Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting novel about kids fighting vampire resurgence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
When THE VANQUISHERS begins, Boog, a 12-year-old Black girl, and her friends are feeling crimped by their parents' overprotectiveness. All the vampires were killed years ago by a fighting force known as the Vanquishers, in an event called the Reaping. But their parents are still buying silly products like vampire-repellent spray and keeping excessive amounts of garlic in their homes. When one of their friends disappears, the parents double down on the fear. The kids get creative and launch their own investigation into what happened to their friend and whether there are new vampires among them.
Is It Any Good?
This exciting, fun vampire tale is the kind of page-turner some readers will want to to consume in one sitting. In her first middle-grade novel, The Vanquishers, successful young-adult author Kalynn Bayron achieves a lively story that's suspenseful and creepy but not too gory or scary for younger readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of rules in The Vanquishers. What are some rules in your family? How are the rules different at some of your friends' homes?
Trust is important to supporting the teamwork in The Vanquishers. What are some ways you can build trust with others when you're playing sports or doing a project at school?
Vampire stories have a long history in novels, movies, and television. Why do you think they're so popular?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School ) , Fantasy
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury Children's Books
- Publication date : September 20, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 11
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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