Review: 'Wonkenstein: The Creature from My Closet' is a fun read for younger readers

"WONKENSTEIN: The Creature from My Closet," by Obert Skye, Christy Ottaviano Books, $12.99, 225 pages (f) (ages 9-12)

A new book by author Obert Skye answers the question of the sort of creature that hides in a child's closet. Skye, author of the Leven Thumps and Beyond Foo series, introduces us to Wonkenstein, the star of his new book titled, "Wonkenstein: The Creature from My Closet."

This book starts innocently enough with 12-year-old Robert Columbo Burnside describing his life. Robert is an average kid with an average life. That is until he discovers the creature that lives in his closet.

Wonkenstein, it turns out, was created by the mess inside Robert's closet. Somehow his previous science experiments combined with a couple of books his parent had given him. You see, Robert didn't like to read, so his closet was full of books he was supposed to be reading.

After Wonkenstein escapes from Robert's room, Robert and his friends embark on a hilarious adventure to catch "Wonk" and return him to the closet. For Robert, it is already difficult to navigate the challenging world of being a 12-year-old boy. He is dealing with weird parents, an annoying sister and the biggest challenge of all —girls! The last thing he needs is a strange little creature making his life any more difficult.

Told in the style of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, Wonkenstein's pages are filled with doodles that help animate and move the story along. Fans of the popular "Wimpy Kid" books should enjoy this story about an average kid who doesn't like to read and how his dislike of reading catches up to him.

Robert, it turns out, needs to familiarize himself with the characters from his stack of unread books. In doing so, Robert is able to return back to average life. That is until a new creature emerges from the closet. Sounds like the perfect setup for a sequel.

Steve Larson is one of the founders of Information Alliance, a Utah-based data collection company. He currently serves as vice president of sales. He spends his free time writing and practicing photography.