In her fifth adventure, young Mad Scientist Franny K. Stein learns the evils of television and commercials, as well as the responsibility of creating Doomsday Devices. Bugged by her little brother and her lab assistant Igor (a dog whose only part Lab), Franny uncovers her mother's secret of putting her little brother in front of the television when she's trying to work. Inspired, Franny invents a remote control for Igor, and soon the pooch is sitting in front of the television and being influenced by commercials. With time on her hands, Franny invents a Doomsday Device that will destroy all her inventions so they won't fall into the hands of invading aliens out to control the galaxy. Unfortunately, the device will also destroy most of the earth. Things take a turn for the worse when Igor unwittingly swallows the Doomsday Device, thinking it was a grape. Franny has no choice to to shrink herself and go in after it. So Igor snifs her up a nostril and Franny goes on her ickiest, gooiest adventure yet. Thank goodness she likes those kinds of things!
Jim Benton writes and illustrates Franny K. Stein's adventures. He's also written the DEAR DUMB DIARY and IT'S HAPPY BUNNY series.
FRANTASTIC VOYAGE is a great book for beginning readers who still need illustration and lots of humor to entice them to keep reading. There's a laugh on every page. It's also a fun story to read aloud. As always, the author really enjoys bringing the every day life of a girl mad scientist to life, and showing readers what she has to learn about people and responsibility as well. Franny K. Stein books usually offer a lot of entertainment, but they also teach kids valuable lessons about being different and getting along with others.
Readers who enjoy Nate the Great, Captain Underpants or humorous, easy-to-read adventures involving lots of imagination will love the Franny K. Stein books. Adults who enjoy stories that can be read in a single sitting to children will discover Franny's stories fit the bill perfectly.