Review Detail

What worked: I loved this fun picture book with a vampire who loves fashion but fears his 'secret' will have his friends reject him. Vlad loves black and feels fashionable except for one thing--his pink cheeks that he fears will make him appear 'horribly alive.'

Colorful illustrations with a shout-out to Dia de los Muertos. I especially love it when books share part of my own Mexican heritage.

The theme of being true to yourself is shown when Vlad tries to fit in and fears others won't like how he's 'different'. When he finds out his friend Shelley has her own 'secret', he gains the confidence to search for others like them. The illustrations of that place are colorful, insightful, and totally engaging. As a former first-grade bilingual teacher, I would have loved to have shared such a book with my class.

Vlad's discoveries and his passion for fashion are shown throughout this sweet picture book.

Adorable tale of a fashionista vampire who learns to embrace his uniqueness. Totally recommend for elementary school classrooms with its tale of empowerment.