What do you think?
Rate this book
Bunnicula: The Graphic Novels #2
Howliday Inn the Graphic Novel
The bone-chilling second book in the bestselling and award-winning Bunnicula series is now a spooky graphic novel that will send a shiver down your spine and leave you howling with laughter!
The Monroes have gone on vacation, leaving Harold, Chester, and Bunnicula at Château Bow-Wow—not exactly a four-star hotel. On the animals’ very first night there, the silence is pierced by a peculiar wake-up call—an unearthly howl that makes Chester observe that the place should be called…Howliday Inn.
But the mysterious cries in the night (Chester is convinced there are werewolves afoot) are just the beginning of the frightening goings-on. Soon, animals start disappearing, and there are whispers of murder. Is check-out time at Château Bow-Wow going to come earlier than Harold and Chester anticipated?
The Monroes have gone on vacation, leaving Harold, Chester, and Bunnicula at Château Bow-Wow—not exactly a four-star hotel. On the animals’ very first night there, the silence is pierced by a peculiar wake-up call—an unearthly howl that makes Chester observe that the place should be called…Howliday Inn.
But the mysterious cries in the night (Chester is convinced there are werewolves afoot) are just the beginning of the frightening goings-on. Soon, animals start disappearing, and there are whispers of murder. Is check-out time at Château Bow-Wow going to come earlier than Harold and Chester anticipated?
128 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
James Howe
199 books468 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 9, 2026
This was an incredibly well done adaptation of my favorite of the Bunnicula books that really added more to the story with dropping us into the characters’ heads with some fun pop culture references and I warmed more to how the animals were drawn, as well as great takes on the human characters. Here’s hoping they keep going and adapt all of the series.
Special Thanks to Atheneum Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Atheneum Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
July 14, 2026
My daughter, 12, and I read this one together. She enjoyed it and so did I. I had not read the Bunnicula series before, but I did read the last graphic novel. So, I can't say how faithful to the original the graphic novel is, but I can say that the illustrations are fun and it's a delight to watch Chester assume the worst and try to be a detective.
July 27, 2026
I was thrilled to receive a hardcover finished copy of this from the publisher, and it inspired me to go ahead and finally read the first graphic novel remake of the series that I bought when it first came out. Once again I feel like they did a great job of turning this into a graphic novel and the story was still exactly as good as before! Not a ton of modernizing needed to make this up to date, as the dogs were staying at a vet/pet resort.
As with my read of the first graphic novel, I was delighted to jump back into this whimsical story of how Chester and Harold may have learned to accept Bunnicula as their friend, once again there was something out there terrorizing the other characters. Of course in Chester’s detective mind, it was something otherworldly. While they’d dealt with the vampire bunny, now they had werewolves, and my favorite part (both now and as a kid) was that they were two dachshunds. Yes, if there’s a dachshund in a story, I’m going to be there, lol.
Seeing all the dog and cat characters brought to life in the pet hotel was so much fun. I especially loved all the little added bits you get to see with the graphic novel, that I think will make it come alive so much more for some! Then there is the bit of breaking the 4th wall when Chester and Harold are talking to the illustrator, lol, loved that. I feel like I can put these in my middle school library probably? If not I’ll be sure to let all the elementary librarians know they need to own them for their own kids.
As with my read of the first graphic novel, I was delighted to jump back into this whimsical story of how Chester and Harold may have learned to accept Bunnicula as their friend, once again there was something out there terrorizing the other characters. Of course in Chester’s detective mind, it was something otherworldly. While they’d dealt with the vampire bunny, now they had werewolves, and my favorite part (both now and as a kid) was that they were two dachshunds. Yes, if there’s a dachshund in a story, I’m going to be there, lol.
Seeing all the dog and cat characters brought to life in the pet hotel was so much fun. I especially loved all the little added bits you get to see with the graphic novel, that I think will make it come alive so much more for some! Then there is the bit of breaking the 4th wall when Chester and Harold are talking to the illustrator, lol, loved that. I feel like I can put these in my middle school library probably? If not I’ll be sure to let all the elementary librarians know they need to own them for their own kids.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the advanced copy.
This was such a surprising and entertaining read! I read the original Bunnicula series when I was young, and although I no longer remember most details of the series, I remember loving it and have always regarded it as one of my favorite childhood book series. I must admit, I did not read the first installment of the graphic novel adaptation. However, the beginning of Howliday Inn helpfully includes a recap, so I was quickly caught up to speed.
The story follows Chester and Harold (and Bunnicula), the loveable pets of the Monroe family. At the beginning of the book, the Monroe’s announce that they are going on vacation and that all the pets will be staying at Chateau Bow-Wow. Left to their own devices, Chester and Harold are quickly involved in a dog-gone mystery (quite literally) involving an endearing cast of supporting characters. It is up to Chester and Harold to solve the case!
Chester and Harold are the perfect duo! I loved their banter and shenanigans. As I read the graphic novel, I kept getting reminders of the original story and it felt so nostalgic. While I’m probably 20 years older now than when I originally read it, I think I was equally if not more entertained than the first time. I was worried that it would feel too juvenile for me, but that was not the case. I think this is a great read for both children and adults alike!
