The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, by Caroline Preston

Finished 1-26-12, rating 4/5, scrapbook novel?, 240 pages, pub. 2011

In 1920 Frankie graduates from high school and she is given a scrapbook and her dead father’s old typewriter.  That scrapbook is this novel. Using vintage postcards, letters, swatches, etc., Frankie is able to document her story as she attends Vassar, moves to New York and then to Paris.  She is also able to use captions to tell of her many relationships and make us care about her story.

I liked Frankie immensely and over the few years this novel covered she had many stories to tell.  She came in contact with the wealthy families at Vassar (she was there on scholarship) as well as self-proclaimed spinsters looking for adventure.  She also met the likes of Edna St. Vincent Millay and James Joyce.  Frankie was a girl living in up in the 1920′s.

I was so impressed with the creativity of this book.  I love the fact that Preston thought outside the box and found a new way to tell a story.  The pages were beautiful and fun to look at.  I was surprised at how easily I was drawn in and captivated by the scrapbook.  At the beginning I was taking my time looking over each page but as the story progressed I found myself turning the pages faster and I had to force myself to slow down.

I loved this charming book and think it would be one that you would pick up from time to time to look at the memorabilia that Preston has collected.

I don’t usually watch book trailers but I thought this unique book was served well by it.

I borrowed this from my library.

Advertisement