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Fleabrain Loves Franny Hardcover – August 12, 2014

by Joanne Rocklin (Author)

3.7 17 ratings

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This gem of a novel takes place in Pittsburgh in 1952. Franny Katzenback, while recovering from polio, reads and falls in love with the brand-new book Charlotte’s Web. Bored and lonely and yearning for a Charlotte of her own, Franny starts up a correspondence with an eloquent flea named Fleabrain who lives on her dog’s tail. While Franny struggles with physical therapy and feeling left out of her formerly active neighborhood life, Fleabrain is there to take her on adventures based on his extensive reading. It’s a touching, funny story set in the recent past, told with Rocklin’s signature wit and thoughtfulness.

Awards
Bank Street Children's Books "Best Books of the Year," Fiction Ages 9-12
Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers

Praise for Fleabrain Loves Franny
"Heartwarming and endlessly funny, Fleabrain Loves Franny will delight readers of all ages. Rocklin’s sharp wit and exuberant writing style are refreshing. This book is not to be missed."
--VOYA

"Franny—a compassionate, thoughtful and sympathetic protagonist—is believably erratic in her emotions and reflections on her illness and its effects on her previously carefree life."
--Publishers Weekly

"Rocklin perfectly captures the era of 1952 and creates a sympathetic, realistic character in Franny, who begins to accept her condition, rejoin her friends and even protest her school’s inaccessibility."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Comedic and philosophical, readers will find multiple levels to enjoy."
--School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–6—Franny has polio in the summer of 1952. Her Jewish family is trying to do everything they can to support her, but in this Pittsburgh neighborhood Franny is relegated to watching her friends do all the things she wants to do. Along comes the flea known as Fleabrain, who lives on the tail of Franny's dog, Alf. Fleabrain is a genius—inspired by the newly published Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (also a favorite book of Franny's), or perhaps Kafka, or even by surviving periodic attacks of flea powder. He is also a voracious reader. An entertaining cast of characters include older sister Min, errant friend Walter Walter, mean-spirited Nurse Olivegarten, and Franny's lovely grandfather, Zadie. Fleabrain is a thinker and a doer, determined to get Franny going. The inclusion of details of daily life during the time period adds to the realism, but the fantasy adventures make clear that imagination is also at work. Comedic and philosophical, readers will find multiple levels to enjoy. The prejudice against persons with disabilities is startling, but as true to the time as collecting conkers and bottle caps. Fleabrain writes some bad poetry, admires James Howell's Paramoigraphyand the proverbs contained in that 17th century work. Rocklin includes an author's note reflecting on polio and the disablity issues, as well as offering a helpful bibliography and discussion guide, which will lend this title to social studies curricula. Useful and fun.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO

Review

"With 'Fleabrain Loves Franny,' Joanne Rocklin has brought into being perhaps the tiniest and most accomplished hero yet: a dashing, erudite, multilingual flea" (Wall Street Journal 2014-08-08)

"Convincingly set in Pittsburgh in the early 1950s, when scientists were working on a polio vaccine, and attitudes toward people with disabilities were quite different from today’s, Rocklin’s story is a conscious homage to Charlotte’s Web, many a voracious reader’s favorite book." (Kathleen Isaacs Booklist Online 2014-08-14)

"With keen insight into human (and insect) relations, Rocklin creates believable, three-dimensional characters—Franny’s goody-two-shoes older sister, for example, and Franny’s old gang of friends, fearful of contagion—that help anchor the off-the-wall-fantastical elements." (Elissa Gershowitz The Horn Book Magazine 2014-11-01)

"A good choice for kids who like their history with a sprinkling of whimsy." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2014-11-01)

"This book is smart, funny, and very odd; it’s a love letter to reading and to the life-saving power of imagination." (Marjorie Ingall Tablet Magazine 2014-12-11)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
"Strong characterization will make this story a favorite, and the smart, funny writing will attract readers." (Teri Hennessy, Library Information Specialist, Wilmette (Illinois) Junior High School Library Media Connection 2014-03-01)

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1419710680
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harry N. Abrams; Uncorrected Proof, 1st Ed. edition (August 12, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781419710681
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419710681
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 7.63 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,740,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,663 in Children's 1900s American Historical Fiction
- #4,486 in Children's Books on Disabilities
- #5,864 in Children's Bug & Spider Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3.7 17 ratings

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Joanne Rocklin

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JOANNE ROCKLIN's latest middle grade novel is FLEABRAIN LOVES FRANNY. "Not to be missed!" (VOYA)

THE FIVE LIVES OF OUR CAT ZOOK won the 2013 Golden Kite Award for Fiction given by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. It is also published as an audiobook. "The only imperfection in this novel is that it ends." BOOKLIST, starred. It is a Parents' Choice Gold Award winner.

She is also the critically acclaimed author of several other books, including ONE DAY AND ONE AMAZING MORNING ON ORANGE STREET, which won the California Library Association's Beatty Award, the FOCAL Award of the Los Angeles Public Library, and the California Book Award Gold Medal from the Commonwealth Club. It was also voted best middle grade by the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. STRUDEL STORIES was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and an American Library Association Notable Book, and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY!, was a School Library Journal Best Book and a Bank Street Best Book. Her early readers THREE SMART PALS and THIS BOOK IS HAUNTED will soon be e-books, the latter also to be released as an App.

