A Taste for Red

by Lewis Harris Narrated by Jaclyn Gaines

Overview

Do you prefer the taste of red foods?
Do you sleep under your bed?
Do you read people's thoughts?
Do you think you're a vampire?

Svetlana Grimm does. And it's making her transition to sixth grade at Sunny Hill Middle School even more difficult. Things get interesting, though, when Svetlana's beautiful science teacher, Ms. Larch, begins reading her thoughts. Could Ms. Larch be a vampire, too?

But the thrill of finding another of her kind quickly vanishes when strange "accidents" start happening. Svetlana is always the intended victim, and her teacher is always nearby. So if she and Ms. Larch aren't allies, then that means . . . Sunny Hill Middle School is about to become a very dangerous place for Svetlana Grimm.


From the Compact Disc edition.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Upon encountering sixth-grader Svetlana Grimm, it's easy to think of her as slightly delusional. She sleeps under her bed, eats only red foods, has a heightened sense of smell and believes she has psychic abilities. Naturally, she thinks she's a vampire, if not a predatory one (she prefers strawberries and red velvet cake). But Harris makes it clear that Svetlana, whose given name is Stephanie (“How could my parents have been so cruel?” she moans) isn't just a supernatural wannabe—she discovers she can communicate telepathically with her vampirish (perhaps literally) science teacher, Ms. Larch. Harris sets up deliciously sinister scenes between Svetlana and her teacher, whom Svetlana suspects is involved in the disappearance of three classmates. Reluctant heroine Svetlana has plenty of personality and wit (“I could handle a little ESP and a steady diet of watermelon, but I wasn't going to get into any kind of life and death struggle”), and although Harris leaves the door open for sequels, his fast-paced debut stands on its own. Ages 8–12. (June)

School Library Journal

Gr 4–6—Homeschooled Stephanie has just moved and must now attend sixth grade at public school because of her mother's job. She's not taking it well, insisting on wearing black, eating only red foods, sleeping under her bed, and being called Svetlana. Is she turning into a vampire or just going through a phase? Her glamorous science teacher, who talks to Svetlana telepathically, might know the answer, but Ms. Larch has a vile odor (that only Svetlana can detect) and an evil smile. When three popular girls go missing, only Svetlana suspects Ms. Larch. Unlike most vampire tales, this story leaves readers truly wondering what's affecting Svetlana until about halfway through when her kindhearted elderly neighbor, Lenora Bones, reveals the truth. Svetlana's unusual abilities mean she's part of the Circle of Red, a group dedicated to protecting the innocent from the "grotesque and aberrant." At this point, the plot's pace picks up and races to a dramatic climax as Svetlana determines to take on Ms. Larch and rescue the girls. Svetlana comes across as a strong character who separates herself from her peers by casually referencing Sun Tzu and lurking in a tree house dubbed "The Oak of Doom." Her first-person narrative is fast-paced and witty, and her mild scorn for everything she encounters at school will appeal to angst-ridden tweens. Sure to be a crowd-pleaser, this is a perfect choice for fans of Charles Ogden's "Edgar and Ellen" series (Tricycle).—Emily R. Brown, Providence Public Library, RI

Kirkus Reviews

There isn't much for blood-sucking fans between Bunnicula and Bella-can Svetlana (nee Stephanie) Grimm fill the gap? Formerly homeschooled Svetlana must contend with a new town, a new school and Ms Larch, the scary science teacher ("spectacular in her skintight black jumpsuit") who smells like rotting garbage. Svetlana disdains her peers (and spies on them) and knows she is a vampire because she can only abide red food and sleeps under her bed. Occasionally she practices mind control, too; in fact, Svetlana's talents indicate she belongs to The Circle of Red. The Circle (a collection of old ladies) has followed the Kensington vampire, aka Ms Larch, to Sunny Hill, and only Svetlana can stop her. Svetlana's arch, deadly serious voice and general inability to empathize make it hard to root for her. Uneven pacing, the strangely sexy descriptions of Ms Larch, secondary characters who lack depth and no back story-the delightful cover can't mask the flaws. Buffy for tweens, without the charm. (Fantasy. 10-12)

From the Publisher

The snarky, clever mix of mystery, horror, and goth-girl humor results in a novel that will easily cross genre lines to reach a wide variety of readers.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “[A] funny, pleasingly creepy debut. . . . With enough of a yuck- and suspense-quotient to appeal to boys and a smart, resourceful heroine whom girls can champion, this tale is just the ticket for readers not yet ready for Twilight.”—Shelf Awareness “Reluctant heroine Svetlana has plenty of personality and wit. . . and although Harris leaves the door open for sequels, his fast-paced debut stands on its own.”—Publishers Weekly “In the glut of novels about vampires and other supernatural beings, it’s refreshing to find such a slim, sharp tale. . . . With concision and wit, Harris has great fun with Svetlana’s wry narration, the dastardliness of Ms. Larch, and Svetlana’s efforts to convince two nerdy boys to help combat a great force of evil. A tasty read indeed.”—Booklist “[Svetlana’s] first-person narrative is fast-paced and witty, and her mild scorn for everything she encounters at school will appeal to angst-ridden tweens. Sure to be a crowd-pleaser.”—School Library Journal —

JANUARY 2010 - AudioFile

Tapping into the current fascination with vampires, Lewis Harris gives “tweens,” those experiencing the no-man's-land between childhood and young adulthood, a tale of one of their own discovering an unusual side of herself. Svetlana née Stephanie, deals with her family's move to California and her transition from home schooling to public middle school by getting in touch with her inner vampire. Narrator Jaclyn Gaines has the snarky delivery tweens employ so well as she portrays Svetlana's developing vampire traits—practicing mind control, eating only red foods, and sleeping under the bed. (Really, no self-respecting vampire would sleep in a coffin!) Gaines effectively inserts humor into Svetlana's adventures on the dark side. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172104916
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	06/23/2009
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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