Bunnicula

"The enclosed story is true.  It happened in this very town, to me and the family with whom I reside.  I have changed the names of the family in order to protect them, but in all other respects, everything you will read here is factual."

"It's...
Yes?
It's...
What is it, Chester?!
It's a white zucchini!"

Harold, the dog, narrates this hilarious story about the antics of Chester, the cat, when the family introduces Bunnicula as their new house mate.  When the Monroe family brings home a bunny from a vampire movie Chester becomes convinced that it's actually a vampire.  Harold's description of his attempts to save the family and subdue the vampire will keep you laughing and wondering what you would do if these strange things happened at your house.

This book uses the tame threat of a bunny vampire to create a fun to follow mystery without treading too far into 'scary' territory.

Why I Love It

I absolutely adore the characters Harold and Chester!  Anyone who has a pet of their own will be able to see hints of their furry friends in this duo.

You Should Know

Though the Lexile level of this book isn't very high, it uses a lot of formal and old fashioned language.  These words are often defined well in context, which just means that the sentence around the word will tell you a lot about what that word means.  Take the time as you read with your child to see if you can figure out some of the new words by using the story around them.  For instance: "My tranquil evening had been destroyed and no one had even said hello to me."  We know from the context of the story that Harold was enjoying a quiet evening at home when the family comes in loud and busy.  If he was having a tranquil evening before that then we might guess that tranquil means something like quiet, lazy, or calm.  Grab a dictionary and look up the word to see how close your guess is!

There is also a lot of word play in this story, specifically a section about the homophones 'steak' and 'stake'.  Chester reads that you can kill a vampire by putting a stake through it's heart and ends up making a mess of the family's steak dinner instead.  Take time to laugh and reread this part to make sure children get the joke.

There are sequels to this novice which include The Celery Stalks at Midnight and Howliday Inn but I have not read them... yet.

Talking Points

• When they first bring Bunnicula home Harold remembers how the Monroes give names to their pets.  How did Harold and Chester get their names?  Do you know how your parents chose your name?
• What does Bunnicula do that makes Chester think he is a vampire?
• Do you think Bunnicula is really a vegetable vampire?  What evidence from the book makes you think that?  Why do you think the author never really says if he is or isn't a vampire bunny?
• In this story the pets in the house are talked to as if they were members of the family.  Does that seem strange to you?  Do you have any pets at your house?  How are they treated?  How would they react to a bunny vampire?
• Harold says his favorite people food is chocolate cupcakes.  Are all people foods safe for pets? Is chocolate safe for dogs? How can you know what is safe?
• Why do you think the author made Chester and Harold able to speak while Bunnicula can't?
• What might this story sound like from a different character's point of view?  Can you tell the story as if you were Toby or Chester or Bunnicula?
• Have you ever had an enemy that you were able to make friends with like Chester and Bunnicula learned to get along?