Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 13))
Proving that you can't have your blood and drink it too, this shallow vampire tale waffles between vamp/camp and purported somberness. Eighth-grader Vladimir has a secret: He is (he thinks) the only living vampire. Pandering Aunt Nelly, a nurse, goes to "great lengths to sneak blood from the hospital" for Vlad's vital nutrition. His parents were mysteriously murdered, and now his teacher's missing. The odd substitute suspiciously demands research on vampires. Who's stalking Vlad, and why? It's unclear which hints are real clues and which are sloppy narration. Cheesily referential names (town of Bathory; classmate Edgar Poe) and gleeful gross-outs (cookies dunked in blood) undermine the supposed gravity of Vlad's situation and lineage. Brewer evades the problematic nature of blood-sucking, hiding behind quips like Vlad's refusal to kill because "just think of the looks he might get at the next block party if he got caught. This one just tries too hard. 2007, Dutton, 288p, $16.99. Category: Fantasy. Ages 10 to 12. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Debra Mitts-Smith (KLIATT Review, July 2007 (Vol. 41, No. 4))
As if contending with bullies, impossible crushes, and math problems weren’t enough, Vladimir Tod harbors a secret known only to his best friend Henry and his guardian, Aunt Nelly: Vlad is half vampire. Even in this regard Vlad is unique. Most vampires are made when a vampire shares its blood with a human, but Vlad was born a vampire. His father Tomas Tod had planned on feeding on a young woman; instead, he fell in love with her. Worse yet, he broke the code of the vampires that banned them from revealing their secrets to humans. Fleeing the vampiric council, Tomas and his bride Mellina found sanctuary in a Bathory, a small town. But hiding from his brethren was difficult. In Potter-esque fashion, Tomas and Mellina died in a mysterious fire. Three years later, the sins of the father begin to haunt Vlad’s life. First one of his teachers disappears, only to be replaced by a teacher with an interest in mythological and supernatural beings. Then others begin to disappear. Vlad faces “normal” junior high occurrences as well as mysterious deaths, meals of blood bags and rare meat, and books written in unknown symbols. Scaffolding folkloric beliefs onto 8th-grade reality, author Sarah Brewer constructs a plausible world. There are some bloody moments, but Vlad and Henry’s humorous sparring outweighs the violence. For novices to horror fiction, Brewer’s book contains just enough lore, tension, and gore to provide a good introduction to the genre. At the same time, her likeable characters, unique plot line, and promise of more books to come will also appeal to fans of the genre. Readers will be looking forward to following Vlad in the 9th grade. (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod) Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students. 2007, Penguin, Dutton, 184p., $16.99. Ages 12 to 15.

Gwenn Davis (Kutztown Book Review, Spring 2008)
Vlad Tod is half vampire. He manages to keep this hidden from everyone except his best friend and his “Aunt” who has taken care of him and provided for his needs since his parent’s mysterious death. Vlad is living a “normal” life until a favorite teacher disappears and strangers start looking for him and asking questions. This book has everything: an unpopular thirteen year old vampire with a sense of humor and a kind heart, mean substitute teachers who just don’t understand, and teenage vampire boy and girl dating angst. There is enough suspense and mystery to keep students turning the pages and asking for the sequel. (The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod, Book 1) Category: Fiction. 2007, Dutton Children’s Books, $16.99. Ages 10 to 18.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
As if eighth grade doesn't suck enough, orphaned half-vampire Vlad is targeted by the vampire community leaders who may have murdered his parents. Much of the humor (drawn from the juxtaposition of daily life and vampire lore) falls flat, and Vlad's moral dilemmas are both dumbed down and dubiously resolved. Passing mention of a prophecy sets the stage for sequels. (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series). Category: Older Fiction. 2007, Dutton, 182pp, 16.99. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 5: Marginal, seriously flawed, but with some redeeming quality.

Sherrie Williams (VOYA, October 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 4))
Eighth grade is difficult enough for Vladimir Tod-he must deal with bullies, few friends, and an unrequited crush. Add to this equation that he is the orphaned son of a vampire father and human mother, and the degree of difficulty goes through the roof. A favorite teacher disappears mysteriously, prompting the arrival of a creepy substitute, Otis Otis. Vlad begins to fear that Mr. Otis knows his secret and is seeking to expose him to the whole school. After a series of terrifying encounters, Vlad discovers that there are other vampires nearby, seeking revenge against his late father for wedding a human and breaking the vampire code. After weathering several apparent changes in allegiance by Mr. Otis, Vlad must finally face the vengeful vampires that seek to end his life and the legacy of his father. This first novel in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series is an exceptional current-day vampire story. The mix of typical teen angst and dealing with growing vampiric urges make for a fast-moving, engaging story. This book will appeal to readers who have consumed Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series as well as to fans of Stephenie Meyer's books. The cover simply oozes YA appeal, featuring Vlad in a black hoodie emblazoned with a bright red, fanged smiley face. This book is highly recommended for libraries serving middle school through high school age patrons, where it is sure to find a very enthusiastic audience among fans of vampire fiction. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2007, Dutton, 288p., $16.99. Ages 11 to 18.