Monster High (book)

Monster High is the first book in the Monster High series by Lisi Harrison. It was released on September 1, 2010, followed by its thirteenth chapter on May 13, 2011. Its focus-character is Frankie Stein, who is born at the start of the book.

Summary
Frankie is brought to life, much to the joy of her parents, but also the worry of her mother, who knows their precious child won't have it easy living in a world in which monsters are hated. Frankie is eager to ask her more about this and just in general get to meet her parents, but she is barely charged yet and can't stay awake.
 * Prologue

The Carvers are on their way from Beverly Hills, California, to Salem, Oregon. The reason for their move is their youngest daughter, Melody, whose been suffering from asthma since she was eight. Though they tried to help in other ways, including a nose surgery, nothing worked and now they hope the fresh air of California will have a good effect on her. Melody's older sister, Candace, is less than thrilled about the move, but tries to make the best of it.
 * Chapter 1 : Newfound Fabulousness

As Frankie is enjoying her fifteenth day alive, her parents invite her for an important. Frankie fears they are angry at her for her online shopping behavior, but this is not the case. Rather, summer is coming to an end and Viktor and Viveka need to return to their teacher jobs at the university. This means they can no longer home-school their daughter and will have to send her to a high school. They explain to Frankie a fact she has not yet been made aware of - that she is not 'normal'. Most of the world, including the school they'll send her too, is populated by so-called normies. Frankie does not fully understand the meaning of being different and is merely excited by the prospect of moving out from under her parents' wings.
 * Chapter 2 : Life's a Stitch

The Carvers arrive at their new home at Radcliffe Way. Candace rushes inside to claim the best bedroom, followed by Melody who is simply curious as to what the place looks like. She is not disappointed and eventually joins her sister in her room. Candace spots a potentially handsome boy outside and shouts through the window to get his attention. He turns around, at which point Candace decides he looks too geeky and suggests that Melody bother with him. Melody is not pleased with her sister's dismissive attitude, but agrees to explore the neighborhood with her.
 * Chapter 3 : You've Got Male

Frankie's parents are pleased that Frankie is excited for school, but have yet to inform her of one thing. When Frankie openly wonders what she'll wear on her first day, they show her an unflattering, full-body outfit, and give her a case of Fierce & Flawless stage makeup as well. They reveal that like their daughter, they too have green skin, but that they always cover it up with the stage makeup. Frankie asks why, and they explain that normies don't take kindly to creatures like them, RADs - Regular Attribute Dodgers. So they have to hide. Upon further questioning, Viktor explains that normie & RAD relations were good until the start of the 20th century, when horror movies started to cast RADs as vile and dangerous beings. The RADs became outcasts and ended up fleeing to Salem, Oregon together to build up their own community in secret. They can be themselves amongst themselves, but have to hide their true nature for normies. Frankie understands and accepts, but only for as long as her parents are inthe room. Once they are gone, she checks her magazines and closet for more fashionable wear, deciding that as per the normies' own magazines' advice, she should be proud of and happy with herself.
 * Chapter 4 : Mint Condition

Candace and Melody are out exploring Radcliffe Way and further to find the cool places in Salem. They pass by several houses visibly inhabited by people with peculiar quirks, such as a house "fenced in by an unsightly tangle of electrical wires and phone lines", and get superficially acquainted with some of the people of the neighborhood, before they make their way to the stores and supposed cool places. Candace is disappointed by nearly all of them and is ready to make a scene when she and Melody spot a boy their age sitting alone at a bench near a carousel. They recognize them as their nerdy neighbor and Candace forces Melody along as she strikes up a conversation. Though Candace is intimidating to the boy with her Beverly Hills ways, Melody's awkwardness helps break the ice between them and she eventually leaves with the boy's name, Jackson, and his phone number.
 * Chapter 5 : The Pickup Artist

Frankie's parents are everything but thrilled when their daughter joins them for breakfast, wearing neither the clothes nor the stage makeup they gave her. Frankie insists she can be herself publically and her parents do not push the matter further, but make a point they have to leave now or they'll be late. After a two hour-drive, they arrive at Mount Hood High. Frankie eagerly steps outside, wishing her parents a good day as she prepares for her own. She notices the school seems to be rather deserted, but pays it little mind. After climbing the school's stairs, Frankie has the door smacked into her when four students suddenly come outside. Though the physical pain is unpleasant, the fact the four girls immediately swarm her with concern and apologies makes Frankie feel great and she introduces herself. The girls only then notice her green skin and stitches and realize they're dealing with a monster. They call the police and barricade the school doors, upon which Viktor rushes out of the car and grabs Frankie for an escape. The Steins can just leave the area beofre the police arrives. Frankie's parents explain that this was a setup to make her believe them. It is Sunday and Frankie's real classes won't start until Tuesday at her real school, Merston High. Frankie accepts to wear a full-body outfit and stage makeup from now on.
 * Chapter 6 : Nothing Is As It Seams