Overall, this is a great reboot of a classic children’s series. The graphic novel updates certain parts of the story and narrative to help make it more modern. Additionally, the art was super fun and a great fit for these characters and their story. I might seriously have to go back and read the first installment!
This was such a surprising and entertaining read! I read the original Bunnicula series when I was young, and although I no longer remember most details of the series, I remember loving it and have always regarded it as one of my favorite childhood book series. I must admit, I did not read the first installment of the graphic novel adaptation. However, the beginning of Howliday Inn helpfully includes a recap, so I was quickly caught up to speed.
The story follows Chester and Harold (and Bunnicula), the loveable pets of the Monroe family. At the beginning of the book, the Monroe’s announce that they are going on vacation and that all the pets will be staying at Chateau Bow-Wow. Left to their own devices, Chester and Harold are quickly involved in a dog-gone mystery (quite literally) involving an endearing cast of supporting characters. It is up to Chester and Harold to solve the case!
Chester and Harold are the perfect duo! I loved their banter and shenanigans. As I read the graphic novel, I kept getting reminders of the original story and it felt so nostalgic. While I’m probably 20 years older now than when I originally read it, I think I was equally if not more entertained than the first time. I was worried that it would feel too juvenile for me, but that was not the case. I think this is a great read for both children and adults alike!
Overall, this is a great reboot of a classic children’s series. The graphic novel updates certain parts of the story and narrative to help make it more modern. Additionally, the art was super fun and a great fit for these characters and their story. I might seriously have to go back and read the first installment!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The new graphic novel adaptations of this classic children's series are truly phenomenal. Andrew Donkin is such a gifted illustrator. To focus on the art, the renditions are engaging, funny, and diverse. His panels are sometimes aerial views, which gives a great survey of the physical space being explored. He also tries to bring clarity to the tone that the author and narrator are using to describe their characters. Ex: he takes Chester's really crazy, tin foil hat monologue and frames him as a YouTuber. Donkin also throws in so many relevant (and amusing) pop culture visual references into his drawings such as drawing the pet boarding facility like Psycho's Bates family house on the hill and various Sherlock Holmes allusions. These were really fun for me as an adult, and they build a broader cultural literacy for kids.
I thought Chapter 1 and the ending-after-the-ending dragged on too long. I have no memory of the original novel, but I would imagine this is a problem of adapting the original text. I wasn't engaged by those sections and skimmed them. I wanted to get to the good stuff!
The plot of the middle of the novel was fine... I think James Howe's first Bunnicula was a superior story. Although I wasn't that interested in the storyline of the disappearing pets... My 8-year-old daughter was. She read it in one sitting. Her review of this book is that it is "great!!!" Considering she's the target audience, I changed my review from three stars to four!
I thought Chapter 1 and the ending-after-the-ending dragged on too long. I have no memory of the original novel, but I would imagine this is a problem of adapting the original text. I wasn't engaged by those sections and skimmed them. I wanted to get to the good stuff!
The plot of the middle of the novel was fine... I think James Howe's first Bunnicula was a superior story. Although I wasn't that interested in the storyline of the disappearing pets... My 8-year-old daughter was. She read it in one sitting. Her review of this book is that it is "great!!!" Considering she's the target audience, I changed my review from three stars to four!
July 16, 2026
In the graphic novel adaptation of HOWLIDAY INN, the Monroe family is taking a vacation, so Chester the cat, Harold the dog, and Bunnicula, the rabbit who Harold suspects is a vampire, find themselves boarded at Chateau Bow-Wow. Soon after their arrival, fellow guest French poodle Louise goes missing. Chester and Harold find themselves trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Chester generates some wild conspiracy theories to explain Louise’s disappearance and does his best to investigate them with the more skeptical Harold at his side. Harold is devastated when Chester disappears too, leaving him behind to uncover the culprit.
The banter between Chester and Harold highlights the duo’s contrasting personalities. Harold provides a balance to Chester’s vivid imagination, bringing plenty of humor to the story. The art in the graphic novel format does a fantastic job of bringing the action at the Chateau Bow-Wow to life and setting the mood for the mystery at hand. As a reader of the original version many more years ago than I’d like to admit, I can say that at its heart, this adaptation remains true to the original while bringing a modern feel to the story. I’m looking forward to introducing a new generation of readers to the classic Bunnicula series, especially those who are fans of mysteries and animal stories, especially the original Bunnicula books and the first graphic novel adaptation.
The banter between Chester and Harold highlights the duo’s contrasting personalities. Harold provides a balance to Chester’s vivid imagination, bringing plenty of humor to the story. The art in the graphic novel format does a fantastic job of bringing the action at the Chateau Bow-Wow to life and setting the mood for the mystery at hand. As a reader of the original version many more years ago than I’d like to admit, I can say that at its heart, this adaptation remains true to the original while bringing a modern feel to the story. I’m looking forward to introducing a new generation of readers to the classic Bunnicula series, especially those who are fans of mysteries and animal stories, especially the original Bunnicula books and the first graphic novel adaptation.
August 10, 2026
Came into this biased as I enjoyed the entire original series. Loved this updated and illustrated take as well as the “bonus content”. Feel free to get a more graphic look at Howard and Chester’s stay in a boarding house for animals.
August 27, 2026
This is a wonderful book and mind blowing
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews