The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. - by Colleen Nelson (Paperback)

About the Book

Frankie's past is a mystery. Her recurring dreams of a hundred-year-old circus side show just may hold the key, but when she sees the performers in real life, she has no idea what to believe. Are the dreams Frankie's way of working through trauma, or something more sinister at play?

Book Synopsis

Frankie's past is a mystery. Her recurring dreams of a hundred-year-old circus side show just may hold the key, but when she sees the performers in real life, she has no idea what to believe. Are the dreams Frankie's way of working through trauma, or something more sinister at play?

Review Quotes

The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. is a powerful, genuinely creepy novel rooted in well-developed characters and vivid imaginative leeps ... an immersive and utterly pleasurable read.

Author Nelson has created an intriguing and original story that touches not only on the play between the supernatural and reality, but also connects with real-life issues of young people, especially issues of trust, fitting in, and finding friendships. This novel is highly recommended.

Fans of fantasy and paranormal will find The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. difficult to put down and a resilient protagonist worthy of their attention.

Frankie's voice is authentic, strong when needed, confused when vulnerable, and always real ... Colleen Nelson makes us care, and shows us that we can be hopeful that Frankie will get the life she deserves, unencumbered by those who deem to use her to get the lives they desire.

Full of ancient Egyptian curses, time travel, and high school mean girls, The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. is an intriguing puzzle box of a mystery as well as a powerful statement about human connection and empathy. Highly Recommended.

Nelson has crafted a magical realism story that will keep readers wondering until the end ... Readers who like mysteries and a little bit of magic will enjoy this one.

Readers who zero in on Frankie will likely find her memorable long after all the rest has faded.

The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. is a powerful, genuinely creepy novel rooted in well-developed characters and vivid imaginative leeps ... an immersive and utterly pleasurable read.-- "Quill & Quire"

Author Nelson has created an intriguing and original story that touches not only on the play between the supernatural and reality, but also connects with real-life issues of young people, especially issues of trust, fitting in, and finding friendships. This novel is highly recommended.-- "Historical Novels Review"

Fans of fantasy and paranormal will find The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. difficult to put down and a resilient protagonist worthy of their attention.-- "SesayArts Magazine"

Frankie's voice is authentic, strong when needed, confused when vulnerable, and always real ... Colleen Nelson makes us care, and shows us that we can be hopeful that Frankie will get the life she deserves, unencumbered by those who deem to use her to get the lives they desire.-- "CanLit for Little Canadians"

Full of ancient Egyptian curses, time travel, and high school mean girls, The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. is an intriguing puzzle box of a mystery as well as a powerful statement about human connection and empathy. Highly Recommended.-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

Nelson has crafted a magical realism story that will keep readers wondering until the end ... Readers who like mysteries and a little bit of magic will enjoy this one.-- "School Library Journal"

Readers who zero in on Frankie will likely find her memorable long after all the rest has faded.-- "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

About the Author

Colleen Nelson is a teacher and an award-winning YA author whose novels include Spin, Sadia, Blood Brothers, and Finding Hope. She lives in Winnipeg.