Wonkenstein by Obert Skye (mg)
227 p. Henry Holt and Co. BYR. September 27, 2011.
Twelve-year-old self-professed underachiever, Rob Burnside, is not what you'd call a reader, nor is he the neatest sixth grader around. In fact, all the books his mother ever gave him were thrown into his closet along with any other messes that needed cleaning, including a chemistry set and dirty laundry. The closet's a bit weird, for one, it has an odd doorknob that looks like a bearded man and, according to his sister, Libby, weird noises emanate from it.
One day a creature about as tall as Rob's waist emerges. Rob thinks he looks like a cross between Willy Wonka and Frankenstein and names him Wonkenstein. When he tries to put him back in the closet, he finds that it is locked shut. As Rob frantically tries to figure out a way of returning Wonkenstein, mayhem ensues.
The format is familiar, diary-type block lettering, cartoonish drawings. The premise is unique. The storytelling is a bit random and rambling. I must confess that I read about half of it in a book store café, while waiting for my husband to finish browsing for his books, then didn't pick it up again for a couple of weeks. I probably should have gone back to the beginning and reread.
The blue colored font is attractive and easy on the eyes, but it made the drawings appear a bit thin. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. This is the first of a series. The ending shows the next creature to emerge from the closet. A cross between Harry Potter and Chewbacca. It's sure to appeal to tweens who can't get enough Wimpy Kid.
Here's a link to the author's website and here's a link to a trailer on the publisher's site. Personally, I don't find the trailer terribly appealing; but, the author's site is kind of neat.