SOLVED. Children's book about girl with a name like Franny K. Stein, but not that series. [s]

[Thomas]

I'm asking this on behalf of someone I know. He says that when he was in fifth grade in 1990-1991, his class read a book aloud, and it was:

"about a girl whose dad is a scientist or researcher or something like that. Her name resembles Frankenstein, so she's like Fran K. Stein or Frankie Stein and she hates it. Somehow she ends up with a monster/alien type life form that she keeps secret and raises from a petri dish into a fully adult thing by the epilogue."

I've been doing some serious Google-Fu, but have come up with nothing. I've found the Frank N Stein books, the Franny K. Stein books, and the Frankie Stein books, but none of them match. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[Andria]

I believe it's The Monster Garden

"Frankie Stein is the daughter of a scientist whose preoccupation with his work drives a wedge among the family members"

"When her brother David steals some goop from their father's lab, Frankie cajoles him into giving some to her. The goop is hit by lightning and this turn of events creates a living creature, a mutable, jelly-like substance that endearingly creates too many fingers for its hands and has webbed feet. Frankie stops being afraid of him when she realizes how loving and gentle his nature is, and she decides to keep him in her garden"

[Thomas]

That's the one, Andria! Thanks!

[Andria]

You're welcome!