STITCH

Frankenstein’s monster is reconfigured in a variety of ways.

It’s been 327 days since the Professor left his bedroom, and Stitch has been patient all the while. He lives alongside the loquacious but much larger Henry; both of them are the cobbled-together creations of the mad genius. It isn’t until the Professor’s arrogant nephew Professor Hardacre arrives with his assistant, Alice, that Stitch and Henry realize their beloved creator is dead. And when Hardacre proves to have nefarious plans, Henry takes off into the wider world, with Stitch and Alice following in his wake. Along the way they encounter fearful villagers, a mysterious hooded figure, and a kindly blind man with an injured leg. Kenny invites readers to ponder what it means to be a monster; Alice (who has a slight hump), Stitch, and Henry are all dubbed monstrous at various points. Stitch’s wide-eyed trust in the essential goodness of his fellow human beings often contrasts with Alice’s knowing bitterness but proves the stronger feeling. As a creature new to the world, Stitch displays a striking sense of wonder, innocence, and compassion. Few people are beyond redemption in Kenny’s poignant tale, and his variegated “monsters” will win the hearts of readers (and even a couple of villagers as well). Characters are cued white.

Adventure, heroics, and thoughtful characterization are stitched together in this charmer of a book.