Laura Marchesani; illustrated by Tommy Hunt - Dick and Jane and Vampires

Dick and Jane and Vampires

Laura Marchesani; illustrated by Tommy Hunt

Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin), Aug 26 2010

ISBN 9780448455686

Dick and Jane are surprised to see a bat. Over time, the bat is comfortable with Dick and Jane, their parents and their baby sister Sally. He shapeshifts into a Vampire and becomes friends with Dick and Jane. Soon he is playing with them and welcomed by the rest of family though dad is a bite or two concerned that he may have a cape wearing rival. Eventually the milkman delivers bottles of blood along with milk.

Broken into three short stories with illustrations, this is a lighthearted romp that early elementary school children and older readers who grew up on Dick and Jane will enjoy. Each tale is further broken into short shorts so that the younger readers can take breaks. Although I think a child vampire instead of an adult would be more apropos especially playing with the children, the targeted audience to include nostalgic boomers and the older Gen X will enjoy Dick and Jane making new friends summed up: "See Dick Play. See Jane Play. See Dick and Jane Play with a vampire!"

Harriet Klausner