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The Frankie Factor
At twelve years old, Frankie Spril is driving his family nuts with his many fears: baseball bats, animals with hair, meat mixing with vegetables in stew, water deeper than six inches.
After Frankie is blamed for a tragic accident at Schuster’s Lake because he's too terrified to swim, the Caretaker of the Universe, Miss Eileen, orders her overworked and under-appreciated administrative assistant, Karl, to send a pair of his student guardian angels to help Frankie man up and learn how to swim. Unfortunately, the only two angels available are not particularly good pupils. So, in addition to conquering his fears, an already stressed-out Frankie must suffer falling in and out of love with the sweet angel who hasn’t a clue how to help him, as well as surviving the menacing angel’s attempts to drown him.
It could be a great year if Frankie can just keep his head above water.
After Frankie is blamed for a tragic accident at Schuster’s Lake because he's too terrified to swim, the Caretaker of the Universe, Miss Eileen, orders her overworked and under-appreciated administrative assistant, Karl, to send a pair of his student guardian angels to help Frankie man up and learn how to swim. Unfortunately, the only two angels available are not particularly good pupils. So, in addition to conquering his fears, an already stressed-out Frankie must suffer falling in and out of love with the sweet angel who hasn’t a clue how to help him, as well as surviving the menacing angel’s attempts to drown him.
It could be a great year if Frankie can just keep his head above water.
230 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2022
5 people want to read
About the author
Bruce P. Brown
2 books1 followerBruce P. Brown is an emeritus physician at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the founding editor-in-chief of a national medical literary journal, The Examined Life Journal (theexaminedlifejournal.com). His creative work has appeared in Kalends, Hospital Drive, and The Annals of Internal Medicine.
He has completed a second novel dealing with the difficult family consequences of having a father who is a revered country doctor in an isolated solo practice at the turn of the century.
In his stories and novels, he writes about how tough it is for kids to grow up.
He has completed a second novel dealing with the difficult family consequences of having a father who is a revered country doctor in an isolated solo practice at the turn of the century.
In his stories and novels, he writes about how tough it is for kids to grow up.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 8, 2022
Frankie is a 12 year old kid with some peculiarities: he never leaves the house without his rock or photo, can't stand vegetables touching the meat on the plate, is afraid of baseball bats and swimming...
After a family accident Frankie is sent to a summer camp, where we follow him in a coming of age story where he learns to overtake his fears and own is future.
I was into the idea behind the story but I didn't love the execution. First of all, I should have noticed that this is graded as middle grade reading which is not what I excepted (I fully take the blame for this one), but even so, the book didn't match my expectations. I think part of that is because of the synopsis. I don't really think that this is a good fitting synopsis for the book and it would be beneficial if it was reviewed. Second, I found it a bit too much repetitive for almost the first half and I really didn't like the relationship between Frankie and his brother Sammy, which I found was too toxic for a “middle grade” book.
It's a 3/5 for me.
I got my eARC copy of this book from NetGalley. Expected publishing date is 28th Feb 2022.
After a family accident Frankie is sent to a summer camp, where we follow him in a coming of age story where he learns to overtake his fears and own is future.
I was into the idea behind the story but I didn't love the execution. First of all, I should have noticed that this is graded as middle grade reading which is not what I excepted (I fully take the blame for this one), but even so, the book didn't match my expectations. I think part of that is because of the synopsis. I don't really think that this is a good fitting synopsis for the book and it would be beneficial if it was reviewed. Second, I found it a bit too much repetitive for almost the first half and I really didn't like the relationship between Frankie and his brother Sammy, which I found was too toxic for a “middle grade” book.
It's a 3/5 for me.
I got my eARC copy of this book from NetGalley. Expected publishing date is 28th Feb 2022.
March 28, 2022
This middle grade books follows twelve year old Frankie ~ Frankie is a very fearful boy, so much so that it tends to irritate the people around him~
Frankie has a fear of deep water and swimming, he wants to learn to swim but the fear of the deep water is to much for him..
