Vampirina at the Beach
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Anne Marie Pace's Vamiprina at the Beach is the third book featuring the cute ballet-loving star of Vampirina Ballerina and her vampire family. In this installment, they make a nighttime trip to the beach and enjoy all the activities daytime beachgoers do, except with ghoulish twists -- like surfing on boards that resemble tombstones. An apparently African American family accompanies them on the way, and then at the beach the mom, dad, and son all turn into werewolves and remain that way for the rest of the book. (The boy wears a "Moon Doggie" tank top.) It's a fun outing for the characters and readers alike, with loads to look and laugh at in the cartooon-like watercolor art by LeUyen Pham.
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What's the Story?
In VAMPIRINA AT THE BEACH, the ballet-loving vampire girl does her pliés on a surfboard that looks like a tombstone and leaps high in a volleyball game because "volleyball is like dancing." Vampirina, her family, assorted monsters, ghosts, and skeletons, and her buddy, a boy who turns in to a werewolf while surfing with her, all have fun building sand castles, going on a treasure hunt, dancing the hula, and roasting marshmallows and hot dogs. A typical day at the beach -- except it's at night with the undead!
Is It Any Good?
This fun twist on a beach book has a simple storyline but loads of visual jokes to pore over and a charming little girl vampire at the center of the action. There's zany momentum throughout Vampirina at the Beach, starting with her spooky family and friends zooming down the road in crazy cars (or in her case a hearse) to get there. Just like real kids at the beach, the children and creatures flit from one activity to another, taking engaged readers right along with them. Lots of humor and heart, too, as kids and adults in this fun-loving crowd model warm friendship and playfulness.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the vampires in Vampirina at the Beach. What makes them not seem scary?
What other vampire stories do you know from books, movies, and TV shows? Why do you think we like them so much?
What activities do Vampirina and her friends and family do that you also do at the beach?
Book Details
- Author: Anne Marie Pace
- Illustrator: LeUyen Pham
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date: April 4, 2017
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: May 25, 2017
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Bats at the Beach
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Ladybug Girl at the Beach
Fun adventure lets Lulu face fears at her own pace.
For kids who love vampires and beachreads
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