Horn Book
(c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Weinberg retains the skeleton of Shelley's plot but sacrifices all complexity of motivation and her thoughtful exploration of what it means to be civilized or even human. Instead, this volume is a fast-paced story of terror and revenge. Barr's illustrations are, unfortunately, indebted to film visions of the monster complete with neck bolts. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

The Classics Illustrated series provides readers who haven't yet read the literary classics directly with a graphic-novel introduction to the plot, characters, action, and even the language employed in their telling. This volume is so faithful to Shelley's account of the man-made sentient being that the monster doesn't even appear until a third of the way through. For contemporary children who associate the name Frankenstein solely with the monster fit for a Halloween costume rather than with the guilt-plagued doctor who created him, this may be a bit of a wait. The artwork in the beginning, while richly colored and detailed with period costume and European and arctic scenery, serves as simple illustration rather than being vital to understanding the proceedings. When the mostly silent, watchful creature enters the story, however, the images become much more essentially engaged with the narrative. In the end, perhaps the best audience for this is the child who already knows the Shelley version but has a visual orientation toward the world of narrative.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2009 Booklist

School Library Journal
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Gr 9 Up-Full-color drawings, photographs, and reproductions with extended captions have been added to the unedited text of Shelley's novel, thus placing the work in the context of the era in which it was written. The artwork faithfully represents the text and makes this edition appealing to reluctant readers. Unfortunately, many of the captions provide tangential information that, although interesting, interrupts the flow of the story. However, readers will quickly learn that it is not necessary to read every caption and appreciate this volume for its many quality illustrations.-Michele Snyder, Chappaqua Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Starred Review. Gr 7 Up-While remaining true to the spirit of Shelley's famous work, this adaptation allows readers to have it their way, savoring this horror classic with either the "Original Text," or the "Quick Text," a simplified abridgement. More than a straightforward retelling, this edition invites readers to explore important social issues such as alienation, the consequences and ethics of scientific studies, as well as the nature of creation and destruction. Rich and lustrous artwork remains the same in both versions. Bucolic mountainsides and charming villages are rendered in a classical European painting style. In stark contrast, horrific elements are depicted with grotesque angular figures in monochromatic tones. Excellent lettering enhances the narrative without distracting from the images. An especially nice feature is the use of boldface to highlight key words and phrases. A table of contents, based on the original three-volume edition, helps readers follow the story's progression. Back matter includes a biography of Shelley, a description of the novel's origin and history, and a clear description of comic-page creation for this remarkable edition. Reluctant readers who start with the "Quick Text" will probably be enticed to try the "Original Text" and continue to explore this exquisite rendition of a gothic classic.-Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Copious notes about Shelley and about people, places, and things mentioned in the story fill the margins of this edition of the classic tale. Some of the information may help readers better understand the novel, but most of the annotations are superfluous and distracting. The volume is heavily illustrated with reproductions and original watercolors. Horn Rating: Recommended, with minor flaws. Reviewed by: aes, Genre: for Older Fiction. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

These abridged editions retain some of the flavor of the original books while removing archaic or now offensive words and losing many of the details and vibrancy that make these works classics. With the glorified plot summaries as their introductions to literature, young readers may not want to read the originals. The black-and-white illustrations are also bland. [Review covers these Calico Chapter Books: Calico Illustrated Classics titles: Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Daniel Defoe's The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, Howard Pyle's King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.] Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 7 Up-By Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Narrated by Flo Gibson. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

These classic stories are presented in unabridged formats. A handful of scratchboard illustrations in addition to a repeating chapter heading spot illustration accompany each story. A ribbon bookmark is attached. The books conclude with some generic open-ended questions. [Review includes these titles: The Jungle Book, Frankenstein, Gulliver's Travels, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.