Review: ‘Fake Blood’

The start of a new school year is always promising. Shiny new school supplies. New teachers. And for many, the promise of something different. For AJ it starts out the same, but soon enough his greatest wish will come true.

Fake Blood
By Whitney Gardner.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2018. ISBN 9781481495561
HC, $21.99. 336pp.
Grades 6 and up

The premise of this book is rather simple. Everyone is changing around AJ, but he feels like he’s still the same. AJ’s crush on Nia seems to be going nowhere. So to get her to notice him, he pretends that he’s a vampire (because she’s very into vampires). AJ is caught off guard to learn that Nia is a vampire slayer in practice. But while trying to escape with his life, AJ doesn’t notice the real danger lurking close by and putting his other friends in jeopardy.

This witty and fun graphic novel is a perfect fit for middle school readers. The story has many layers of relationships: AJ and his sister. AJ and his friends Ivy and Hunter. And of course the budding relationship of AJ and Nia. Each of these relationships rings true. Readers will easily find ways to relate to the diverse cast of characters, and minus the vampire chaos, the middle school dynamic seems real too.

Mostly a comical title, Fake Blood will keep you laughing and wanting to read again and again, even though at over 300 pages, it’s a lengthy graphic novel. The simplistic artwork supports and enhances the humor. And despite the dreary Portland setting, the vivid coloring wraps a thrilling, fun, and exciting title into a perfect little present. Readers will be giggling long after the last page is read.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews