Vlad the Drac; Ann Jungman

Finding a weird little creature and then keeping it as a secret pet is the kind of thing that lots of children dream about but after meeting Vlad the Drac perhaps children will think twice about keeping secret creatures in their sock drawer.

Siblings Judy and Paul are not enjoying the family holiday in Romania until they stop in Transylvania and discover a tiny vampire hiding underneath a rock in the shadow of Count Dracula’s castle. Sad, abandoned and lonely, the little creature is thrilled that he has been found and has soon convinced the siblings that taking him back to England with them is the most excellent of ideas. But vampires left alone all day become bored very quickly and Judy and Paul are soon to find out just how much chaos their new friend can cause…

Could you imagine having a pocket-sized vampire as a pet? Well, it might sound like a lot of fun but it’s quite a difficult job especially if there anything like Vlad. Don’t be fooled by his diminutive stature, this little guy has a lot going on, he is trying to come to terms with being the only vampire who doesn’t like blood - in fact he faints at the sight of it and is strictly a vegetarian, is contemplating a life without ever seeing another creature like himself and is worried that Great Uncle Ghitza will vampirise him at any moment.

When he’s not bemoaning his life, ‘Poor old Vlad, poor little Drac,'or fast asleep in the sock drawer he is getting up to plenty of mischief. Living off a diet of soap and washing-up liquid, the loveable Vlad enjoys joining in with family outings, going to school, attending family parties and has dreams of becoming a film star. All of this provides many problems to Paul and Judy who are doing their very best to keep Vlad a secret from their parents. There’s never a dull moment when Vlad is around and his antics, good, bad, mischievous and well-intentioned provide plenty of amusement.

Yes it was first published in 1982 and it may be a little out-dated but it still makes for a fang-tastically fun read.

Recommended for 7+.