Review Detail

Pumpkin and Beetle are vampire cats, who are just like other cats, but they sleep during the day, eat red foods only, and go to school at night. Pumpkin and Beetle have just discovered that everyone in their town, Hallowsville, is reading the latest Frightfuls comic but they don’t have a copy yet. They think of all the ways that they can make money to purchase a copy of their own; they try selling crabapples, carved crabapples, and even carved crabapple muffins. Will they be able to make enough money on time?

What I Liked: This book is great for introducing hesitant readers to chapter books through the format of a graphic novel. Children will enjoy the easy-to-read pages and the fun illustrations that accompany each panel. This format allows for a reader who is learning to read to easily engage with the material and follow the story as it develops.

The various ways in which these two characters try to make money are hilarious, and they only get funnier as they go along. As you go along in the book, the world of Hallowsville gets further developed, and you get to see what other monsters lurk in this town. You also get to see how they interact with one another and how they help one another accomplish their goals.

The ending of this book includes a sample of the Frightful comic that is mentioned in this book, a town map, and a recipe for the muffins that Pumpkin and Beetle make. Maybe you’ll have better luck making those muffins than these two did.

Final Verdict: Pumpkin and Beetle: Two Vampire Cats is a fun graphic novel full of adventures where these two encounter witches, werewolves, and other monsters, all while trying to make enough money to buy a book. Children will enjoy following along as Pumpkin and Beetle attempt to make money in silly ways and try to sell even their failures. Adults will like the message of hard work and perseverance getting you the things you want.