Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias

The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #6

by debbie & jones dadey

There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City, but could the very tall man who likes flowers really be Frankenstein's monster?

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Mystery, Young Adult

57 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1993

Reviews

[Laura Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book series is why I love reading.

[Holly Pretzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking through my Kindle to see what I could read for Christmas and I forgot I downloaded this book a few months ago. I was obsessed with Bailey Schools Kids in the 90s and wondered if they still held up today. They do! I got a nice dose of nostalgia in this super quick read. I can see how I went through so many in the series. If I can find the physical copies, I’ll definitely add them to my children’s library alongside their new graphic novel counterparts. Highly recommend!

[Nella ☾ of Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most entertaining parts of these books is how Eddie says the most insulting, out of pocket things unprovoked. From now on, each review is just going to be one such quote:

Meanest thing Eddie said in this book:

“Your brain has more bubbles than this room,” Eddie told Liza when they caught up with the rest of the class.”

[Lisa]

This series seems cute but my 7 year old remains uninterested.

[Lani Mokler · Rating 1 out of 5]

There were a ton of loose ends in this one. So far, this is my least favorite.

[Hope Anderson (HopelessBookAddict) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

[Amayi Esterl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this series as a kid now I’m reading them with my 7 year old!

[Rachel Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series where I could actually believe that the focal characters are just normal humans this time. Yes, they bear a REMARKABLE amount of similarities to Victor Frankenstein and his Monster. But you could explain a lot of these away far more easily than you could anything else in the series so far.

That said, I don't want them to be normal humans, because I love this AU where Victor and Frank are basically wacky roommates. Look, I have long had...issues with the novel Frankenstein. Largely to do with how Victor is utterly unsympathetic to me no matter how much he attempts to make himself seem so, and how the Monster just feels like an unwitting victim whose reactions to abuse become disproportionate. Also has some pacing issues. Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias feels like Dadey and Thornton Jones were just as disillusioned by Frankenstein as I was and decided to write a better future for both characters. Victor has accepted Frank as his family. The two get along, even if they bicker (and even if the mute Frank can't exactly talk back). Frank is done with killing and just wants to spend his time doing things like growing pretty flowers, now that he feels accepted by somebody. Victor actually wants to augment Frank to be stronger rather than hoping to destroy him.
And I know Dadey and Thornton Jones have read the book because Liza gives a very accurate summary of it that acknowledges Victor turning on his Monster. I see you two. You also just wanted Victor to stop being a jerk, leading to the Monster no longer feeling a need to take revenge. And I am here for it.
They are also definitely more benevolent takes on the characters and probably the friendliest allies the Kids have after Mr. Jolly. Once again, Liza, as best girl, is the one to connect to Frank and see the beauty in him in the end, even though she was the first one to clock who he might really be.

This is not the Frankenstein sequel we asked for, but it is the Frankenstein sequel we deserved.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children from Mrs. Jeeper's third-grade class at Bailey Elementary School are going on a field trip to the Shelley Museum of Science. Eddie is upset because other classes are going to Water World, but what can one expect from a teacher from Transylvania. The museum is housed in an old mansion. By the time the bus arrives the dark clouds forming give the place an even gloomier aspect. Liza feels like she's seen the place before. When she meets Dr. Victor and his assistant, Frank, she realizes that she is living a book her brother read for English class, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The others don't really believe her until Liza and Melody get lost and find Frank watering petunias in a greenhouse. The real Frankenstein loved flowers. They startle him, and he chases them. They find the boys and end up in Dr. Victor's laboratory. When he finds them there he is quite perturbed and takes them back the to dinosaur exhibit. Then the storm hits with violent intensity. Hailstones the size of lemons breaks the glass roof and walls of the greenhouse. The children rush in to find Mrs. Jeepers unconscious. As Liza goes to help her, a whole section of the roof smashes to the floor. Frank saves them by covering them with his body. After that the storm dies down, and the children help Frank recover the least damaged flowers. Dr. Victor comes in, sees the size of the flowers, and realizes that Frank has been fertilizing them with the special growth formula he developed. As the class leaves the museum Frank gives them a pot of petunias. They go back to school not quite knowing if they met the real Dr. Victor and Frankenstein or not.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias, and it was so cool and kind of spooky! It’s the 19th book in this monster series, and even though it’s got a new cover that looks really awesome, it still has all the fun and excitement from the old books.

In this story, Mrs. Jeepers takes her class to a science museum. But guess what? They find a secret lab in the museum, and that’s when things start to get really interesting. There’s a scientist named Dr. Victor, and he has a helper named Frank. Frank is super tall and has a lot of scars, and he loves taking care of his flowers in the greenhouse. He’s just like the monster from the book Liza read, but he can’t really be Frankenstein’s monster, can he?

