Book Review - 'Vampirina Ballerina' by Anne Marie Pace (Writer), LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

2022 EDIT: I will keep the first 'Vampirina Ballerina' book - I still love it to bits - but not its sequels. The first is the most charming and beautiful, and it most centers on ballet.





Original Review:



A lovely picture book.

Cute vampires. Ballet. Bats. Cats. A Frankenstein's monster. Ghosts. A mummy. A skeleton. A supportive family. A goth, bookworm older sister. Gorgeous illustrations.

It is cuteness and softness, with an edge.

'Vampirina Ballerina' is a beautiful, calm, sweet and euphoric little book for children; for people in need of a pick-me-up, and a lesson and moment of clarity after a very bad day; for people like myself.

It is told in the second person narrative (the narrator could be Vampirina's mother, encouraging her little vampire), and it contains lessons one needs to learn in ballet, in between the adorable and twinkly splashes of art, that can apply to anything in life. "Always move with your head held high." No one is named in-story, and it isn't clear what gender Vampirina's baby sibling is. But who cares - everything in 'Vampirina Ballerina' is full of love and kindness. For a book abundant in darkness and Halloween monsters, it is so good-natured and wholesome. Anyone can read it.

Black and pink go so well together, as I always say.

My only real issue with the book is that, while there is a subtext of anti-prejudice and anti-racism, as thinly veiled as it is, everyone in it appears to be white, and not just pale like the vampires. Yet another failing in Fantastical Racism right there. But I appreciate that Vampirina doesn't have to change everything about herself in order to fulfil her dream: she still wears black, still shows off her fangs (plus her gossamer bat wings), and she only performs at night. No one is afraid of her for being a vampire at the end. She is perfect the way she is.

If only I'd been given half as much encouragement when I was her age.

What a confidence booster and life affirmer. I'll be ordering the other three books in this series right away. What a charming concept and execution. While I'd always hated ballet lessons as a child, and it all looks like too much hard work and physical torture to me, everything else about 'Vampirina Ballerina' appeals to me greatly.

Another cute Halloween read.

Final Score: 4.5/5