One day a terrible accident occurs and Frankie's family decides to send him away to summer camp in hope that it will help him with the anxieties he suffers from..
While at camp he is trying to overcome the things he knows not just hinder him in life but make him a bit of an outcast~ he is also figuring out what what it feels like to have a crush/ love feelings at this tender age..
This book is a good book for a child who may suffer from anxieties or fears but it is also a great book for all kids to help them understand that it is ok and normal to have these feelings..
If you are looking to stockpile your kids up on upcoming summer reading which is right around the corner, this is a cute read for sure..
Frankie has a fear of deep water and swimming, he wants to learn to swim but the fear of the deep water is to much for him..
One day a terrible accident occurs and Frankie's family decides to send him away to summer camp in hope that it will help him with the anxieties he suffers from..
While at camp he is trying to overcome the things he knows not just hinder him in life but make him a bit of an outcast~ he is also figuring out what what it feels like to have a crush/ love feelings at this tender age..
This book is a good book for a child who may suffer from anxieties or fears but it is also a great book for all kids to help them understand that it is ok and normal to have these feelings..
If you are looking to stockpile your kids up on upcoming summer reading which is right around the corner, this is a cute read for sure..
June 23, 2022
Thank you to Dartfrog Books for the #gifted copy of the book.
My 12 year old daughter and I read this together.
Frankie was an interesting character. He had many quirks. He didn’t eat vegetables that touched his meat. He would carry around his mothers picture in his pocket and his lucky rock. Everyone thought he was a wimp. His brother, Sammy, drowned. Frankie told his parents a 100 year old lady named Doris would come to see him at night.
Frankie’s parents sent him off to camp to learn to swim after Sammy died. Doris and Sammy are now in the between where they are in Station One. They have to help people living to get out of Station One. Sammy has to help his brother learn to swim in order to move to the next Station.
While Frankie is at camp there is a big Baseball fiasco which is actually pretty funny and a great part of the story.
What we really enjoyed was the focus of the story on Frankie. We really got lost in the Stations and afterlife the author added in and didn’t care for the story line happening between Karl and Doris.
My 12 year old daughter and I read this together.
Frankie was an interesting character. He had many quirks. He didn’t eat vegetables that touched his meat. He would carry around his mothers picture in his pocket and his lucky rock. Everyone thought he was a wimp. His brother, Sammy, drowned. Frankie told his parents a 100 year old lady named Doris would come to see him at night.
Frankie’s parents sent him off to camp to learn to swim after Sammy died. Doris and Sammy are now in the between where they are in Station One. They have to help people living to get out of Station One. Sammy has to help his brother learn to swim in order to move to the next Station.
While Frankie is at camp there is a big Baseball fiasco which is actually pretty funny and a great part of the story.
What we really enjoyed was the focus of the story on Frankie. We really got lost in the Stations and afterlife the author added in and didn’t care for the story line happening between Karl and Doris.
March 22, 2022
Thank you, DartFrog Books, for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
REVIEW:
This coming-of-age story of a young boy had so much potential in it. If this was written in a more inventive style, then i probably would have loved it. I’m not a huge fan of middle grade stories but the synopsis of this book piqued my interest, hence why i decided to read it. I wanted the emotions in this story to be felt but the writing made it impossible for me to feel that. These kinds of stories need that raw and full-blow of emotions to make a huge impact on its readers. I got a bit of that but not enough for me to feel satisfied reading this.
REVIEW:
This coming-of-age story of a young boy had so much potential in it. If this was written in a more inventive style, then i probably would have loved it. I’m not a huge fan of middle grade stories but the synopsis of this book piqued my interest, hence why i decided to read it. I wanted the emotions in this story to be felt but the writing made it impossible for me to feel that. These kinds of stories need that raw and full-blow of emotions to make a huge impact on its readers. I got a bit of that but not enough for me to feel satisfied reading this.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews