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Making Friends with Frankenstein
A hilarious compendium of nonsense rhymes and verse presents a variety of ridiculous monsters, insults, aliens, and puns, including such treasures as "Another Poem to Send to Your Worst Enemy" and "A Farewell to Dracula."
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
48 people want to read
About the author
Colin McNaughton
163 books25 followersGrowing up in his native England, the young Colin McNaughton had little indication that he would one day become an author-illustrator. There were no books at all in his parents' home, he recalls, but there were always comics. These were his formative literature, and their slapstick humor has been a lasting influence. "I've been talking about the comic format for years," he says. "It's the modern way of telling stories for today's children; it's about movement, the step between film and the book."
Colin McNaughton says he "hated school. The word 'school' still gives me nightmares." Opting for technical college, he admits he even "made a mess of getting in there -- I'd filled out the application wrong, and when I turned up for registration they'd never heard of me!" So he worked at odd jobs for the next year before entering art school. Although his first book was published while he was still in school, Colin McNaughton did not immediately become a full-time artist. He first tried editorial and advertising work, but did not find the satisfaction that he got out of creating children's books. "At the end of it, there it is, a book on the shelf, not like a newspaper in the gutter. In fact, once you start thinking about it, it's a smashing job!" If the response to his books is any indication, children and adults seem to agree that Colin McNaughton is doing a "smashing job."
Colin McNaughton lives in London with his wife.
Colin McNaughton says he "hated school. The word 'school' still gives me nightmares." Opting for technical college, he admits he even "made a mess of getting in there -- I'd filled out the application wrong, and when I turned up for registration they'd never heard of me!" So he worked at odd jobs for the next year before entering art school. Although his first book was published while he was still in school, Colin McNaughton did not immediately become a full-time artist. He first tried editorial and advertising work, but did not find the satisfaction that he got out of creating children's books. "At the end of it, there it is, a book on the shelf, not like a newspaper in the gutter. In fact, once you start thinking about it, it's a smashing job!" If the response to his books is any indication, children and adults seem to agree that Colin McNaughton is doing a "smashing job."
Colin McNaughton lives in London with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 8, 2021
DID SOMEONE SAY HALLOWEEN?? BUT ALSO A FUNNY & CUTE HALLOWEEN🎃??
Then this book is a perfect Halloween Treat...🤩🤩
A beautifully scripted, middle grade collection of poems with splendid illustrations, that is not at all spooky. It is so funny that kids will enjoy this book and adults will be taken back to their childhood memories.
Super Easy !
Super Quick !
Super Funny !
Then this book is a perfect Halloween Treat...🤩🤩
A beautifully scripted, middle grade collection of poems with splendid illustrations, that is not at all spooky. It is so funny that kids will enjoy this book and adults will be taken back to their childhood memories.
Super Easy !
Super Quick !
Super Funny !
January 21, 2020
Being a fan of Frankenstein, I thought this might be fun, funny, maybe even hilarious... Sadly, I was wrong. 😕
There's nothing fun or even remotely funny about this collection of 'poems' and 'verses'. I use both of those terms very loosely because most of the words strung together in this collection are barely either. Not to mention that so much in this book aimed at kids is WRONG bordering on gross. I mean, just because you're writing for kids doesn't mean you put zero effort into something. Gee.
Not a fan.
The only good thing about this book is the goofy cover. Everything else is a disappointment and a total waste of time.
There's nothing fun or even remotely funny about this collection of 'poems' and 'verses'. I use both of those terms very loosely because most of the words strung together in this collection are barely either. Not to mention that so much in this book aimed at kids is WRONG bordering on gross. I mean, just because you're writing for kids doesn't mean you put zero effort into something. Gee.
Not a fan.
The only good thing about this book is the goofy cover. Everything else is a disappointment and a total waste of time.
