FICTION

Vampire Baby

by Kelly BENNETT
illus. by Paul Meisel. 32p. Candlewick. July 2013. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4691-2. LC 2012943658.
COPY ISBN
PreS—When baby Tootie gets both canine teeth simultaneously, she becomes Vampire Baby overnight. She "sinks her fangs" into everything, including her older brother, the story's narrator. On shopping day, he puts Tootie in a cape and gives her a sign that says, "Wanted good home for Vampire Baby." A vampire family happens to be in aisle 13 at the same time and offers to take the baby "homey-womey." But when the boy shouts at Tootie for chomping on his nose, her brother comes to her defense and decides to keep her after all. Simple pen-and-ink and watercolor cartoon illustrations accompany text that may interest a preschool audience with teething younger siblings. Young listeners may enjoy repeating, "Youch, Tootie! No bite!" but the appeal of this story may otherwise be limited.—Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa
A boy describes his baby sister's transformation from cute-and-cuddly tot to bloodthirsty "Vampire Baby." After sprouting two fanglike teeth, little Tootie cuts her chompers on everything within reach: toys, furniture legs, big brother's appendages. No one takes his concerns seriously (Mom: "Take off that garlic necklace!"), so, fed up, he tries to give her away to a nice vampire family. Satisfyingly, he ends up baring his own teeth to defend his little sis. Bennett's humorous conversational text plays to realism (i.e., Tootie is a normal teething baby and her brother's imagination is getting the better of him) while Meisel's clean-lined mixed-media illustrations agreeably maintain the baby-as-vampire conceit. elissa gershowitz
Reviewed by Lindsay Persohn , Jun 01, 2013

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