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Summer Vamp
What happens when a very human kid ends up at the wrong summer camp—FOR VAMPIRES?! This quirky and heart warming graphic novel about making friends and getting in trouble is perfect for fans of Witches of Brooklyn.
After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even more disappointing summer. The only thing she’s looking forward to is cooking and mixing ingredients in the kitchen, which these days brings her more joy than mingling with her peers . . . that is until her dad's girlfriend registers her for culinary summer camp! Maya's summer is saved! . . . or not.
What was meant to be a summer filled with baking pastries and cooking pasta is suddenly looking a lot . . . paler?! Why do all of the kids have pointy fangs? And hate garlic? Turns out that Maya isn't at culinary camp—she's at a camp for VAMPIRES! Maya has a lot to learn if she's going to survive this summer . . . and if she's lucky, she might even make some friends along the way.
After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even more disappointing summer. The only thing she’s looking forward to is cooking and mixing ingredients in the kitchen, which these days brings her more joy than mingling with her peers . . . that is until her dad's girlfriend registers her for culinary summer camp! Maya's summer is saved! . . . or not.
What was meant to be a summer filled with baking pastries and cooking pasta is suddenly looking a lot . . . paler?! Why do all of the kids have pointy fangs? And hate garlic? Turns out that Maya isn't at culinary camp—she's at a camp for VAMPIRES! Maya has a lot to learn if she's going to survive this summer . . . and if she's lucky, she might even make some friends along the way.
235 pages, Unknown Binding
First published May 14, 2024
54 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
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April 24, 2024This adorable graphic novel aimed at middle-grade readers I believe would appeal to the younger cohorts of middle-grade. The art is simple yet relentlessly cheerful, and the story easy to read, as Maya, a loner at school, finds out that her single dad wants to move his girlfriend in. This girlfriend has clearly been trying to make friends with Maya, and to engage with Maya's interests. The top of which is cooking.
Charlotte arranges for Maya to attend a culinary summer camp. Maya is thrilled! But...she gets on the wrong bus, and ends up at Camp Dracula. With a bunch of vampire kids.
The vamp stuff is very light, the emphasis on making friends and trying to understand each other. Maya has some hilarious adventures, gets a chance to cook after all, and undergoes an attitude change as she and her cabin mates work out differences and become a unit tied by friendship. I'd suggest this one for a youngster who maybe has some reading challenges. The pacing is fast, the language simple and full of humor.
Charlotte arranges for Maya to attend a culinary summer camp. Maya is thrilled! But...she gets on the wrong bus, and ends up at Camp Dracula. With a bunch of vampire kids.
The vamp stuff is very light, the emphasis on making friends and trying to understand each other. Maya has some hilarious adventures, gets a chance to cook after all, and undergoes an attitude change as she and her cabin mates work out differences and become a unit tied by friendship. I'd suggest this one for a youngster who maybe has some reading challenges. The pacing is fast, the language simple and full of humor.
April 18, 2024
Maya loves cooking and is super excited about going to culinary camp, where she's hoping she'll make friends. Due to a bus mixup, she ends up at a camp for vampires instead.
This was cute - good illustrations and some funny bits, plus the standard middle grade messaging of "just be yourself and people will like you."
Looking forward to recommending this one to fans of the Babysitters Club, Real Friends, etc.
(3.5 rounded up)
* thanks to Random House Graphic for the NetGalley review copy. Summer Vamp publishes May 14, 2024.
This was cute - good illustrations and some funny bits, plus the standard middle grade messaging of "just be yourself and people will like you."
Looking forward to recommending this one to fans of the Babysitters Club, Real Friends, etc.
(3.5 rounded up)
* thanks to Random House Graphic for the NetGalley review copy. Summer Vamp publishes May 14, 2024.
January 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
This was such an adorable graphic novel! I was drawn in by the art but the story was just as cute. A human girl accidentally goes to vampire summer camp instead of culinary camp and makes friends for the first time.
This was wholesome and great for anyone who just wants a quick and easy graphic novel to read. Perfect for middle grade and everyone else(:
This was such an adorable graphic novel! I was drawn in by the art but the story was just as cute. A human girl accidentally goes to vampire summer camp instead of culinary camp and makes friends for the first time.
This was wholesome and great for anyone who just wants a quick and easy graphic novel to read. Perfect for middle grade and everyone else(:
July 21, 2024
Super fun read about camp, vampires and so much more!
