School Library Journal

School Library Journal: Benjamin Franklinstein Meets the Fright Brothers

This sequel picks up right where Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! (Putnam, 2010) ends. Can there really be vampires prowling the skies and streets of Philadelphia? That’s what the newly reawakened Benjamin Franklin and his friends Victor and Scott must find out, and quickly, if they have any chance of thwarting the evil plans of the mysterious Emperor. This book includes several new characters and gives more depth to established ones. Readers also discover the current fate of the Modern Order of Prometheus, the organization Franklin founded to suspend, then reawaken, gifted scientists and inventors in the future, when their talents will be needed once again. The characters are interesting and believable, and the plot has just the right mixture of fun, adventure, suspense, and mystery. The short chapters are peppered with delightful black-and-white illustrations and diagrams ranging from a Tesla Coil to Other Uses for a Bathtub Besides Throwing It. This entertaining book should have readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.–Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX