Summer Vamp

This well-executed graphic novel explores the valuable theme of finding people who will welcome, support, and stand up for us despite our differences ... Delightful.

Due to a bus mix-up, eight grader Maya--an aspiring chef with light brown skin and expressive anime-esque eyes--is sent to Camp Dracula instead of culinary Camp Umami in Karim's economical debut graphic novel. She already feels like an outsider in her own home now that her father has announced that his girlfriend, Charlotte, is moving in. Charlotte endears herself to Maya by suggesting that they send Maya to culinary camp for the summer. Maya's initial excitement falls flat, however, when a fellow camper informs her that they're on the way to a "regular summer camp"; worse, "garlic is strictly forbidden!" It isn't until Maya arrives at Camp Dracula that she realizes that she and her campmates have even less in common than she feared. Typical middle school woes rear their ugly head throughout Maya's stint living as a stealth human among vampires, especially when well-meaning bunkmate Abby's attempts to help Maya acclimate only makes things worse. Still, Maya's stay at Camp Dracula proves fruitful as she learns how to speak up for herself and how to accept one's differences. Seamlessly blending silliness and sentiment, Karim employs confident comic timing and tonal savvy, and clean-lined cartooning marks an enjoyable new talent for middle grade audiences. Ages 8-12. (May)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 5-8--As if it wasn't bad enough that Maya's dad's girlfriend is going to move in with them, Maya realizes too late that the summer camp she's attending is not the culinary camp that was promised, but one filled with vampires, instead. Will they want to suck her blood? Fortunately, the campers haven't yet figured out that Maya is human, and to Maya they're surprisingly normal. They wear extra sunscreen, drink their blood boxes, and have an unhealthy attachment to their phones, but still want to make friends. With all the humor a middle grade graphic novel can pack into a summer camp story about friendship, Karim's debut is superb. Maya's predicament is anything but ordinary, but she finds ways to overcome obstacles, and even if it wasn't what she wished for, she is happy for the experience that builds resiliency. The lightheartedness underscores changes in Maya's life that are realistic, even in the fantasy setting. Karim's expressive characters allow plenty of space for the dialogue and movement to meld perfectly into one another on the page and between panels, highlighting the situations and settings in an appealing way. VERDICT A romp of a summer camp story that isn't to be missed.--Alicia Abdul

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

★ "A romp of a summer camp story that isn't to be missed." —School Library Journal, starred review

"This well-executed graphic novel explores the valuable theme of finding people who will welcome, support, and stand up for us despite our differences....Delightful." —Kirkus Reviews

"Seamlessly blending silliness and sentiment, Karim employs confident comic timing and tonal savvy, and clean-lined cartooning marks an enjoyable new talent for middle grade audiences." —Publishers Weekly

"This funny, quirky graphic novel is full of heartwarming moments and touches on themes of friendship, resilience, and acceptance." —Booklist