December 4, 2024
from a sticky note i found inside the cover of this library book, written by a child: "this book may look weird or bad even when your reading it but it's a Great Book 10/10"
May 29, 2024
a human girl accidentally ends up at camp dracula, a summer camp for vampires, instead of her dream culinary camp due to a bus mixup 🦇
this will be the perfect summer graphic novel for middle grade readers as it’s filled with fun high jinxs & good themes! maya and her new *bloodsucking* friends show readers how to push past stereotypes & truly embrace yourself while being awesome at it!
the illustrations were vibrant and expressive, really drawing me in! the expressions on the character’s faces are quite exaggerated, but it works to perfectly display the feelings throughout the story. 3.5 stars 🖤
this will be the perfect summer graphic novel for middle grade readers as it’s filled with fun high jinxs & good themes! maya and her new *bloodsucking* friends show readers how to push past stereotypes & truly embrace yourself while being awesome at it!
the illustrations were vibrant and expressive, really drawing me in! the expressions on the character’s faces are quite exaggerated, but it works to perfectly display the feelings throughout the story. 3.5 stars 🖤
January 12, 2025
'Doesn't Ben mean capture the flag?'
'Oh, Maya, you poor thing. You know even less about sports than I do.'
Summer Vamp turned out to be such a fun read! When a mix-up at the bus station leads Maya to spending summer at a vampire camp, what could go wrong? Everything ever apparently when all she wanted was to cook at a culinary camp.
Maya is actually so dramatic so it was pretty easy to love her and her tactics and methods of dealing with stuff. Her character development is actually done so well in that regard. It was also great to see her form meaningful friendships and even befriend the camp chef and collaborate on meals with her.
I loved that it's also so funny. The version of Twilight in Summer Vamp was hilarious. The camp counselors' teenage angst and Maya taking advantage of their emotional vulnerability cracked me up. I'm glad this is a series because it's too good not to be one.
The art is fun and bright and totally fits the vibe of the story which is always a plus.
'Oh, Maya, you poor thing. You know even less about sports than I do.'
Summer Vamp turned out to be such a fun read! When a mix-up at the bus station leads Maya to spending summer at a vampire camp, what could go wrong? Everything ever apparently when all she wanted was to cook at a culinary camp.
Maya is actually so dramatic so it was pretty easy to love her and her tactics and methods of dealing with stuff. Her character development is actually done so well in that regard. It was also great to see her form meaningful friendships and even befriend the camp chef and collaborate on meals with her.
I loved that it's also so funny. The version of Twilight in Summer Vamp was hilarious. The camp counselors' teenage angst and Maya taking advantage of their emotional vulnerability cracked me up. I'm glad this is a series because it's too good not to be one.
The art is fun and bright and totally fits the vibe of the story which is always a plus.
July 24, 2024
It was very interesting and funny🤔😆
March 10, 2025
My face got stuck in heart eyes mode and I’m mad this isn’t a series
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July 9, 2025Read for book club at work. Super cute!
July 16, 2024
very cute! got a few laughs outta me!
April 15, 2025
my daughter and i picked this out to read together and yall it’s so cute! it’s clever, it’s funny, it teaches multiple lessons about being true to yourself, advocating for yourself, dealing with a big change, and friendship dynamics. loved it. will recommend to everyone
June 11, 2024
I COULD SAY SO MUCH
Amazing, hilarious, heart-warming, wonderful!!!
Maya is camp
Please read this
Amazing, hilarious, heart-warming, wonderful!!!
Maya is camp
Please read this
Read
July 6, 2024I enjoyed this and I think kids will too. The art is cute, the characters have depth and growth, and I love the positive messages: speak up, be your weird self, admit when you're wrong, friendships often come from unexpected places.
I liked Maya a lot more once she embraced her weirdness - especially when she helped the camp cook vs criticizing. I really liked that each of the Bumblebees had a distinct personality.
Kooky premise, but really fun. Lots of camp stories out this year!
I liked Maya a lot more once she embraced her weirdness - especially when she helped the camp cook vs criticizing. I really liked that each of the Bumblebees had a distinct personality.
Kooky premise, but really fun. Lots of camp stories out this year!
October 3, 2024
This is a sweet and funny graphic novel about friendship and fitting in. I laughed out loud in several places. I’m looking forward to more from this author/illustrator!
February 26, 2025
Loved it so good read it in one day I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT I would read it at the age of 8,9,10,or 11! Love how they said Midnight instead of Twilight 🤣🤣🤣
May 8, 2025
The guffaw I guffawed!!!
June 15, 2025
Cute, but doesn’t have as much fun with the vampires as I hoped it would
May 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ very cute!
July 10, 2025
This has all the vibes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" meets "Gravity Falls" meets culinary skills catered for a middle-grade audience and I loved it. So charming and heartfelt!
