Eighth Grade Bites (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, #1)

As a sixth grade teacher, I observe a lot of my students reading this particular series. I read it because I wanted to check it out. First off, I did not have a high expectation after having read other paranormal teenage books. However, it actually suprised me pleasantly.

What I liked about this story was that it had a lot of emotional depth revolving around Vlad's dead parents and his love for his aunt. The story also has a lot of intrigue and suspense. It introduces characters and snipets of Vampire culture, without fully explaining them. I found that I wanted to keep reading in order to find out what certain symbols mean... and why Otis Otis always wore a top hat (and yes, his first and last name is Otis). What I especially liked about the story was that it was intriguing and age appropriate. There is no intense sexual innuendo or desperately painful and over done teenage drama. 

Favorite Quotes:

"Because teachers, no matter how kind, no matter how friendly, are sadistic and evil to the core." (p.53)

"People fear what they can't understand and harm what they fear." (p. 114)(