Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

A Taste for Red

By Abby Aldrich, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Creepy, funny vampire mystery is a page-turner.

Book Lewis Harris Fantasy 2009
A Taste for Red Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

thecoolaunt
thecoolaunt Parent of 11-year-old
November 2, 2010
age 9+

Great for Tweens

I have an 11 yr old niece, and we started our own little book club. This book was perfect for us! She's always trying to read books that are just a little too old for her (Twilight Saga). This book not only has appropriate subject manner for her age, but also vocabulary. There were a few times where the author made a point of giving a simple definitions of some words I knew she wouldn't know.
TampaBookWorm
TampaBookWorm Parent of 7 and 13-year-old
December 4, 2009
age 8+

Wonderful Book! Perfect for Tweens!

This book was not what I was expecting. The author introduces a new take on vampires and supernatural creatures which I found interesting and refreshing. The writing is lively and fun, and there is nothing inappropriate for tweens. I hope another book is in the works because this one left me wanting more!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Svetlana Grimm is a new student at Sunny Hill middle school. Previously homeschooled, she finds herself in 6th grade where the classes are boring and the kids are friendly -- which is unfortunate because she wants to be a loner. She believes she is a vampire and soon finds herself involved in a mystery along with her neighbor, Ms. Bones, and her science teacher, Ms. Larch. When three of her classmates disappear and she discovers her true gift, she has to grow up quickly and figure out a way to help.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (3 ):

A TASTE FOR RED is a very quick, entertaining read. The mystery goes along at a good pace and kids will be excited to see how it all turns out. Creepy and funny, Svetlana's Sunny Hill middle school will remind readers of Buffy Summers' Sunnydale high school. It's always great to see a female protagonist and Svetlana doesn't let us down.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Book Details

  • Author: Lewis Harris
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Clarion Books
  • Publication date: June 15, 2009
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
  • Number of pages: 176
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate