Published: 2022
Author: Stacy McAnulty
Illustrator: Shawna J.C. Tenney
Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Science, Vampires, Halloween, STEM, Humor
Audience (Grade Levels): Elementary; Grades K-5
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Blood! Not Just a Vampire Drink
Triggers: Mention of blood, scrapes/minor injuries, needles/blood donation concepts
Review By: Molly Clark
Publisher’s Summary:
This funny and fact-filled picture book is all about blood: where it’s found, what it does, how it travels, and why vampires shouldn’t drink it. From the four chambers of the heart to the platelets that clot your blood when you scrape your knee, everything you want to know about the cardiovascular system is right inside these pages. Just watch out for thirsty vampires.
Review:
This amusing and informative book is set in the “I Don’t Want to Suck Your Blood Smoothie Shop” where the young proprietor promotes a vegan lifestyle. A more senior vampire enters the shop and orders up “A pint of your best blood, type O-positive”, which begins a lesson on the cardiovascular system and the importance of blood to the human body. I’m not generally a fan of cartoon illustrations in nonfiction, but in this case, the illustrator was able to make a complex system understandable and appealing at the same time. By the end of the book readers will be able to describe how blood is made and how it moves through the body. When the older vampire concedes that red blood cells are too important and orders white blood cells, then platelets, then plasma instead, we learn about the important jobs these ingredients of blood perform. Along the way we also learn that some animals have blue, green, and even transparent blood! The author also describes blood donation – how it works and why healthy adults should consider making it a regular habit. I see this book as an excellent instructional tool to introduce the cardiovascular system, but even better, the cover, illustrations, and writing style will appeal to readers who are just looking for a fun book to read.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Science / STEM (The Cardiovascular System & Biology): This narrative nonfiction picture book acts as a brilliant instructional tool for elementary science frameworks. Teachers can use the humorous dialogue between the vampires to explicitly teach how blood is made, how it moves through the four chambers of the heart, and the specific functions of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
- English Language Arts / Creative Nonfiction (Voice & Humorous Personification): The text provides a wonderful model for primary students learning to write creative or narrative nonfiction. Educators can analyze how McAnulty balances dense biological facts with an engaging, funny storyline and vibrant character voices to make technical information approachable.
- Health / Community Service (Blood Donation & Healthcare awareness): Because the author highlights the biological mechanics of blood types (like O-positive) and the actual process of blood donation, this book connects seamlessly with health education and civic responsibility modules, detailing why the habit of donating blood is critical for healthcare networks.
- “Vampire’s Menu” Nutrient Breakdown: Drawing on the reviewer’s enjoyment of the older vampire trying to order specific parts of blood (platelets, white blood cells, plasma), host a library media center activity. Students can work in pairs to design a giant menu for the “I Don’t Want to Suck Your Blood Smoothie Shop,” illustrating and defining the distinct anatomical jobs of each blood component.
- “Animal Blue & Green” Scientific Fact-Finding: Capitalizing on the reviewer’s surprise that some animals have blue, green, or transparent blood, create an elementary research extension. Have students choose an animal mentioned in the book, research why its blood chemistry differs from humans, and present their findings through an illustrated mini-comic strip.
Readalikes:
- Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty
- The Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks
- Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
