By: Adam Rex Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Harcourt Children's Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 40 Publication Date: September 01, 2008 Reading Level: Ages 4-8
No one ever said it was easy being a monster. Take Frankenstein, for instance: He just wants to marry his undead bride in peace, but his best man, Dracula, is freaking out about the garlic bread. Then there’s the Headless Horseman, who wishes everyone would stop drooling over his delicious pumpkin head. And can someone please tell Edgar Allan Poe to get the door already before the raven completely loses it? Sheesh.
In a wickedly funny follow-up to the bestselling Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Adam Rex once again proves that monsters are just like you and me. (Well, sort of.)
Adam Rex Rocks My kids, ages 9 & 11, love this book (as well as the previous Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich). And, well, so do I. In fact, with that first book, we laughed so hard we started coughing and had to put the book aside for few minutes to catch our breath. This newest book did't incite quite the same reaction but it is still worth the price for the illustrations alone. The rhymes don't flow as smoothly as before but heck, it's so fun just to look at the book (there's a lot to see, even in the end papers) that I couldn't bear to give it less than 5 stars. Keep it up, Mr. Rex...two kids (and a mom) here in California think you ROCK!
A hilarious addition to any library seeking something different Adam Rex's FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE provides a zany story in telling of Frankenstein, who just wants to marry his undead bride in peace, but faces problems when his best man Dracula is afraid of the garlic bread. While this is a funny follow-up to FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, it needs no prior introduction to prove a hilarious addition to any library seeking something different.
Not really for kids--but is a children's book First let me say right off the top that this book is fabulous. Fabulously illustrated. Flawless cadence. And funny--oh, my--it is hilarious. FOR ADULTS. If this book was marketed to grown-ups, it would get five stars, hands down. Filled with Frankenstein getting married, Edgar Allen Poe having writer's block, and a blog by the Headless Horseman, along with weight loss for witches and other monster nonsense, adults will get quite a bit of entertainment, and more so with each reading.
But what about the kids? My children love Adam Rex's Tree Ring Circus and even most of Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich (aside from the witches that they find incredibly creepy), but halfway through the first reading of Frankenstein Takes the Cake they were totally done and haven't asked for it since.
I've read it over and over again to put my finger on what the difference is. I have come to the conclusion that they just don't get it. Not Tipper Gore. Not mother's-in-law. Not caterers or blogs. And not the fabulously funny end pages. It is all over their heads. And unlike Looney Tunes, which is also filled with adult humor, this book doesn't appeal to their childishness.
So I guess you just need to ask who your audience is. This could be a great coffee table book, or bathroom book, if you are in to creepy things in creepy months, and love subtlety. But I'd give it a second thought if you plan to hand it to your elementary-aged child or read it to preschoolers. Go for his earlier works instead.
Armchair Interviews says: Age appropriateness is questioned.
Frankenstein fan My son loved the first book so i went after this one too. I was not as impressed with the layout of this one like the first book. He couldn't get enough of that one--this is more like cartoon clips and harder for him to follow i think. Also wish it came with a cassette or CD to hear it read how he intended it to be.
This book really takes the cake...and in a GOOD way!!! This book is a collection of 21 short stories which flow together and form a plot about the challenges of planning a wedding celebration for Mr. Frankenstein and his bride-to-be. Wedding guests include the headless horseman, Dracula and his son, along with little girl zombies. The excellent illustrations drew me to the book. They are very entertaining and were created by a variety of different techniques. It is an excellent picture book but I would not recommend it for children under the age of six. My favorite story was "Please Stop Staring at My Delicious Head: The Official Blog of the Headless Horseman" because it was really funny and well illustrated. People and birds crowded around the headless horseman and craved his pumpkin head for eating. The headless horseman was annoyed since he wanted people to be afraid of him not desirous of him as a yummy dessert. I recommend this book for boys and girls, ages 8-14, who love monsters, who aren't too scary.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
