The Fran That Time Forgot

It's time...for a change!

Franny's faithful lab assistant, Igor, has swallowed a doomsday device that is ready to go off at any moment! For any regular scientist, there is only one way to get the device out -- um...make that two ways. But Franny K. Stein is no ordinary scientist, so she concocts her own way to get the device back and save her friend. With her miniaturization machine, Franny shrinks herself to the size of a pin and goes on a field trip like no other...through the body of a ticking time-dog! Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Two heads...Are dumber than one.

Franny K. Stein is not your average girl—she’s a mad scientist. She prefers poison ivy to daisies, and when Franny jumps rope, she uses her pet snake. The kids in Franny’s class think she’s weird, wacky, and just plain creepy. Tired of being stared at, Franny decides to attempt her most dangerous experiment yet—she’s going to fit in. But when a giant Monstrous Fiend attacks the class, everyone knows only a true mad scientist can save the day. But has Franny lost her creepy, crawly ways?

Fans of Goosebumps and Bill Nye the Science Guy will fall head over heels for Franny K. Stein, who is back with another laugh-out-loud experimental adventure in the tenth book in the Mad Scientist series. Franny K. Stein has had quite enough of her feelings getting in the way. So she physically removes them with the help of one of her machines. But it turns out that not having feelings can make things even worse, especially when you’ve accidentally released a virus that’s turning everybody into toads. Good thing she has the help of her grandma, Granny Fran, and her Sense of Duty to help her shake the apathy.

When her embarrassing middle name is revealed at school, mad scientist Franny K. Stein experiments with time in order to return to the past and give herself a more dignified name.

Franny’s mom says every mad scientist needs a lab assistant. So for Valentine’s Day Franny gets just that—a Lab assistant. Except Igor isn’t a pure Lab. He’s also part poodle, part Chihuahua, part beagle, part spaniel, part shepherd—and all thumbs. Franny is fuming. She doesn’t even need an assistant. What’s she supposed to do with a good-for-nothing one like Igor? And things get even worse when a giant, fifty-foot, arrow-shooting cupid starts causing trouble all over town. Franny knows it’s up to her—and only her— to save the day. Or could she use a little help?

Franny K. Stein is back with another laugh-out-loud experimental adventure in the eighth book in the Mad Scientist series from Jim Benton, the New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of the Dear Dumb Diary and It’s Happy Bunny series. Franny K. Stein isn’t a fan of glamour. She doesn’t style her hair, the thought of wearing makeup makes her want to gag, and she couldn’t care less about wearing dressy dresses when she’d much prefer her lab coat. But sometimes Franny wonders if her mom wishes she were different. Which gives Franny an idea…for an experiment! What if she can turn the beauty products her mom loves into something more exciting? Every experiment has its experimental error, and when Franny’s hair takes on a life of its own, Franny must save the day (and her hair) to finally realize her mom loves her just the way she is.