Bob the Vampire Snail

K-Gr 2–Quirky, cute, and funny, the title says it all: Bob the snail has become a vampire. He’s not sure how, and neither are readers, but it involved a scream, some stomping, a puff of smoke, and then some liquid dripping on his head. Immediately afterward, he was transformed, complete with fangs and tiny bat wings. Fitting in with the other snails is next to impossible now. He tries unsuccessfully to bite another snail, who yells at him, as well as a bear who growls at him, and settles on sucking the juice from tomatoes. After hypnotizing a mouse to bring him more tomatoes, he meets a vampire worm. The two become friends and hang out—literally—in an underground cave, which becomes their new home. Along the way, a tiny beetle provides commentary and great facts about snails and vampires. The palette is superbly Halloween: dark purples, garish oranges, and ghostly green and white highlights. Despite his fangs, Bob appears goofy and wholesome. Although the story does a fine job of explaining that Bob drinks tomato juice instead of blood, the circumstances under which he became a vampire are rushed and will likely raise questions from children.