The Illustrated Frankenstein

The Illustrated Frankenstein, a faithful retelling of Mary Shelley's novel in picture-book format, appeals as both lavish art book and must-have reference for all children's libraries. This groundbreaking version redeems Frankenstein's Creature from Hollywood misinterpretations in condensed prose and illustrations inspired by the original descriptions of his "pale, yellow, watery eye" and translucent yellow skin.

The product of a happy mother-daughter collaboration, The Illustrated Frankenstein argues in the spirit of Mary Shelley's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, that true education begins at the breast. The primary horror of Shelley's novel is not the Creature's violence but rather its source, an unsustainable scientific hubris that seeks to elevate techne above and apart from empathy.

Illustrations are by California artist Barbara Harris Anderson, whose 27 richly symbolic paintings on canvas, in acrylic, archival ink and pencil, portray a deep love of the natural world to create narrative tension. Retelling is by the artist's daughter, Jennifer Anderson, former Stegner Fellow in fiction writing at Stanford University.

The Illustrated Frankenstein illuminates Shelley's rapid-fire intuitions on themes such as technology, genius, and what it means to be human, making it an exhilarating read for all ages, from mature young reader to adult. Now more than ever, as we grapple with the implications of technocracy, artificial intelligence, gene editing, synthetic biology, and transhumanism, the relevance of Shelley's work seems breathtaking. Ultimately, this picture book captures the life-affirming vision of the original novel, contributing art that is a deeply sensual meditation on connectedness and the seasons of human life.