of her friends come to love her for who she is.  Yay.

I recommend this book for emerging readers.  There are illustrations on almost every page, and the story moves smoothly.  There are monsters and danger, but it is all quite lighthearted and silly.  I suppose if you have a really sensitive child that takes things literally, you should not give them this book.  Otherwise, enjoy.  This is great fun to read for both you and your child.

-Jessica Wheeler