Vampire Baby by Kelly Bennett (review)

Tootie is no ordinary baby: she's got a widow's peak on her forehead, she prefers to sleep all day and stay awake all night, and when her first two teeth pop, "they were not teensy-weensy, itsy-bitsy baby teeth . . . they were long, sharp, pointed FANGS." Most importantly, she keeps sinking those fangs into everything—especially her older brother. Convinced that Tootie is a vampire, the older brother attempts to convince his parents, until an outing where he secretly tries to give Tootie away (sticking a sign on her stroller at the store) results in an incident that arouses his brotherly protectiveness. Kids may not catch the clues that the "vampire" family who approaches Tootie in the store are actually in costume, but they'll recognize the shift from annoyance to ownership, familiar from titles such as Young's Don't Eat the Baby (BCCB 7/13) and from life experience. Meisel's mixed-media illustrations are predominately line and watercolor, with acrylics providing extra oomph and touches of collage and hatchwork detailing adding texture to the compositions. Vampire or not, this baby's got bite, and the ultimate message about sibling love carries the day in this comic treatment of a common phase.