She has a doctorate in psychology and is a former elementary school teacher, presently writing children's books full-time. For several years she taught a popular class in writing children's books at UCLA Extension. She gives presentations in schools, libraries and bookstores and has been a speaker for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the California Reading Association, and other organizations.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Joanne lived in Los Angeles for many decades. She now lives in Oakland, California.

Her website is www.joannerocklin.com and she welcomes comments.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5

17 global ratings

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Happy Person

Good book

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2015

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Sad and sweet, happy in the end. I love books like that. Joanne Rocklin did a phenomenal job on this book and I enjoyed it greatly.

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Mensa for Kids

You’ll be itching to read this book!

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2015

Fleabrain Loves Franny is about an 11 year-old girl named Francine, or Franny, for short, who has polio. The story is set in Pittsburgh in the 1950’s. Nurse Olivegarten is the nurse that does exercises with Franny every day at 9:00A.M. and 4:00P.M. To Franny, the hot water packs and the exercises hurt ALOT, and to her frustration they don’t appear to be working. She has a dog named Alf, and a sister named Minot, or Min, for short. She has a dad named Sammy, and a mother named Muriel. But, one day she found the very thing she was looking for, a friend. Specifically, a flea, named Fleabrain.
I like Fleabrain because even though he is tiny, he has a huge brain filled with lots of smart information. He is also interesting because he can make things like a formula, FB saliva #1- #3, that can miniaturize you. My third reason is that he doesn’t care how big or small he is, he can still do great things and can have a giant mind.
I am a little bit like Franny because I also have a copy of Charlotte’s Web, and it also one of my favorite books. I think that Franny is inspiring because to her, polio or not, she can still do great things!
My favorite part was when she and Fleabrain visited the Seven Wonders of the World; Stonehenge, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Colosseum, The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, The Hagia Sophia, The Taj Mahal, and The Great Wall of China. It was fun to learn about all those sights and see their Travel Journal, which held interesting facts about the places.
The author, Joanne Rocklin, has a good vocabulary that she used in the book. I think that the newspaper clips were a great touch! She made the story exhilarating and fun adventure with the flea being a friend!
I felt it was a little challenging to keep track of all the professors, scientists, dates and sayings the author provided. There was even some German and French used in this book!

Review by Brooke Z., age 8, Delaware Valley Mensa

2 people found this helpful

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Matt

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

A good story for young people and adults young at heart

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Ben Mattlin

A good introduction to polio & people with physical disabilities

Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2014

I'm not generally a reader of middle-grade fiction, but this book was recommended to me because it's about a child who uses a wheelchair. I used to be a child in a wheelchair; now I'm an adult in a wheelchair. So you get the connection.

There's a lot in this story that really hit home for me – and I think it does a terrific job of introducing young readers to some of the realities of disability. It's especially strong on the odd and often unfair reactions of others. It's also incisive about the potential harm that can come from bad "experts," particularly negligent or pigheaded physical therapists.

The author does a good job of introducing many, many topics for classroom discussion--all within an entertaining format.

In fact, the only fault here, to me, is that there may be too much going on. Readers will learn about not just paraplegia and polio and Jonas Salk and vaccines and antibodies…, but Charlotte's Web, Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jewish folklore and traditions, and on and on.

The talking flea may not be my kind of thing, but kids will probably like him. Fleabrain is certainly a rich, entertaining, and multifaceted character.

Full disclosure: I discovered at the end that my own book, Miracle Boy Grows Up, is included in the bibliography. I am flattered and honored to be among such august company.

I definitely recommend this book for young readers who want to gain knowledge of recent American history, infectious diseases, medicine, and most of all people with disabilities.

3 people found this helpful

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T. Z. Turek

If you loved the books WONDER and CHARLOTTE'S WEB, this is the book for you!

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2014

I wish I could go back in time and read FLEABRAIN LOVES FRANNY as a 10 or 11 year old! I feel about Rocklin's book the way the main character, 10-year-old polio patient Franny, feels about CHARLOTTE'S WEB when it is given to her, hot off the presses in 1952 at the start of this amazing book.

FLEABRAIN LOVES FRANNY is set in Pittsburgh, where the famous Dr Salk is working on a vaccine for polio. Rocklin's historical writing is vivid and tangible, as is the isolation and loneliness that Franny experiences as she heals and tries to learn to walk again while also trying to convince her once tight group of friends that she is not contagious. The addition of Fleabrain, the super-intelligent flea who reads Kafka and befriends Franny and encourages her, much the way Charlotte does Wilbur, is a magical touch that makes this book all the more memorable. Rocklin concludes her story, and the sometimes rocky friendship between Fleabrain and Franny, on a note of hopefulness, love and a little bit of letting go.

FLEABRAIN LOVES FRANNY, like R.J. Palaccio's breathtaking book, WONDER, is one that kids and adults will gravitate to and would make an excellent classroom read-out-loud! I recommend FLEABRAIN LOVES FRANNY to everyone who has been transformed by a book.

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Flyby

Grownups may like it, too.

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2014

A wonderful story for tweens and early teens, this book takes place in Pittsburgh, Pa., during 1952, when Jonas Salk was devising a way to cure polio in that very city. So many lessons in this delightful book - accepting and appreciating others as they are, accepting one's situation, looking beyond what is apparent toward what might be, and more. I'm no teenager anymore, but I loved it, too.

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Fleabrain Loves Franny Hardcover – August 12, 2014

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