Vegetable Sucker

Bunnicula

by James Howe

Since vampire stories are all the rage right now, I thought it was high time I revisited one of MY favorite vampires of literature. This little guy sneaked into my world many, many summers ago, by way of a summer reading program prize, and I was immediately captivated by him. However, the kind of prey he’s after isn’t of the human kind.

Summary

It is a dark and stormy night (seriously) when we meet Bunnicula. Harold, our narrator and family dog to the X’s (he has changed their names in order to protect their identities), describes a chaotic scene that occurs when his family returns home from the movies with a little package in tow. That package is a small bunny - soon named Bunnicula because he was found at a Dracula movie - who is white with black markings on his back and around his neck, and has a note tied to him written in a foreign language. Harold, having bloodlines that include Russian wolfhound, recognizes an ancient dialect that translates to say “take care of my baby.”

Following the arrival of Bunnicula, Chester, the family cat, begins to notice some strange things about the newest member of the X family. Among these is the fact that it appears Bunnicula can get out of his cage without assistance at night. He also has funny little pointed teeth, and spends all day sleeping. And to top it all off, vegetables are turning up in the kitchen that are completely white, seemingly drained of their juices ...

That’s right, folks. Vampire bunny on the loose!

Harold isn’t worried, but Chester, who is quite the educated cat and has been studying vampires, does everything he can think of to warn the X’s that their newest furry friend is out for blood ... or V8. Poor Harold is left to figure out who's more of a threat - the cute little bunny or his well-meaning friend.

Worth staying up past bedtime?
I probably did every time I read this book! Bunnicula is fun and mysterious. James Howe has a goofy sense of humor, and it translates well to his animal characters. There is a whole Bunnicula series, too! A great read for elementary-aged kiddos who enjoy mysteries and animals.

Saintly Aspirations

The Possibilities of Sainthood

by Donna Freitas

At my library, we have a display shelf of books that are part of the Lonestar Reading List. These books are nominated by readers and selected by a committee in the Texas Library Association. The titles are for readers in grades six through eight (possibly my favorite section at the moment). I like seeing what Texans are reading and recommending, and that shelf is exactly where I found Donna Freitas charming book, The Possibilities of Sainthood.

Summary

Antonia Lucia Labella is a unique 15-year-old. The daughter of “the most famous pasta maker in Rhode Island,” she has a somewhat unusual goal in life: to become the first living saint in the history of the Catholic church. Every month for eight years, Antonia has petitioned the Vatican with a proposal for a new saint when she finds something that is not represented. Her proposals run the gamut from innocently sincere (Patron Saint of my Daddy’s Heart) to somewhat silly and charming (Patron Saint of Pasta Makers). She always offers herself as the person for the position. In addition to her monthly petitions to the Vatican, Antonia is constantly immersing herself in knowledge of the saints. She keeps a saint diary where she writes petitions to individual saints; she reads about the lives of the saints; and she mentions them frequently in everyday conversation. While this could get annoying to read about, Freitas has infused Antonia with an endearing sort of innocence and sincerity that makes her obsession rather sweet.

Another focus of Antonia’s is her impeccably chaste state. She has yet to receive her first kiss, and many of her saint petitions revolve around changing this. Her requests are adorable and hilarious, and Antonia manages to walk the line between normal teenage desires and an honest devotion to her faith and her own standards.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Indeed. Antonia is such an endearing character that I couldn’t help but stay up to find out how things would work out for her. In addition to her struggles with boys and first kisses, she deals with some mother-daughter issues that will hit home with many young readers. A great read for young girls, particularly seventh to eighth grade and up.