# Frankelda's Book of Spooks (2021)

> A phantom writer and her grumpy enchanted book spin five short tales in which children meet monsters that force them to face their deepest fears.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/113762

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 5
- Episode runtime: 14 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, horror
- Created by: Arturo Ambriz, Roy Ambriz
- Network: HBO Max
- Cast: Mireya Mendoza, Arturo Mercado Jr., Luis Leonardo Suarez
- TMDB rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14741708/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: whimsical, eerie, playful, wry

## What critics say

Audiences broadly acclaim the miniseries for its imaginative, spooky Mexican animated take on classic monster tales.

## Synopsis

Frankelda's Book of Spooks (2021) is a Mexican animated horror anthology miniseries created by Arturo Ambriz and Roy Ambriz for HBO Max. Frankelda, a mysterious phantom writer, serves as the eerie narrator of five short, self-contained tales, assisted by her grumpy enchanted book. Each episode, running about fourteen minutes, follows young protagonists who stumble into encounters with monsters designed to confront them with their deepest fears. Voice performances by Mireya Mendoza as Frankelda, Arturo Mercado Jr. as Herneval, and Luis Leonardo Suarez as Procustes give the characters their personality, mixing wit with unease. The engine of each story is simple: a child crosses into a strange, shadowy world and must outwit or outlast a creature that knows exactly what frightens them. The result is a compact, one-season collection with a gentle sense of humor cutting through its spooky atmosphere. Its gothic, folkloric tone feels like a bedtime story told with a wink, and the spooky vignettes are scaled for young viewers rather than adults. Fans of Tales from the Crypt, Over the Garden Wall and Coco will find resonance in its blend of Latin American gothic folklore, playful creature design and wholesome scares.

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