"Vampire State Building" tells of Sam, an aspiring younc chess player, and Vlad, his Romanian buddy who he plays on-line chess with. When a chance to meet in person arises through an international chess tournament in NYC, Vlad becomes nervous over cultural differences. Afraid that people will think he's a vampire, Vlad struggles to reveal to Sam that he is a distant relative to the real-life Dracula. Elizabeth Levy provides a playful interpretation of how stereotypes can compromise emotional safety, and how someone's looks and relatives doesn't equate to who they really are inside. ( )

Annotation:
Sam meets Vlad on the computer while surfing for a chess partner. Vlad is of similar age and he too is a beginner in the game, or so he says. Sam’s small brother, Robert and his cousin Mabel, suspect that Vlad is a vampire since he lives in Romania. Sam learns of Vlad true skill in chess when he enters a chess tournament to be held in New York City where Sam lives. After meeting in person, the vampire suspicions are proved untrue and a new respect for his friend’s Vlad chess talent is gained.

My Review
Sam’s interest in chess has gained him a friend on the internet, Vlad from Romania. Sam’s younger brother and cousin suspect Vlad is a vampire since he lives in Romania. Vlad comes to America with his family to compete in a world chess tournament and Vlad true skill in chess is revealed. Same feels betrayed by his friend who posed as another beginner. Vlad want to tell him the truth, but is reluctant to take a chance on losing a good friend. Vlad has another secret to reveal to his friend, but his family history is not revealed until the end. This is a good story and short read. This publication is one book in a series about Frankenstein and Dracula. Boys and girls with an interest in chess would certainly be interested in a kid’s book about this challenging game.

Other Reviews
Booklist Review: Gr. 3-6. This review gives a good summary of the story. It also speaks of the other publications in the series. These are gentle stories as noted by the reviewer, “Levy's light touch works well here.” It also refers to the mystery storyline, “Along with the slightly mysterious goings-on, readers will enjoy getting a tour of New York City as kids and adults revel in showing their town to the visitors”. This review is informative and game me the information that it was a “gentle” story.

School Library Journal Review: Gr 2-4. This review speaks to the scary content of the story, “The eerily funny dust jacket and gray-toned illustrations add to the fun. With a quiet message about trust and friendship, this chapter book has just the right combination of chuckles and chills for young readers looking for "a scary one."??? I don’t know if I agree that this selection is “scary” but it is a fun and gentle read. The review gives more of a flavor of the mystery behind the story than the Booklist Review.
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