It's Melody's first day at school as well as lunch time, but Melody still isn't feeling the school spirit, mainly because Jackson never responded to her calls. Melody is worried that she's been tricked or will be tricked, setting the thoughts aside only to explore and memorize the cafeteria. In line, Melody overhears a couple behind her talking about a monster sighting at Mount Hood High and turns around to ask about it. The boy responds overly positive to the attention, upon which the girl drags him out of the line. Melody asks a demure-looking girl—Frankie Stein—what that was about, to which the girl answers she thinks the other girl was jealous. The two introduce themselves to each other and shake hands, which leads to Melody being lightly shocked. Frankie hurriedly apologizes and leaves. Melody barely has time to consider what has happened when suddenly a camera flashes at her, held by another girl, blinding her long enough to not see Jackson approach her. He greets and the two leave the line together. Melody asks why he never responded to any of her calls, which leads to a revelation that he never got any calls because the last digit is a "1", not a "7" as Melody had thought all that time. Relieved that Jackson's interest in her is sincere, they pick a table to have lunch together, but are joined by Claudine and Cleo. In their attempt to pass by, Cleo trips partially due to Melody and sees her grapes lost to the floor. This causes an argument between the two in which Cleo is backed up by Claudine and Jackson does not dare to speak. Eventually, Cleo accepts to forget about it if Melody gives up her grapes as compensation, but Melody refuses, believing she should not give in to bullying. Melody expects a beating, but instead, Cleo remarks that she'll take something else and makes a beeline for Jackson to kiss him. Jackson does not refuse. At first Melody tries to laugh it off, but soon grows desperate when Jackson does not reject Cleo. When Cleo lets go, a round of applause from the cafetaria follows and Cleo and Claudine triumphantly go sit somewhere else. Jackson, intrigued, joins them, leaving Melody alone and humiliated. She is then approached by the jealous-girl and camera-girl she met in line, who introduce themselves as Bekka Madden and Haylee. Bekka offers Melody her friendship on account of them both hating Cleo, provided Melody is willing to sign a contract that she'll never try anything on or with Brett Redding, the monster sighting-boy she saw in line earlier. Melody is okay with that and signs the contract, after which Bekka shows her own brand of support by starting a food fight with Cleo.
 * Chapter 7 : Friend-Free Zone

Frankie tries to get to her next class first to have the first pick of seats. Afraid she is on the verge of being discovered due to her contact with Melody in the cafeteria, she hopes for a seat in the back, but no such luck. All desks are arranged in a circle, leaving Frankie only the option to not sit directly in the sunlight coming in from the window. As she ponders her options, another student comes in, who quickly makes a pass at her. He introduces himself as D.J. when he sits down next to her and extends his hand for a shake. Frankie refuses, fearing to shock him and revealing her monster identity. In response, Holt taps her shoulder, causing him to get shocked anyway. Frankie is mortified, but D.J. responds by smiling and dubbing her "Firecracker". The situation is slightly diffused by the other students arriving at class too, with two notable ones taking seats next to Frankie. Another who enters is the handsome boy she'd been ogling in the cafeteria earlier: Brett. Lastly, Melody enters the classroom, who makes Frankie, fearing a repeat from Mount Hood High, nervous with her friendly demeanor. During class, Frankie has some positive contact with the girls, Lala and Blue, next to her, while she tries to ignore D.J.'s advances. Along with Melody's threatening and Brett's desirable presence, Frankie feels her charge rising with no way of escape. Once class is over, she runs for the bathroom to unload, where Lala and Blue follow her to. The girls invite Frankie to come to the spa with them next weekend and Frankie accepts, happy with the first good contact she's made.
 * Chapter 8 : Sparks Fly