July 22, 2024
This is a fun book. It is not OMG BEST EVER, but fun. I enjoyed reading it. As an adult, I am not the intended reader, but I can see where kids will love the vampire angle and the ideas of "coming of age" in a silly way. Maybe I am not personally a fan of the personality of our main character all the time, but the flaws are believable and relatable. The use of cooking as the activity that makes her "odd" is newer (though not unknown) and pairs well with the bubbly, colorful art. I might not go onto sequels, but I will keep my eye out for other things they have done.
July 20, 2024
Cute with zany humor and hilarious panel flow, but a little bit too simplistic in terms of the character narration. I did like the fellow campers even if they weren't fully rounded out. Cute drawing style.
July 8, 2024
Now that it’s summer, Maya is looking forward to hanging out with her dad and furthering her passion for cooking. Instead, she learns that her dad’s girlfriend is moving in, which leaves her worried that he’ll no longer have time for her. At least there’s the culinary camp she’s being sent to, right? Wrong! Maya is stuck at some regular camp where everyone thinks she’s weird. Just when she thinks it’ll be the same as school, she realizes that Camp Dracula is actually a camp for vampires! Now Maya has to spend the summer figuring out how to pretend she’s also a vampire!
This book is absolutely adorable! We follow Maya from the moment she begins her summer break. She doesn’t have any friends and is afraid of everything, but at least she has her dad and cooking. I think she’s a relatable character whether someone has a lot of fears, is dealing with a potential step parent, or has a hard time making friends. We even see her get bullied a little when she gets to camp, and a lot of kids experience at least a little bullying at some point. I think she’s a character that the target audience will be able to easily identify with.
What I love about this book is that there is something positive at every turn. We watch Maya and her cabinmates be at odds with one another only to become close friends as the story progresses. While this is a graphic novel for middle schoolers, the story and characters have a lot of depth thanks to the writing and the artwork really bringing the story to life. I loved seeing the characters grow while showing that sometimes things aren’t always what they seem on the surface. It’s a great story that I really enjoyed reading.
This book is absolutely adorable! We follow Maya from the moment she begins her summer break. She doesn’t have any friends and is afraid of everything, but at least she has her dad and cooking. I think she’s a relatable character whether someone has a lot of fears, is dealing with a potential step parent, or has a hard time making friends. We even see her get bullied a little when she gets to camp, and a lot of kids experience at least a little bullying at some point. I think she’s a character that the target audience will be able to easily identify with.
What I love about this book is that there is something positive at every turn. We watch Maya and her cabinmates be at odds with one another only to become close friends as the story progresses. While this is a graphic novel for middle schoolers, the story and characters have a lot of depth thanks to the writing and the artwork really bringing the story to life. I loved seeing the characters grow while showing that sometimes things aren’t always what they seem on the surface. It’s a great story that I really enjoyed reading.
August 2, 2024
actually 3.5
very cute very wholesome LOVE the art style it looks straight out of cartoon network!
very cute very wholesome LOVE the art style it looks straight out of cartoon network!
February 7, 2024
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Maya is glad that the school year is over, because she has struggled to make friends, but the summer doesn't promise to be much better. Her father has been dating Charlotte, who seems perfectly nice, but when the two announce that Charlotte will be moving in with them, Maya is not pleased. She feels that she won't have quality time with her father and that he will ignore her to spend time with Charlotte, a feeling that is reinforced when she makes a lovely garlic pasta following her favorite YouTuber, Kiki Cooks, instructions and they pass this over in favor of pizza. When Charlotte arranges for Maya to go to culinary camp for the summer, she's thrilled. Unfortunately, she gets on the wrong bus, with her suitcase packed full of things like a crepe making set! Even worse is the fact that all of the campers heading to Camp Dracula are vampires, complete with pointy ears, fangs, and a decided need to use lots of sunscreen. Maya is angry at Charlotte, feeling that she scheduled the wrong camp, but tries to keep herself safe. She doesn't tell her cabin mates the truth, and eventually starts to develop friendships with them, even helping Nico steal his phone back from the counselors. Of course, part of this plot was meant to get her own phone back so that she could call her father and have him come and save her, but this falls through. Alex starts to be nice to her, Maya manages to work with the camp cook to get her culinary fix, and there's even an epic food fight in the cafeteria. When the others learn the truth (Maya doesn't drink any of the blood juice boxes, even though who wouldn't want a pork flavored one? Ew.), they try to sneak her across the lake to Camp Umami, which she was supposed to attend. Once there, Maya realizes that she has already made friends, and since she is no danger, she might as well stay at Camp Dracula.
