Howard Boward, a 13-year-old boy-genius with a chip on his shoulder is too smart for his own good. He has troubles making friends—possibly because he complains so much. Until one day a science experiment goes haywire, and Howard creates a best friend for himself—Franklin—who also happens to be a monster. Creating Franklin was an accident, not like Howard was playing God or anything—or so Howard tells himself. Franklin and Howard are having so much fun, Howard decides to create more "friends," using DNA from kids at school. Only, these friends aren't quite as friendly. Soon there's a major mess and Howard has to sort it all out before the monsters destroy their human counterparts. But terminating the monsters proves harder than he imagined. They didn't choose to be monsters; they can't go against their innate nature. Howard finds himself facing consequences for playing God. Getting rid of the monsters means learning to tame his own inner beast, and Howard begins to understand the meaning of free will and true friendship
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
July 22, 2013 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780310735526
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780310735526
- File size: 5739 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 4.8
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3
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Reviews
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October 1, 2013
Gr 5-7-Seventh-grader Howard Boward is a friendless kid who sits by himself at the back of the cafeteria. He's plagued with a list of social crimes: he's skinny; has white hair that sticks straight up; loves science; wears a unitard as an experiment; and, worst of all, is smart. His worried mother gives him a copy of How to Make Friends, and he takes the book to heart. Advised to "Be Yourself," he sets up a lab in the garage and decides to make a friend. The result is Franklin Stine, a kind, lumbering creature made of Wonder Putty plus DNA from the hair of zoo animals and a kind schoolgirl. Disguised as a Canadian foreign exchange student, Franklin wows the coach and team with his football prowess. He's able to defend his creator from the bullying UPs ("uber-populars") while equally befriending them. Howard figures that Franklin's popularity means an end of their friendship. But Franklin gets Howard elected class president and ensures that he makes an unlikely football touchdown. Howard becomes How-Cool, beloved by the UPs while his loyalty and kindness are put to the test. Small cartoon-style illustrations are scattered throughout. Bates tells an entertaining and warmhearted tale concerning the struggles of middle-school friendships. Hilarious scenes and details and one-liners create a richly rewarding story.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA
Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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July 1, 2014
Unpopular science-geek middle schooler Howard Boward decides to literally make a new friend, creating a loyal monster from "wonder putty," animal hair, and a jolt of electricity. Trouble follows when the popular kids want their own "Franklin Stine." The offbeat humor and Franklin's genuine kindness elevate the story's message of valuing friendship over popularity.(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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