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A Taste for Red

(2009, Fiction - Fantasy, Written by Lewis Harris)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Creepy, funny vampire mystery is a page-turner.

Themes in this book include:   growing up

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    A couple of mentions of Sun Tzu's Art of War could lead to further exploration.

  • Messages:

    The importance of doing the right thing.

  • Role models:

    Svetlana has a sense of superiority and is a bit snarky in the beginning, but not directly to others. She and her classmates are good, funny kids. The adults in the story are supportive, especially Ms. Bones, who takes Svetlana under her wing to develop her gift.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Three girls are kidnapped for the purpose of drinking their blood. A mention of a teacher found murdered. A child falls out of a window and breaks his arm. Svetlana is almost poisoned and she is almost run over by a van. Svetlana and her friends try to kill a vampire, but there is no gore.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About A Taste for Red

Parents need to know that this vampire read for middle graders is pretty mild for the genre. The violence is gore-free: a kidnapping, an almost-poisoning, someone falls out a window and breaks his arm, and an attempt to kill a vampire.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about making new friends. Why did Svetlana start out rejecting her classmates' attempts at friendship?
  • Svetlana said, "I remember reading somwehere that the things you find to criticize in others are really the things you wish to improve in yourself." Do you think that's true? Have you ever had that experience?
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