Let the Right One In (film) directed by Tomas Alfredson

Based on the Swedish novel of the same name, Let the Right One In follows the story of a bullied twelve year old boy who befriends and eventually falls in love with a 200 year old female vampire who looks like a thirteen year old girl. They form a symbiotic relationship: she helps him have the courage to stand up his tormenters, and he in turn will eventually be responsible for her well-being. I watched this movie with my seventeen year old brother, who thought the narrative between the vampire and the boy was beautifully romantic, where I was hoping that the vampire would be killed off, saving the world some trouble. While this movie does have teenage protagonists, it is mature enough to be thoroughly enjoyed by an older audience. The little details the filmmakers add in at the edges of the scenes, such as a pretty calm cat in a window turning hideously vicious as the vampire walks by give the film an unexpected richness. Winner of numerous awards, including Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2008 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

5 stars

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Ever wonder where the vampire craze came from? Find out by reading the quintessential fang-tabulous novel by Bram Stoker. Although Bram Stoker did not invent the vampire, his work has proven timeless, inspiring vampire literature throughout the ages. Written in a series of letters, diaries and newspaper clippings, the narrative follows the strange and terrifying journey of Jonathan Harker, a young lawyer who finds himself in the unlucky position of providing legal assistance to a powerful undead blood-sucker.

Like any epistolary novel, the style changes depending on the narrator, and while some characters write their journal entries in a quick and plot-based manner, others trudge along with dry scientific exactness. Although this adds to the book’s authenticity, it does drag the story out sometimes, so be prepared for a dense but ultimately fascinating read.

5 stars
526 pages

Ready-to-Read: Bunnicula and friends #1, The Vampire Bunny by Deborah Howe and James Howe

Illustrated by Jeff Mack
C2004
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
New York
Leveled Reader

Bunnicula has been adapted for level 3 in the leveled reading series “Ready to Read”, and surprisingly, not much of the story’s original charm is lost in this simplified re-telling. Harold, the patient sheepdog, recounts his family’s reactions to their newly adopted vampire bunny. Due to the intended audience, it is forgivable that the illustrations have been injected with cute—Alan Daniel’s realistic animals are replaced by Jeff Mack’s muppet-like ones. A great choice for beginning readers yearning for independence, ages 6-8. ****

Scare Yourself to Sleep by Rose Impey

From the Creepies series
Illustrated by Moira Kemp
C1988
Barron’s Educational Series. Inc.
New York
Leveled Readers (level 2)


A competition for who can tell the scariest night-time story takes place between two cousins during a summer night outdoor sleepover. As the night gets darker the stories get scarier--how could anyone fall asleep? Simple prose verging on the poetic works well with illustrations that coax the imagination into seeing things that lurk between the shadow and the light. While the format is set up to work as a level reader, some of the vocabulary might be too advanced, however with help, this book is a real find for children bored by the conventional or the saccharine. Ages 5-8. ****