Stitch: Reimagining Frankenstein

An atmospheric retelling of Frankenstein, full of adventure and as thrilling as a lightning strike.

Stitch and his friend Henry Oaf were brought to life by the genius Professor Hardacre. But when his wicked nephew takes over the laboratory, they soon discover that the new professor's sights are set on Henry as his next experiment. Can Stitch and Henry escape his clutches and make their way in a world they were never built for—and that may only ever see them as monsters? Literary yet accessible, warmhearted yet chillingly gothic, this beautiful novel, described by the London Times as “exceptional,” explores themes of life and death, friendship and acceptance, all through a page-turning adventure about what it means to be human.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). . . . Adventure, heroics, and thoughtful characterization are stitched together in this charmer of a book.
—Kirkus Reviews

[An]empathetic Frankenstein retelling. . . . Lyrical writing propels a narrative that is grim in tone and optimistic in spirit. . . . Stitch is a sweet, endearing protagonist, whose friendships with well-intentioned Henry, kind Alice, and myriad other characters are nuanced and touching.
—Publishers Weekly

Kenny (The Monsters of Rookhaven, 2021) takes apart the original Frankenstein tale and sews the pieces back into an uplifting fable that’s bursting at the seams with heart and optimism. Stitch explores themes of friendship, prejudice, and morality through the eyes of a large-hearted protagonist who never fails to approach it all with empathy and kindness.
—BooklistPádraig Kenny, previously an arts journalist, teacher, and librarian’s assistant, now writes full-time. Both his first novel, Tin, and recent The Monsters of Rookhaven were selected as Waterstones Books of the Month. He has twice won the Children’s Books Ireland Honor Award for Fiction, has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal, and has been short-listed for the Irish Book Awards. He lives in Ireland.

Steve McCarthy is an Irish designer and illustrator. His first picture book, The Wilderness, won the Children’s Books Ireland Honor Award for Illustration. His poetry anthology with Sarah Webb, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea, was the 2017 Children’s Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Steve McCarthy lives in London.