July 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 1 The Dracula family heads out to a day at the busy zoo, baby Dracula firmly strapped into his stroller. Well, not too firmly, as it turns out, for as the distracted family enters the penguin house, the toddler slips out and trades places with a small penguin eager to explore the world outside its exhibit. The wee Dracula ingratiates himself with the penguin flock, draining fish snacks dry and frolicking in the pool. The penguin, meanwhile, promptly settles into the stroller and enjoys a day with an oblivious vampire clan. How long can the delightful ruse go undetected? The droll text ignores the fact that any switch has occurred, though observant readers will note that other zoo animals silently spend the story trying to bring attention to the snafu. It's a terrifically funny conceit, and the humorous gouache and colored-pencil illustrations make the perfect cartoonish accompaniment. Kids will laugh at the adorable antics, and their adults will appreciate the subtle sarcasm. A marvelous day out for any reader.
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Starred review from July 26, 2021
Though the paper-white Dracula family are vampires through and through, they don’t visit the zoo in the dead of night. Instead, they awaken “extra early so they could beat the weekend crowds,” three of them wearing full vampire regalia. On the family’s first zoo stop, the penguin house, the baby takes advantage of two phone-wielding adults’ distraction, swapping places with an emperor penguin whom the baby resembles—both sport black and white, and the penguin’s yellow beak and feet match the child’s binky and shoes. The penguin spends the rest of the day unnoticed (by the Draculas, anyhow) in the family stroller, and baby Dracula finds plenty to do while blending into the penguin exhibit. Cummins’s loose lines and fresh palette emphasize the classic cartoon–esque concept’s hilarity, and young readers will take great joy in noticing the entities hiding in plain sight—as well as the quiet case of mistaken identity. Ages 4–8.
Starred review from September 1, 2021
PreS-K-It's a memorable trip to the zoo for the Dracula family, although it will be more memorable than some of them realize. After waiting on line, they head to their favorite exhibit, the Penguin House, where they are absorbed watching the adorable little fellows. Many other exhibits follow until finally they decide to head home. It was fun, but nothing special. Observant readers, though, will notice that one family member has a different experience. While the narrator describes the trip around the zoo, the pictures show that after sliding out of his stroller, baby Dracula mingles with the penguins and makes new friends. Baby Penguin, mistaken for the littlest Dracula, gets to enjoy a ride. It's a concept made even more amusing by the uninformed but otherwise illustrative narrator. Adding further flavor to the tone is the endearing art style, which employs a minimalistic palette of several pastel colors and the black and white garb worn by the Dracula family. VERDICT A sweet tale of hidden high jinks that should have the whole family giggling.-Rachel Forbes, Oakville P.L., Ont.
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2021
A deadpan narrator outlines the story of the Dracula family's Saturday trip to the zoo as the illustrations divulge what really happens. The two little Draculas, in their black capes and yellow shoes, almost match the penguins, and no one notices when the littlest Dracula escapes the stroller and trades places with one of the birds. The text hilariously drones on through the day's itinerary as expressive cartoon art creates mischief throughout. Mercifully, baby Dracula and the penguin manage to reconnect with their original families before the day ends, but not before a souvenir photograph commemorates the situation. A funny (and often startlingly relatable) outing. Julie Roach
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from August 1, 2021
When the Dracula family visits the zoo, a surprising swap makes for a silly adventure. This is a true picture book, with text and illustrations so seamlessly woven together that one won't stand alone without the other. While at the penguin exhibit, the youngest member of the Dracula family discovers their resemblance to a similarly sized and colored emperor penguin. The two switch places, and readers are the only ones who catch this detail; the Draculas continue on their way through the zoo without ever noticing. This little inside joke succeeds thanks to Cummins' striking and strategic palette. Using black and white with shades of aqua, mustard yellow, and pale pink, she makes it easy to see how the littlest Dracula camouflages with the penguins. Little readers will love pointing out all of the things the text intentionally omits, like the animals that notice the penguin touring around in the Draculas' stroller. Cummins uses classic vampire tropes in a way that lands right with the preschool crowd: They frown when they should be smiling and hang upside down, for example. The Draculas all have truly paper-white skin; other zoo visitors and its employees are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Impeccable integration of text and illustrations makes for a book readers can really sink their teeth into. (Picture book. 3-6)
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2021
A deadpan narrator outlines the story of the Dracula family's Saturday trip to the zoo as the illustrations divulge what really happens. The two little Draculas, in their black capes and yellow shoes, almost match the penguins, and no one notices when the littlest Dracula escapes the stroller and trades places with one of the birds. The text hilariously drones on through the day's itinerary as expressive cartoon art creates mischief throughout. Mercifully, baby Dracula and the penguin manage to reconnect with their original families before the day ends, but not before a souvenir photograph commemorates the situation. A funny (and often startlingly relatable) outing.
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)