The Monsters and Mythical Creatures series continues to be an ideal starting point for young researchers interested in the weird, mysterious, and paranormal. Using fleet, descriptive prose to communicate the impressively researched (and sourced) information, these medium-length works manage to rope in just about everything, from folklore to history to pop culture. The bulk of Frankenstein focuses upon Mary Shelley's masterpiece, not just the infamous contest for which it was written but also the reception and critical analysis, both then and now. The layout is a bit bland, but the illustrations are fine and varied, the sidebars always illuminating, and the back matter robust. Monster hunters, come and get 'em.

Beginning with Mary Shelley's creation of the famous literary monster, this book traces the history of Dr. Frankenstein's creature through literature, film, and popular culture. While the layout is awkward and pictures often do not match the content on the surrounding pages, the resources, analysis, and overview of media adaptations will be useful for report-writers. "Did You Know?" boxes add interest. Reading list, websites. Ind.