Graphic novels have been popular over the last few years, but Caroline Preston’s newest book, The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt, takes it to a whole new level. Set in the 1920s and told in “scrapbook form” – with vintage pictures from the period and short comments, this is almost like reading someone’s Tumblr or Pinterest in book format (and set some ninety odd years ago). The scrapbook as well as an inherited typewriter, was a graduation gift from her family. The ever-aspiring writer, Frances “Frankie” Pratt decides to document her life using “cut outs” – photographs, ads, ticket stubs, letters and so forth – with brief, typed out comments.
We begin in 1920, at Frankie’s high school graduation. Frankie, who was offered a steep scholarship to Vassar, is unable to take the offer due to financial circumstances. Her father’s death has left the family near poverty. To support her mom and two brothers, Frankie has to be the second source of income, working for a wealthy woman who has a home in her town. However, certain circumstances with an older, married man led to a change of plans, leading her to the education opportunity she previously had to turn down.
Readers follow Frankie’s adventures throughout school, where we meet many interesting people, including her roommate, Allegra, a wealthy Jewish girl from New York with a very good looking older brother who attends Yale to her adventures in New York and Paris, trying to make it as a writer after she graduates. All the while getting her heart broken more than once. Frankie’s random comments, along with the images used in the book, take a good look at what things were probably like for a young woman at the time, and how things have changed (or not changed). While students then and today worry about grades and go out to parties, an interesting tidbit the book mentions is that “85% of the 1924s say their career plans are ‘wife and mother'” – very different from what a graduate today would say about her career.
Though this book has been criticized by some as being a little juvenile, one must not look at it from a traditional, novel perspective. Rather, Ms. Preston has written a period piece with very modern outlook. As mentioned earlier, this is akin to a 21st century person’s social media account. If someone’s photos from their Instagram were published into book format, it would not look too different from this.
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt is available at all major bookstores (brick and mortar and online) as well as on iTunes. I highly suggest buying it in print format.
