Dear Vampire

Author: Nancy Kelly Allen Illustrator:  John Babcock
The Little Fig 2022
Hardcover, 44 Page Picture Book Ages 7 – 13 years

Discover that although vampires are often overlooked, they are always nearby! From kissing bugs to candiru, enter the world of vampires–real vampires. ~ Inside Book Flap

Nobody thinks of vampires, beyond the vampire bat, as being real but this book very skillfully leads you through some vampires that most of us would never imagine. Scientific fact is presented from page to page about the different blood sucking beings in a conversational yet direct way that piques the interest of the reader into turning the page. 

From the obvious vampire bat to lowly bed bug the facts are to the point, and not overwhelming. The conversation between Frankie and the different wildlife is done through postal letters, which is a refreshing difference from the immediate information most of us receive from computers and the internet. Facts are posted on a bulletin board and each board is different from the other in structure and notes with the push pins leading the reader from left to right and fact to fact.

This book really sucks you in and yes the pun was intended!  As a children’s author who also writes about wildlife with a science emphasis, I found this book to be absolutely delightful. Not only is it factual without being pedantic, it’s also entertaining as well as a bit disgusting. If you have kids you know that disgusting is very popular! 

One of the best aspects of Dear Vampire is the possible curriculum about wildlife, their places in the ecosystem, and conservation. It also has a great opportunity for a curriculum in language skills through letter writing. 

The author has allowed the illustrator to help tell the story and this, in itself, shows a great partnership between them. I’d really like to see them work together to create the curriculum to go with this book. 

Dear Vampire should be in every classroom and school library.

Dear Vampire by Nancy Kelly Allen gets 5 stars from this reviewer.