October 21, 2019
Great book of poetry for kids of a wide variety of ages. Lots of short and sweet poems accompanied by vibrant and interesting illustrations. Alongside these are some longer, and often more gruesome, poems that are sure to appeal to UKS2.
October 24, 2019
Great set of poems with a variety of wonderful illustrations. Perfect in the lead up to Halloween!
December 19, 2023
Haven't laughed so much reading a book. That too after shouting my throat with my kids for 8 hrs.
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December 6, 2018This book was so funny! I loved reading it! It would be a great book book to read for fun and to introduce poetry. It really makes poetry fun.
Poetry
Poetry
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April 29, 2009Genre: Poetry; Picture Book
Age Level: Transitional and fluent could read this by themselves, but as a read aloud, it could be used from Kindergarten and older.
World View: not specific, but all of the illustrations portray a white world view.
Theme: fun. The poems are fun, some relevant to life and some aren't, but it shows that poetry can be fun and still have meaning.
Literary Elements: demonstrates many different rhyme schemes, some could be songs, and there is alot of experimenting with rythm and rhyme.
In the Classroom: The class could have a singalong, and learn to find the beat and rhyme scheme in poetry. it's easy to use this book as an example, and get the kids to write poetry about funny, or everyday occurrences that happen in their lives.
Illustrations: funny, colorful, and fit the text. The illustrations enhance the meaning, and give the crazy print a cooky visual that all students will enjoy.
Age Level: Transitional and fluent could read this by themselves, but as a read aloud, it could be used from Kindergarten and older.
World View: not specific, but all of the illustrations portray a white world view.
Theme: fun. The poems are fun, some relevant to life and some aren't, but it shows that poetry can be fun and still have meaning.
Literary Elements: demonstrates many different rhyme schemes, some could be songs, and there is alot of experimenting with rythm and rhyme.
In the Classroom: The class could have a singalong, and learn to find the beat and rhyme scheme in poetry. it's easy to use this book as an example, and get the kids to write poetry about funny, or everyday occurrences that happen in their lives.
Illustrations: funny, colorful, and fit the text. The illustrations enhance the meaning, and give the crazy print a cooky visual that all students will enjoy.
December 13, 2009
1st-4th Grade.
In this collection of offbeat childrens poems McNaughton uses different science fiction/horror characters as the basis for each poem. Many of the poems rhyme and most use humor to tell the short story that he is attempting to convey. The book explores charecters that will appeal to young readers. The book is illustrated in such a way that these monsters are not scary, and kids will enjoy the colors and the cartoonish illustrations. The book is easy to read as the poems are relatively short, using little punctuation and short verse. This may be poetry that students that normally would not be interested may read.
Language Arts/ Science - Have students write there own short poem about a favorite fictional character. This may be incorporated into science units when learning about bats, spiders, or lizards. This book has poems about those animals.
In this collection of offbeat childrens poems McNaughton uses different science fiction/horror characters as the basis for each poem. Many of the poems rhyme and most use humor to tell the short story that he is attempting to convey. The book explores charecters that will appeal to young readers. The book is illustrated in such a way that these monsters are not scary, and kids will enjoy the colors and the cartoonish illustrations. The book is easy to read as the poems are relatively short, using little punctuation and short verse. This may be poetry that students that normally would not be interested may read.
Language Arts/ Science - Have students write there own short poem about a favorite fictional character. This may be incorporated into science units when learning about bats, spiders, or lizards. This book has poems about those animals.
October 12, 2009
This poetry book is about monsters. Each poem gives abstract examples of monsters in the world and from imagination. The author has a very creative way of showing his versions of what a monster could be, like a baby. The illustrations and word choice all seem very intentional, effective, and draw the reader in.
March 1, 2008
Great poems, about monsters and gross things. Kids love it.
April 26, 2014
I read this book time and time again with my sons as they were growing up. They loved it, nice and gruesome and we even spawned our own chase game with "If I Had A Monster".
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November 4, 2016Good
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews