Blood Diaries: Tales of a Sixth Grade Vampire

by Marissa Moss

Middle Grade Supernatural

Book Description

Middle school is tough enough for normal humans, but when you’re a vampire, it’s even more challenging. Edgar rises to the occasion with wit, humor, and some help from his friends.

MY THOUGHTS: 3.5 OUT OF 5 FLEURS DE LIS

Blood Diaries: Tales of a 6th-Grade Vampire by Marissa Moss

This cool story is the diary of a month in the life of the middle school vampire, Edgar Stoker. See, Edgar is a loner at school because it’s of the utmost importance that he keep his supernatural status, and as a result he can’t really get close to any friends…what would you think of the boy that brought raw liver sandwiches for lunch? Not only that, Edgar doesn’t quite fit in with his vampire family, because he enjoys being close to humans and is one of the only ones who has actually chosen to attend middle school instead of aging up (like any sane vampire would) and skipping it. So, he doesn’t feel he belongs anywhere.

When a popular girl at school accuses him of being a vampire, he’s suddenly cool and it seems his social status is turning around–but will his family be so accepting when they find out Edgar is exploiting their secret?

I thought this was a pretty cute take on the vampire mythology everyone has gotten so burned out on lately. There are stories of younger vampires out there, but this one is unique in that it’s in a diary format, complete with Edgar’s drawings and random thoughts about everything that is happening to him.

Edgar is a likeable, if a bit boring, kid. Of course, he’s not normal–he’s a vampire–but he doesn’t seem to have any interests or hobbies that he enjoys. He is a bit overzealous when it comes to worrying about making human friends, but I guess it’s like that sometimes when you’re 11 years old.

I liked the way the author added funny new details to the vampire mythos. For example, all the vampires get together on Saturdays and have a jamboree, where they have to drink Sun be Gone so they can walk around in the daylight. It’s little details like this that make the book funny and will truly appeal to younger readers.

Blood Diaries is a unique middle grade offering that I think supernatural fans will enjoy!

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About the Author

I was born in Pennsylvania, but my family moved to California when I was two, and I’ve been here ever since. I grew up in the southern part of the state and now live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I studied art at San Jose State but fought too much with my art teachers (I was very opinionated – I wanted to do my kind of art; they wanted me to do theirs). So I transferred to the University of California at Berkeley where I didn’t take a single English or Art class. Mostly I took history where I learned how to do research, tools that have helped me in making the historical journals and working on my Young Adult novel. Then I took classes at the California College of Arts and Crafts for a year since I didn’t want another degree and a year’s tuition was all I could afford. I just wanted some guidance on how to break into childrens books.

I waited tables while I sent out stories, waiting for some editor to fall in love with my work. There was no fall-back plan, no alternative career. I’d still be waiting tables if I weren’t lucky enough to have gotten that first book. And after that, the second one, and then the third and the fourth and the fifth. . . .

Each new book is still a challenge. It’s hard work and I love every minute of it.

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