Dracula Madness (A Sam & Friends Mystery) - Hardcover

Mary Labatt is an editor and writer. She is the author of the Dog Detective Sam mystery series, the Sam and Friends graphic mystery novels, the Puppy Sam level one early readers and a novel called A Puppy is for Loving. With all these dog books you can guess what Mary does on her Clear Creek, Ontario farm. She breeds and raises Rough Collies and Welsh Springer Spaniels. In the picture you can see Mary with two of her collie mothers, Annabel and Chloe.

Grade 3–5—This entertaining story, based on Labatt's Spying on Dracula (Kids Can, 1999), blends mystery with gentle spookiness to create a satisfying whole. Samantha is a charmingly self-centered sheepdog who fancies herself a detective. After moving to the small town of Woodford with her owners, she quickly bonds with Jennie, the 10-year-old next door, who has the unique ability to hear Sam's thoughts. When Jennie and her friend Beth take Sam to the scariest house in town, inhabited by the reclusive McIver, the trio begins to investigate the man's odd behavior. It isn't long before his actions, and Beth's imagination, lead them to believe that he's Dracula. As is often the case with childhood fears, the facts are not as mysterious, or as spooky, as they appear. The black-and-white artwork is anime-inspired. While not remarkable, the crisp, effective illustrations pair nicely with the well-paced writing, giving the story a smooth flow. The presence of three intelligent, brave female characters will make this title appealing to girls.—Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI
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