Strengths: I loved that Maya realizes that Charlotte is not horrible, and that she actually misses her during the summer. Including more positive spins on blended families would be a good direction for middle grade literature in general, especially since blended families are far more common than parents passing away. The camp is fun, and the campers have a lot of freedom to do different projects. The characters are delightfully quirky, but kind to each other in the end. There is no threat from the vampires, although Maya is on her guard.
Weaknesses: This played a little fast and loose with vampire "rules". They can go out in the sun, but it's mildly uncomfortable without sunscreen. They don't have reflections, but they can go in the water, which would destroy the entire plot of Rees' classic Vampire High. (https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) I'm all for readjusting the parameters of vampire behavior, but I like to see the spelled out more clearly. I've read a lot of vampire books!
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the twists on vampire lore in Birchall's How Not to Be A Vampire Slayer or Murphy's graphic novel Camp Sylvania.
Maya is glad that the school year is over, because she has struggled to make friends, but the summer doesn't promise to be much better. Her father has been dating Charlotte, who seems perfectly nice, but when the two announce that Charlotte will be moving in with them, Maya is not pleased. She feels that she won't have quality time with her father and that he will ignore her to spend time with Charlotte, a feeling that is reinforced when she makes a lovely garlic pasta following her favorite YouTuber, Kiki Cooks, instructions and they pass this over in favor of pizza. When Charlotte arranges for Maya to go to culinary camp for the summer, she's thrilled. Unfortunately, she gets on the wrong bus, with her suitcase packed full of things like a crepe making set! Even worse is the fact that all of the campers heading to Camp Dracula are vampires, complete with pointy ears, fangs, and a decided need to use lots of sunscreen. Maya is angry at Charlotte, feeling that she scheduled the wrong camp, but tries to keep herself safe. She doesn't tell her cabin mates the truth, and eventually starts to develop friendships with them, even helping Nico steal his phone back from the counselors. Of course, part of this plot was meant to get her own phone back so that she could call her father and have him come and save her, but this falls through. Alex starts to be nice to her, Maya manages to work with the camp cook to get her culinary fix, and there's even an epic food fight in the cafeteria. When the others learn the truth (Maya doesn't drink any of the blood juice boxes, even though who wouldn't want a pork flavored one? Ew.), they try to sneak her across the lake to Camp Umami, which she was supposed to attend. Once there, Maya realizes that she has already made friends, and since she is no danger, she might as well stay at Camp Dracula.
Strengths: I loved that Maya realizes that Charlotte is not horrible, and that she actually misses her during the summer. Including more positive spins on blended families would be a good direction for middle grade literature in general, especially since blended families are far more common than parents passing away. The camp is fun, and the campers have a lot of freedom to do different projects. The characters are delightfully quirky, but kind to each other in the end. There is no threat from the vampires, although Maya is on her guard.
Weaknesses: This played a little fast and loose with vampire "rules". They can go out in the sun, but it's mildly uncomfortable without sunscreen. They don't have reflections, but they can go in the water, which would destroy the entire plot of Rees' classic Vampire High. (https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) I'm all for readjusting the parameters of vampire behavior, but I like to see the spelled out more clearly. I've read a lot of vampire books!
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the twists on vampire lore in Birchall's How Not to Be A Vampire Slayer or Murphy's graphic novel Camp Sylvania.
May 13, 2024
I received this book from TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review.
This was such a fun book, yes, it took me a bit to like our MC, especially those pages before camp just had me wanting to yeet pizza at her (seriously, I could also understand her, but they clearly told her they were going to get pizza and then she is offended when they don't want her food, hello did you even care???). But then camp started and her getting in the wrong bus with the vampires and things hit off! I loved seeing her realise where she ended up and then also making friends, discovering new things to herself, and a lot more! She even does some cooking. And there is a fun food fight! There are two heists (as I would call them, though it is all just fun plans by the kids to help each other/help our MC). And I just adored seeing our MC get more and more happy at the camp, though also definitely dodging all the questions on whether or not she is a vampire or not (which later led to some drama and then some humour because yes it is quite obvious). I loved the summer camp (though not the food) and wish I could have been part of it all.
I would LOVE the POV of the vampire girl who got on the wrong bus/who saw her bus disappear.
The art was just so pretty and I love love love the style!
Oh, and I just love how magical it was that no one questioned if our MC should be here or not. The counsellors/bosses of the camp should have noticed, right?
All in all, highly recommended! This is a delightful fun summer read about vampires, family, friendship, and discovering yourself.
