Arturo Mercado Jr., Luis Leonardo Suarez, Mireya Mendoza
14 min
TLDR
My only complaint, really, is that there’s only five episodes. Can we have more, please?
What it's about
Trapped in a sentient haunted house, literal ghostwriter Frankelda tells terrifying tales with the assistance of her grumpy enchanted book Herneval, allowing her stories about gnomes, witches, sires, and the Coco to find an audience in people’s dreams.
The take
While it’s sort of a cheesy idea for us adults, being yourself is good, but it’s not so easy, especially as a kid. This is usually the sort of message for a coming-of-age indie, but it’s a message that works well with stop-motion animated horror series Frankelda's Book of Spooks. Instead of showing this message in day-to-day life, Frankelda instead weaves five spooky stories of kids wishing to be someone else, and gnomes, witches, sires, and the Coco monster granting their wish… but for a price. It’s the same price Frankelda herself paid as a ghostwriter, in both the literal and fantastical sense, which drives her anthology forward. Combining a Laika-esque style with Mexican folklore, and incredibly catchy tunes, Frankelda's Book of Spooks is an underrated series for horror fans, especially those younger in age.
What stands out
The animation, of course, immediately garnered attention in Latin America, but what helped make it work is how great the music is, with its polyphony adding emphasis to the animated characters.