I thoroughly enjoyed Stitch by Padraig Kenny. The main characters were perfect: lovable, gentle Stitch and his endless questions and the more 'excitabubble' and knowledgeable Henry. The characters completely drew me in and I laughed out out loud and shed a couple of tears throughout their adventures. The gorgeous illustrations just add to the charm of this engrossing book. What a perfect way to highlight that it is okay to be different.

Once again Pádraig Kenny produces a brilliant story about people’s differences, human nature and kindness.
Stitch is a wonderful character who sees the best in others and uses his positive attitude to make a difference in his small part in the world.

Irish author Padraig Kenny writes a delightfully thought provoking and profound gothic re-interpretation of Frankenstein, but for young children of 8 years and above. Stitch and the larger bulkier Henry Oaf are friends, created by a genius Professor, marked by zigzag lines on their face. Problems arise for them when the Professor dies, heralding the arrival of his nephew and Alice. They find themselves embarking on an emotional rollercoaster of adventures in a world that is not always ready to accept them. Stitch has an adorable naivety, kindness and curiosity, buttressed by an extraordinary empathy for others not familiar with the likes of them, with their perceptions and fears of so called 'monsters'. Important and emotional themes of love, friendship, grief, not going by appearances, prejudice, the need for differences, and what it is to be human are enthrallingly and sensitively explored. A marvellous book, wonderful for parents to read to their children, or to be read to groups of children. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

An enjoyable story about Stir h and Henry, creations in the vein of Frankenstein patiently waiting for the Professor.
An easy read with important messages about acceptance and differences.

I really enjoyed this charming and engaging tale of Stitch, who is brought to life by Professor Hardacre (with the time-honoured aid of some lightning). Stitch is a sweet character, somewhat literal-minded (which adds to the fun), who grows stronger and braver throughout the story. Henry too is an endearing character, with a wonderful facility for making up words (and splendiferous ones too!)! Stitch and Henry’s friendship is key to the story, both for how events unfold and also for the emotional heart of the story.

The story touches upon some wonderful themes, such as the enduring power of courage, truth and kindness. Another concerns the elements that make a person (more than the physical attributes, as Stitch admirably demonstrates). Although it is clear in the story that the value of a person is not to be measured by their appearance, Stitch goes further to show that kindness should be extended to all, even those considered enemies. As he did in The Monsters of Rookhaven, the author shows that sometimes prejudice is caused by fear of the unknown. While I would have preferred these themes to be subtly conveyed, it’s wrapped up in such a lovely package that the lack of subtlety can be forgiven.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stitch by Padraig Kenny is a truly heartwarming tale that has similarities to the tale of Frankenstein. This beautiful story explores friendship, grief and the lesson that we are all different. I was a little emotional at the end of this book, I will definitely be purchasing a copy on publication day for my grandchildren.

What a book! Stitch and Henry are genuinely 2 characters in books I'd love to meet. They are so sweet and thoughtful and absolute moral people. There are many themes discussed during the book like how everyone is different, what makes a person and why it's right to help others if you can. I loved seeing how Stitch grew up during the book and to see how he was at the end. It's set in the backdrop of a creepy castle with a mad professor, but the story is about more than that. I will 100% be recommending this book to my class when it's released.

I haven't made a secret before of my general dislike of adaptations, as I don't always see the point of them. But this isn't an exact like-for-like adaptation, this is its own story that takes elements from the classic Frankenstein. This is also obviously a children's book whereas the original was definitely not.

This has less about the professor and the creation of Frankenstein's monster, and more about what happens when the 'monster' becomes more human. Where is the line between human and non-human, and who are we to decide where it is.

There is such an innocence in this book which is reflected in Mary Shelley's own work. This innocence that we have as children but lose as we get old, which is a shame, as it's nice to have a bit of naivety sometimes. And Stitch is just adorable. He's nothing special as such. He's a creation that should or should not have been created, and he's just trying to find his way through his new life. And Henry...he's less developed than Stitch, more of a creation than a human, but he has human qualities and characteristics that I think qualify him as a sentient being, and not solely an experiment.

For a children's book, it has so much depth, so much heart. It doesn't beat around the bush, it shows humanity in its best and worse forms, and really asks questions of the reader that those of a younger age may not have considered before.

I wonder if in the finished book there will be illustrations. There weren't any in my digital version - not that it promised any - and I think it would really work even better with some illustrations to go alongside it. It would help bring the story to life a bit more, and appeal to the younger end of the reading age.

It is very moving. I wasn't expecting it to be so. Which seems odd, as I found the original moving so of course this would be too. It's sad at times, several times in fact, btu there's also friendship and love and joy and hope - it's about being secure with your differences.

A very enjoyable read, and it's made me want to reread the original Frankenstein now.

This book surprised me by how accessible the language is to children. Having read the author's Rookhaven series, this came as quite a surprise.

This is the story of two creations crafted by a professor. When the professor's nephew and assistant came to visit, they found out that the professor had long died. The nephew then had its eyes on experimenting with one of the creations -- Henry.

Just like the Rookhaven series, the story is gothic with a rather poignant undertone. This story also deals with both duality and dichotomy. In Rookhaven, we are inspired to think whether humans and monsters are two subspecies of one big species or are they two polar opposite creatures? Or maybe one exists in the other. Here, we are inspired to think about something similar. There is also the theme of emotions and how they define creatures as humans or monsters.

The author's books are great literary works as they inspire readers to contemplate and re-define our very own existence.

A fantastic story and an important one with underlying themes of friendship, grief and owning being different.

It has parallels to the Frankenstein story except this time, our ‘monsters’ are lovable youngsters just trying to find their way around the world. They may look different but they’re kind, loyal and I’m redo my polite.

Stitch, by his own admission, doesn’t know much about all worldly ways and he’s desperate to become an explorer. Henry Oaf is also a wonderful character and I loved how they were all portrayed. So well written and really well done.

The professors nephew is in town and brings with him his apprentice, young Alice. Both her and Stitch start a budding friendship but it seems the ‘new’ professor wants to fix the monsters; his eyes on Henry to behind experimentation.

What follows is a wonderful story of strength, friendship and adjusting to a cruel world. It balanced heavy with light, and despite discussing some difficult topics, it was executed very well for younger audiences. I also loved the ending and it was lovely to read.