The Vanishing Vampire

A Monsterrific Tale #2

by David Lubar

Young Sebastian, otherwise known as Splat, is on his own as he struggles to become human once again after a haphazard vampire accientally transforms him into a vampire. Original.

Genres: Vampires, Horror, Juvenile, Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

David Lubar created a sensation with his debut novel, Hidden Talents, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Thousands of kids and educators across the country have voted Hidden Talents onto over twenty state lists. David is also the author of True Talents, the sequel to Hidden Talents; Flip, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror selection; several short story collections: In the Land of the Lawn Weenies, Invasion of the Road Weenies, The Curse of the Campfire Weenies, The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies, and Attack of the Vampire Weenies; and the Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series. Lubar grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, and he has also lived in New Brunswick, Edison and Piscataway, NJ, and Sacramento, CA. Besides writing, he has also worked as a video game programmer and designer. He now lives in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidl...

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick fun read with just a bit of thoughtfulness. One of these days I hope to find a library that will share the first in the series... but I think Lubar got better at writing these as he went along.

[Alisa Hedden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping in mind that this was written for middle grade readers, here is my review:
Welcome to the charming town of Lewington. We have a wonderful elementary school, Washington Irving Elementary School, perhaps you’ve heard of it. Oh, that, how did you hear about that? Never mind, that situation was cleared up and there have been no further issues. Isn’t that oak tree lovely? Yes, the roots are breaking up the sidewalk, but it is such a lovely big tree. It is so sad that no one has built anything on that lot, yet.
In this book, we go back to the town of Lewington (David Lubar has built a town where he likes to play, just like a number of authors before him) and meet Splat. He loves horror movies, his family (OK, there is a question about his older sister, but that is normal for boys) and has loyal friends. Little does he know that his life could become like a horror movie. When I was a kid, the bullies were bad enough, now throw in a vampire hunter and you really have problems.
Faced with becoming a “person of the night” and just trying not to turn into charcoal on the next morning’s walk to school, as well as trying really hard to resist the “Hunger”, that could destroy almost anyone, let alone an elementary school student. The real story here is how Splat deals with this and the choices he makes. Because, let’s face it, choices are what make us and show our true selves. I’m rooting for you Splat.

[Alex Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a out a boy who was walking home when something knocked him over and when his friend helped him up and he felt around his neck and there was blood and he walled home himself and thought about it. In the morning a few days later, they made some garlic bread and vampires hate garlic and it looks to them like read crosses and kind of hurts them. He didn't go past the kitchen and he played a game with his little brother but when he went back to his bed, his older sister thought something was wrong because he used to tease her. She tried to help hi. Get out of being a vampire but really it was crosses that stop you. If you were very old as a vampire you would just die when you saw a cross and there was one that was very old and he almost did die and the kid that was turned into a vampire he stopped him. He turned into heaps of flies and tipped a bookshelf and landed on the man that was trying to mill the vampire. He could turn into bats and frogs. The older vampire stayed alive and in the morning he was going to school. Two boys were fighting and he wasn't a vampire anymore. ,before that, near the start he pushed the boys away. Now they gave back a comic they stole off him.

[K McClelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure whether to call this a three or four, or three and a half. It was a cute little kid book that was fun to read with my kids. I can say that I'll look for other books by this author. It was just chance that my daughter found it at the library and being the vampire lover that I am, I decided I would read it with both my girls.

It's a 'Reading Counts' book for anyone who has kids that take those tests at school. I'd recommend it to any age of reader, but if you're not someone who likes reading younger books, you probably wouldn't like it. Definitely a youngster book, cute and short with things that are obviously meant to entertain someone of the younger variety who isn't too jaded by adulthood.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian is bitten while walking home from a movie. Now he’s turning into a vampire. Can he keep the truth from his family until he can figure out how to change back? This newly packaged edition of the second in Lubar’s series will be popular with the kids who want a vampire novel without any violence. The new cover is very appealing, as are the illustrations. I hope they republish the whole series as they can be read in any order. ***Crossposted to KISSTHEBOOK.BLOGSPOT.COM Check it out!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a fun read for those who can't get enough of vampire stories. Middle schooler, Sebastian, was "slightly" bitten on the neck by a vampire and has all sorts of calamities befall him as he comes to grapple with his new-found vampire powers. Can he find a cure in time so it won't be a permanent condition?

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is Splat becoming a VAMPIRE???
 
Is there a way Splat can get back to being a regular human??? That’s what he really wants….

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before Bella in Twilight, there was Sebastian in The Vanishing Vampire.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a hardcover copy from the publisher.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to give to tweens craving horror but not ready for the grittier stuff.

[Jack Frost, Jaquelyn, Jackie: {The empress of winter; The lonely white wolf } · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but I think that it should of been better. *shrugs*

[Sherry]

v. 2 in the series "A Monsterrific Tale"