The first week of school is over and Bekka's support has done wonders for Melody's mood. As they move to leave the school, they discuss the week's events and particularly Jackson's and Cleo's place in it. That is, until they reach the school doors and find Cleo kissing with a boy other than Jackson. Bekka explains that his name is Deuce and that he and Cleo are steady when he is not with his family in Greece. Melody realizes that Cleo truly has no interest in Jackson and feels pity for the way he's been played. Bekka suggests that Melody kisses Deuce to get back at Cleo, which Melody doesn't want, causing a minor argument between them. This catches Cleo's attention, who saunters over to Melody and tells her she can have Jackson back. Just at that moment, Cleo notices Jackson coming down the hallway with ceramic flowers in his hand. She ridicules Jackson's affection for her in front of Melody to further hurt her through her remaining affection for Jackson, which causes Melody to snap and act on Bekka's earlier suggestion. She marches past Cleo to Deuce and kisses him, finding him about as compliant as Jackson a week ago with Cleo. Now, it's Melody who hurts Cleo, though Cleo keeps herself standing better and manages to compliment her enemy on her victory. Melody is mostly curious what Jackson thought of the show, in particular when she doesn't see him or his ceramic bouquet in Cleo's hands. Needing fresh air, she leaves the building with Bekka and Haylee, only to find the ceramic flowers smashed on the ground outside. To Melody's shock, one of the petals reads: "For Melody".
 * Chapter 9 : Lip Bomb

Frankie is picked up by Lala and Blue, and their friends Claudine and Cleo, for their day at the spa. Afraid her parents would forbid her to go if they knew she was going to the spa, Frankie told them their destination would be the library. Her parents are still wary to let her go until they see whom Frankie is going with, which Frankie interprets as her parents simply being familiar with the people from Radcliffe Way. Taking a seat in the SUV, Frankie is introduced to Claudine and Cleo and spends the trip observing the girls interact with each other more than she interacts with them. One topic that catches her attention is that Lala is hurt that Cleo has been kissing with her crush D.J.. Cleo defends herself by arguing that D.J. knows she's steady with Deuce and that the kiss means nothing to her. Also, Cleo claims she did it to keep him away from the new girl, Melody, who otherwise might've blocked Lala's chances with him. She also points out that Melody has already hurt her enough for anything she might have done wrong by kissing Deuce. Lala accepts to believe Cleo, and adds that the past week's events have ended her crush on D.J. anyway. When they arrive at the spa, Frankie finds that each of the girls will go for a different treatment, which is fine by her. She is, however, startled when the girls go to fetch their plush robes, which would expose her neck and too much of her legs if she would wear it too. Frankie manages to get her tanning bed-chamber without changing though, and alone in there she doesn't have to worry about her skin and neck bolts being seen. Choosing to enjoy the privacy and experience, Frankie lies down on the tanning bed and fantasizes away about Brett. She is rudely awoken not much later, when it turns out her seams do not stand the tanning bad very well and are smoldering. Panic-stricken, Frankie can't get out or turn of the bed and ends up trying to pull the plug. Her own charge mixes with the system, causing a short circuit. In the dark, she quickly gets dressed and sneaks out of the building, both embarrassed and scared to be discovered as a RAD. Standing alone in the rain, Frankie still tries to stay positive, but when a car drives by and splashes her, she starts crying.
 * Chapter 10 : Bolts and All

Candace is going out with one guy to make another jealous, which interests Melody only insofar that that means Candace will be gone and she can go into her room to spy on Jackson's house. Once Candace is gone, Melody proceeds to look at Jackson's house, but her thoughts are taken off of it and the boy inside when she receives a phone call from Bekka and Haylee. Melody is surprised that Bekka isn't to the movies with Brett, but she explains she isn't allowed to go out at night anymore since the monster sighting at Mount Hood High. As the girls chat about that and the Melody/Jackson/Cleo/Deuce-matter, however, Jackson comes walking into Candace's room and Melody has to end the call. Jackson explains that Melody's parents let him in and that he wants to speak with her. Jackson warns Melody for Deuce, because he's 'dangerous'. Melody assumes that Jackson is jealous, but Jackson insists he isn't. The two move over to Melody's own room where she reveals she is not into Deuce and that she only kissed him because Jackson kissed Cleo. Jackson claims that he doesn't remember. He's been suffering blackouts all his life and the kissing must've happened during a blackout. Melody believes and forgives him, leading into a conversation that causes Jackson to tell her she's pretty. Melody, well aware her looks are the result of surgery, gives him a photo of her old self so that he won't find out another way. Melody insists she used to be ugly, but Jackson disagrees, saying she's always been pretty. Melody moves in to kiss him for that, but the couple is prematurely distracted by Glory's screaming. She claims to have seen a wolf outside and demands help from Beau and Melody. Jackson opts to go home while Melody goes to her mother to help look for any sign of a wolf.
 * Chapter 11 : Eyes on the Prize, Especially with Guys


 * Chapter 12 : RIP


 * Lost Chapter (Whose unlucky number shall go unmentioned)


 * Chapter 14 : Hide and Go Shriek

Errors

 * There are said to be "no fewer than ten boys" playing outside the Wolf residence, all heavily implied to be siblings. In Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way, the Wolf family is said to only contain five sons.