THE PALACE PRANKSTER

Stopping a prankster results in a science-versus-magic showdown.

Freddy, the son of Victor von Frankenstein, and his family live in a palace above a Nepalese village. Having sneaked away to the village for the Biska Jatra festival celebrating the new year, Freddy is busted skipping chores; the sindoor, the red-orange powder that’s a part of the celebration, on his face gives him away. But when a disaster in the lab leaves Freddy’s parents covered in orange goo, it’s Freddy (already in hot water) who takes the blame—and who has to help clean the mess. After another messy prank, Freddy decides to clear his name by finding the real culprit. He uses logic to exclude some members of the family and teams with his brother, F.M. (Frankenstein’s creation), and his adopted sister, Riya (a werecat with supersenses), to follow clues. But when superscience fails, Freddy must concede that it’s the work of another magic-using “fantastical.” The hunt—and Freddy’s opponent’s traps—provide tension through the mystery and age-appropriate mild danger. Finally, Freddy finds and confronts the perpetrator. It takes teamwork to overwhelm the prankster in a slightly underwhelming conclusion. However, a loose end from one prank, in tying itself up, circles back neatly to the opening, making for a more satisfying story shape. Freddy is biracial (Victor presents White; his mother, Shan, is Chinese), Riya is Indian, and F.M. is a Frankenstein’s monster–esque figure.

An amusing enough diversion.