Frances and the Monster

Refe Tuma is the co-creator of Dinovember and the What the Dinosaurs Did picture book series, including What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night, named a Best Children’s Book of the Year with Honors by Bank Street College. His Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominated short stories and essays have appeared in all sorts of places, from wonderfully obscure literary journals to the New York Times. He lives with his family and his dog Boris in Kansas City, where he once experienced all four seasons in a single day. Learn more at refetuma.com. Oh, and it’s pronounced ‘reef.’

“A joy to read!" — New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix "A captivating tale filled with monsters, marvels, and misadventures, Frances and the Monster is gripping, inventive, and deeply moving. Tuma’s middle-grade debut is a harrowing and heartfelt tribute to owning your scars and learning to turn them into stars." — Alysa Wishingrad, author of The Verdigris Pawn"This book has twists, turns, and surprises galore…And the ending, holy moly! No spoilers here, but this is the kind of book you'll want to talk about with a friend." — Ben Gartner, author of The Eye of Ra series“Bursting with wry humor and references to Frankenstein, Tuma’s (the What the Dinosaurs Did series) idiosyncratic, utterly original tale moves at breakneck speed …while injecting considered discussions of modern themes such as gender roles and privilege.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)“[Frances’] memorable adventure, with strong echoes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, plays out against a colorful background as she confronts who she is in a truly shocking finale. A fast-paced and remarkably original tale.”  — Kirkus ReviewsThis "remix" repurposes Frankenstein's plot points and characters into a madcap adventure, nicely balancing whimsy and peril...Frances is both a terror and a delight. The author clearly had a rollicking good time, and readers will too. — Horn Book Magazine