Hampire! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Illustrated by Howard Fine.

Summary:

This is a very well-written book about animals on a farm that are afraid of the Hampire.  The farm animals believe that there is a blood-sucking pig that is out to get them at night but find out that it isn’t blood, but jelly doughnuts that the Hampire loves.  It ends with all of the farm animals enjoying a midnight snack and toasting their new friend.  It’s sweet and spooky — but not too spooky.

Our Experience Reading this Book:

This is a particularly fun book to read aloud to my son.  The words, rhythm, and rhymes are a lot of fun and the vocabulary in this book is fantastic!  Here’s my favorite passage:

“Outside, the HAMPIRE sniffed the air.

His snout turned to and fro.

His fangs were bared,

His nostrils flared —

He’d sniffed out where to go.

So as Duck walked across the farm,

A shadow, grim and dire,

Crept near, tiptoe.

Duck screeched, “Oh no!

Here comes the fierce HAMPIRE!”

My son now knows what our nostrils are, what a snout is, what fangs are, and we tried to discuss what fierce means — but I’m not sure how well that went.  I’m sure we’ll have plenty more opportunities for me to give that a try.  He’s really enjoying this book and so am I.  It goes along with our Halloween and there’s nothing to edit or censor for my son.  It is such a well thought out book.  I’m impressed.  Fun times!

Where Obtained:  Library.

FTC Disclosures: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” If you click on the link and purchase the book, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”