Un Vampiro Peligrozo
(Spanish Edition)

PreS-K--A delightful picture book for fans of monster stories. A young vampire in Transylvania is trying to pass a test in vampire school. The only task he needs to complete is to cause a great fright. However, he isn't that scary, and even the human girl he is trying to spook feels sorry for him. As luck has it, the girl has a plan that might just work to help him pass his class. Illustrator, author, and playwright Andrés offers young readers an amusing Spanish-language picture book. The text varies between small and large font size to differentiate between standard narrative and keywords that emphasize expressive text. The use of repetition and word families add to the jocose setting and story line, while playing with misspellings that point to the young age of the title character. The illustrations combine primary colors with shades of purple and other secondary colors, accentuating the simple drama and the playful constitution of the plot. Although the predicament of the little vampire moves the story forward, it is the friendship that develops between him and the girl that helps build towards a happy resolution. VERDICT A good choice for a Spanish-language Halloween story time or to emphasize the value of friendship.--Kathia Ibacache, Univ. of Colorado Boulder