The story is full of mystery and surprises! I was really curious about Frank and whether he was actually Frankenstein’s monster or just someone who looked like him. The book is really good at making you think and guess what’s going to happen next. It’s also funny in parts, which makes it even more fun to read.

The pictures in the book are really cool and match the spooky theme. They make the secret lab and the science museum look super interesting. The book is easy to read but still has some exciting parts that make it really fun.

If you like mysteries, science, and a little bit of spooky stuff, you should definitely read Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias. It’s an adventure that makes you wonder and laugh, and you’ll enjoy figuring out what’s really going on with Frank and the secret lab.

[paige turner ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"'You never did prove that Frank wasn't a monster,' Liza told Eddie as they drove away.
'Frank can't be a monster,' Melody said.
'Why not?' Howie asked.
'Because Bailey City already has a monster,' Melody giggled.
'It does?' Eddie asked.
'Yeah,' Melody told her friends.
'And his name is Eddie!'"

This time Victor and Frank run a museum, and doesn't that name sound familiar? I thought it was pretty funny. It has some mystery, some little history of Mary Shelly's Frankenstien. I like how they think that everyone is something else, but in the end they're not as bad as they seem to be. Even though they think Frank is a monster Victor created, he's not a bad monster. He saved their lives after all. But all the trouble they could have gotten into at that museum could have been a bigger problem.

I really liked it, I thought it was funny, a little creepy, a big house like museum, and the storm that lasted maybe an hour or so...but I was still wanting something else from it, and I still don't know what it is.

[Javier Trost · Rating 3 out of 5]

What seems like a simple children's story is actually a dark social commentary on reanimated corpses and their possible love of nature. The Bailey school kids are at it again and this time they are visiting a museum with two interesting characters. A simple read for the second or third grader, you get a lively story about the shenanigans of 3rd graders. It is a lighthearted story where a traditional monster and the troupes of his story take on different shapes that eventually have the reader asking themselves, who really is the monster.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children of Mrs. Jeepers class are at it again with another mystery, this time taking place at the local greenhouse and "Shelley" Museum (clever). There they find a man named Frank, and all the kids panic that he is the true monster of Frankenstein! They try to describe what they saw, but soon it is discovered that Frank is a gentle gardener who is simply trying to build a serum that enhances the size and beauty of his favorite flowers, petunias.

[Sheena · Rating 1 out of 5]

While it was nice to have a field trip to take the kids out of the school, the story wasn't long enough and there wasn't enough going on. My 6 year old was bored with this one because it all happened in one day with just a few quick things happening and then boom it was over. Kind of a waste of time.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

The idea that these kids all knew about the story of Frankenstein in 3rd grade is funny.

And also, what was up with Frank? He didn't speak at all -- just grunted.
I wish these books gave more details about the "villains" like if they were legitimately just weird people or are they supposed to be monsters?

[Kristen-Marie Freeman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yup. Don't like this series. This is the third book I've tried of the series and I don't care for the writing, nor the reinforcement of negative relational skills. I'll stick with Cam Jansen.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really enjoying re-reading this series!

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the little nods to the Frankenstein movie conventions.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot how much I loved this series

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bailey School Kids was my favorite chapter book series as a younger reader and I love revisiting them from time to time!

[ashley✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one felt rushed and unfinished

[Emilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it in a day

[Josh Epp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved that Mrs jeepers is in all of these! Such a fun story of Frankenstein!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indianapolis mention, with the reference to Indy and having to travel there, there is further support to my theory that Bailey City is in Kentucky

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very funny 😁

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, and I really like how Liza sticks to her beliefs.

[Nikole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank ya big ole softy 🌸🌼🌹🌷

[Brighton Hulsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really funny!

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun story for early readers (2-3 grade level) that teachers some vocabulary and encourages kids to use context clues. The answer to the students' question (about whether or not Frank, the assistant, is actually Frankenstein) is never really answered, so it's up to the reader to use the clues they've been given to decide. It's not a phenomenal read, but the storyline is interesting enough to keep struggling readers involved.

[BookeryBliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of "The adventures of the Bailey School Kids" stories are among my all-time favorite children's books. Witty, mischievous and fun, these short and silly books continue to bring giggles to the young and old. Just as I have enjoyed them as a kid, my own children also love them today. I even catch myself re-reading them (alone) from time to time. What can I say? I guess I'll always be a BSK kid at heart.