In this vampiric but charming graphic novel, 13-year-old Ivan isn’t like the other vampires of his family. He’s a vegan who would rather hang out with his human friends than with other vampires. While his parents worry that his adult fangs are late to come in, he’s secretly happy; having baby fangs means he can continue passing as human and going to human Day School rather than moving to the vampires’ Night School.
The night before the start of eighth grade, however, the worst happens: His adult fangs start to appear. Ivan does his best to hide them, but it’s hard to fight his new craving for blood and how it makes him feel faint. (He tries beets.) It’s especially hard to fight being drawn to the new kid in school, Damien, and his awareness of Damien’s heartbeat.
Ivan can’t stop craving blood at inopportune moments, and worries that he’s endangering his human friends. He pulls away from them even as his relationship with Damien deepens into an obvious crush—but he could be endangering Damien, too. Ivan feels he’s disappointed everyone in his life. Will he end up doing what’s expected of him, or can he figure out a way to bring his worlds together and remain true to himself, even as that self is changing?
This story is an obvious analogy for puberty and its discontents, physical, emotional, and social, but the endearing style and quirky twists (which I won’t spoil) make it a fresh take on the theme. Ivan is a sweet protagonist and he and other characters show nuance and growth. And while there’s a “coming out” arc about his vampiric identity, his attraction to another boy is a complete non-issue.
Author/illustrator Marker Snyder portrays the world of the vampires in shades of blue, and that of humans in bright yellows, adding splashes of red to represent Ivan’s literal and metaphorical desires. Lighthearted and funny, it’s also surprisingly poignant at times, making it a highly recommended read.
Ivan’s family has dark hair; their skin tone is shown as blue, making it hard to identify as any particular human shade. Ivan’s friends have skin tones ranging from pale to dark; Damien’s last name is Vega, perhaps implying Latine heritage.
