August 15, 2023
Bella Gosi's new town is stranger than it seems. Bella finds it hard to believe that Shiver-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, can possibly be as special as her mom promises. After all, her friends, dad, and favorite things are still back in New York City. Bella feels a spark of hope when she meets a boy named Cooper in front of the possibly haunted theater her mother purchased earlier this summer. While browsing a trunk full of film reels, the two discover a small bat that transforms into a pale-skinned boy named Bram. Bram, a vampire with a thirst for sugary liquids, got lost after running away from home--like Bella, he was frustrated when his parents decided to uproot the family. So Bella and Cooper decide to help reunite Bram with his family. Character ages are not specified, but illustrations suggest that they are preteens, and Bella's attempts at agency as she helps Bram are appropriate and understandable for an older child in an unfamiliar setting, trying to discover the boundaries of independence. While the kids face frustrating challenges and sometimes break the rules, they clearly have loving caregivers willing to give them room to grow and be who they are. Dynamic, emotive black-and-white illustrations break up the text; watercolor-esque flourishes of semitonal gray along the edges add visual interest. Bella is tan-skinned in the art, while Cooper presents Black. Wonder and magic wait to be discovered in these pages. (Paranormal fiction. 7-10)
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