Desde que Vampirita dejó su hogar en Lima, Perú por Sunny City en California, su vida ha sido aburrida y triste, y no se trata de una tristeza de brisas heladas, lápidas enmohecidas y cucarachas escurriéndose por todos lados. En su nueva casa los pisos no crujen, en la escuela...
Pura Belpré Honor-Winning Author
Mariana Llanos is not a vampire, but just like Vampirita, she’s from Lima, Perú. After she moved to Oklahoma in 2002, Mariana began writing in English. Since 2013 she hasn’t stopped publishing books in both English and Spanish. Her latest works include Luca’s Bridge/El Puente de Luca (Penny Candy Books 2019, 2020 ALSC Notable Book), Eunice and Kate (Penny Candy Books 2019), and Run Little Chaski! (Barefoot Books 2021, JLG Gold Standard Selection, Oklahoma Book Awards Finalist). Mariana believes the love for reading is contagious and she’s visited over 200 schools around the world thanks to virtual technology. She’s the co-founder of LatinxPitch, a Twitter event that looks to boost the representation of Latino creators in children’s literature. Vampirita is Mariana’s first chapter book series. Just like Vampirita, she misses the grim gray skies of Lima but has learned to make some friends.
Laura is an illustrator from Spain. She works all day illustrating children's books and creating animations in her house. In addition, she loves her dog Lena, a good cup of hot chocolate, and visiting ancient palaces with their beautiful gardens.
“Moving can be tough for anyone, even vampires. Vampirita and her mom, Vamparo, both depicted in dark eye makeup and purple capes, have moved from the gray skies of Lima, Peru, to the fictional Sunny City. Mama implores Vampirita to remember to blend in, be friendly, and keep their vampire identities secret. But Vampirita dislikes her new saccharine community, and attempts to sabotage their stay by revealing their secret, hoping the neighbors will run them out of town. In the end, her ploys are met with friendly enthusiasm, particularly from her neighbors Molly and August. Digital illustrations are featured throughout and capture Vampirita’s endearing surliness, while a bright palette contrasts with the spooky elements. Llanos reinvents vampire lore to suit younger readers—Vampirita and Mama can be in the sun if they wear sunscreen, and their diet includes “crickets and worm sauce” empanadas and toast with hormiga (ant) marmalade. The English edition features Spanish words that are translated in an appended glossary. The humor and realistic themes of homesickness and representation of a blended family makes this worthy beyond Halloween season. VERDICT A charming early chapter book that will suit fans of Wednesday Addams and other comically dark characters.”
—School Library Journal Review