This was such a fun book, yes, it took me a bit to like our MC, especially those pages before camp just had me wanting to yeet pizza at her (seriously, I could also understand her, but they clearly told her they were going to get pizza and then she is offended when they don't want her food, hello did you even care???). But then camp started and her getting in the wrong bus with the vampires and things hit off! I loved seeing her realise where she ended up and then also making friends, discovering new things to herself, and a lot more! She even does some cooking. And there is a fun food fight! There are two heists (as I would call them, though it is all just fun plans by the kids to help each other/help our MC). And I just adored seeing our MC get more and more happy at the camp, though also definitely dodging all the questions on whether or not she is a vampire or not (which later led to some drama and then some humour because yes it is quite obvious). I loved the summer camp (though not the food) and wish I could have been part of it all.
I would LOVE the POV of the vampire girl who got on the wrong bus/who saw her bus disappear.
The art was just so pretty and I love love love the style!
Oh, and I just love how magical it was that no one questioned if our MC should be here or not. The counsellors/bosses of the camp should have noticed, right?
All in all, highly recommended! This is a delightful fun summer read about vampires, family, friendship, and discovering yourself.
May 16, 2024
This was a fun graphic novel written for middle school kids but could also be enjoyed by upper elementary students. I have not seen this particular scenario for a book, but I loved it! Maya love cooking, but her lack of social skills often leaves her feeling left out. She is excited when her dad's girlfriend gives her the gift of summer camp at a cooking camp--finally she'll be with kids who get her. Except it all goes wrong when she gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a camp for vampire kids!
I loved Maya and her enthusiasm for cooking, and I really loved how she unexpectedly ended up loving this camp that was NOT cooking camp. The story is fun and while it contains the usual middle trope of embracing yourself and being excellent at it, I loved how the author chose to tell this story. The illustrations were a lot of fun and overall, I just enjoyed it. I would recommend this for 4th grade and up, depending on the reading level of the child. But thinking back to my days at the elementary school book fair, I can think of many 4th and 5th graders who would have no trouble with this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved Maya and her enthusiasm for cooking, and I really loved how she unexpectedly ended up loving this camp that was NOT cooking camp. The story is fun and while it contains the usual middle trope of embracing yourself and being excellent at it, I loved how the author chose to tell this story. The illustrations were a lot of fun and overall, I just enjoyed it. I would recommend this for 4th grade and up, depending on the reading level of the child. But thinking back to my days at the elementary school book fair, I can think of many 4th and 5th graders who would have no trouble with this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 4, 2023
A human kid ends up at the wrong summer camp—FOR VAMPIRES!
🧛🏻♀️
Maya can’t wait to attend cooking summer camp after her dad’s girlfriend registers her for a culinary experience. Too bad she gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a summer camp for vampires. They’re pale, hate garlic and have pointy fangs! Now Maya has to figure out a way out of the camp before they realize she’s human, but maybe she’ll make some friends first.
🧛🏻♂️
What an adorable MG graphic novel by @violchan I think fans of Be Prepared and Camp will love this one just as much. I know it won’t stay on my shelves long when it releases January 1.
CW: blood
🧛🏻♀️
Maya can’t wait to attend cooking summer camp after her dad’s girlfriend registers her for a culinary experience. Too bad she gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a summer camp for vampires. They’re pale, hate garlic and have pointy fangs! Now Maya has to figure out a way out of the camp before they realize she’s human, but maybe she’ll make some friends first.
🧛🏻♂️
What an adorable MG graphic novel by @violchan I think fans of Be Prepared and Camp will love this one just as much. I know it won’t stay on my shelves long when it releases January 1.
CW: blood
May 20, 2025
i want to preface this review by saying i am a 25 year old adult who read this book because my boyfriend randomly came across it at the library and said, “this looks like something you would like.” how sweet is that?
i did enjoy this book. it’s a sweet story about accepting what makes you different and unique and acknowledging it as a strength rather than a weakness. it’s about accepting your weirdness and finding people who accept you for you. it’s a very cute children’s book. i do wish some of the characters would have been more developed, like oliver and jenny, but all around this was a decent book! 4/5!
i did enjoy this book. it’s a sweet story about accepting what makes you different and unique and acknowledging it as a strength rather than a weakness. it’s about accepting your weirdness and finding people who accept you for you. it’s a very cute children’s book. i do wish some of the characters would have been more developed, like oliver and jenny, but all around this was a decent book! 4/5!
April 27, 2024
Maya is not looking forward to summer but when her dad's girlfriend Charlotte surprises her with a culinary summer camp that changes. When she gets on the bus head to the camp it starts to look like there might be something different about the camper.s. Namely they are all vampires! It is a great story that does touch on some harder topics that middle grade/elementary kids go through. The illustrations are exactly the kind that I like.
Thanks o much to Random House Graphic for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks o much to Random House Graphic for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
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