This was an adorable middle grade story, and I recommend it to any MG teacher or teacher librarian. Garlic is a really sympathetic character that I think a lot of kids will relate to and see themselves in despite the resemblance to food.

Garlic and the Vampire is such a cute middle-grade graphic novel that touches on a number of topics kids may deal with. Garlic has anxiety, low confidence, and deals with bullying on a daily bases. When learning there is a vampire living nearby, she overcomes her anxiety and fear while investigating his home and learns not to judge others.

The artwork is beautiful and the characters are just so adorable. I highly recommend this wonderful, wholesome graphic novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this eARC.

Omg! Totally bummed I didn’t get to this earlier and had to wait to get a copy from the library, because it is fantastic! Garlic is the most adorable character that is very relatable to anyone and her friend Carrot is the best kind of friend to have. I’m so excited to see there is another Garlic story because this book was just not long enough. The artwork is lovely and the amount of text is minimal, but just the right amount to tell the story with all it’s fear and joy expressed fully.
Thank you NetGalley and I do apologize for such a late review!

Garlic and the Vampire is an absolutely adorable middle-grade graphic novel!

The artwork is gorgeous, and I love Garlic.

One thing I thought was funny was the veggies being afraid of the vampire before meeting him. Wouldn't they be a bit more fearful of humans that they know actually eat vegetables? (It's addressed, later on, I believe? But still humorous)

I already purchased it for my library, and it's a favorite with the kids! I'm looking forward to more in this series and by the author!

We will be ordering "Garlic and the Vampire" for the library to have in our collection! A fun read with lovely illustrations.

*Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was such a precious graphic novel with great illustrations! The main character, Garlic, is full of anxiety and is always doubting herself. When a vampire moves near her farm and village, all the other vegetables think Garlic is the perfect one to confront him.

This was a great book to show others not to judge someone based on fears and misunderstandings. Definitely a must read in upper elementary classroom libraries and for kiddos who enjoy fantasy/adventure stories!

Garlic lives among a community of enchanted vegetables who tend gardens alongside Witch Agnes. She is best friends with Carrot. Garlic is a very worry-prone person. When it becomes clear a vampire has moved into the nearby castle, she and her friends are concerned about the potential danger. Of course, one thing vampires can't stand is garlic, and so Garlic is encouraged to confront the vampire on the village's behalf.

What charmed me so much about this story is that it was the first time I read a book where a character was not loved solely in spite of her anxiety but also for it. I love that we see how anxiety makes Garlic more empathetic and also a high achiever. Her motivation for confronting the vampire is based on extreme worry for others as well as a need to prove herself to Carrot, who believes in her. We have such a silly, whimsical story that does a great job showing anxiety beyond the surface level and the traits and values it can instill in a person in only a few chapters.

Additionally, as a person with anxiety, I do prefer "gentler" books on the topic, and this was definitely a gentle book. I hate when I read a book about anxiety that tips me into a state of nervousness myself. This book was not remotely triggering for me and while I think any form of representation coming from an author who also experiences symptoms of anxiety is valid and to be celebrated, this particular format really works for me.

And that's not even all the fantastic stuff about this book. When Garlic does meet the titular vampire, there's a great lesson about stereotypes, internal biases, and judging a person before you meet them, too.

So if you couldn't tell, I'm passionate in my love for this book. Garlic and the Vampire was a solid 5 star read for me. Though I got my hands on an eARC, I was happy to add a physical copy to my collection. I have a feeling Garlic will remain a favorite book of mine forever.

A cute, clean story of overcoming being bullied and not being confident, as well as the value of friendship and having the support of others. Garlic is always doubting herself, unsure that whatever she is doing is right, and afraid of taking chances and putting herself out there. She's perfectly happy in her own garden, where it's safe and familiar. But when a vampire moves into the neighborhood, all the other vegetable-folk think Garlic is the perfect choice to confront him. Will she overcome her fears and insecurities to help her neighbors, or will she let them down and stay where it's safe?

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an Advanced readers copy. I am someone who sees vampire in the title and am just immediately need to read it. This was true of this adorable middle grade graphic novel. Garlic is just what you expect an anthropomorphic garlic that gardens garlic for the local witch. She is also painfully shy. When the abandon castle suddenly has smoke coming out of it. Garlic is tasked to scare away the unwanted guest. She has to face her fears and face the vampire.
This was a very cute graphic novel. Garlic was such a sweet character and I instantly feel in love with her after she was late to the farmers market. The vampire was also a really great character. The artwork in the book is quite unique and definitely gave the book a more vintaged feel. This is a great book about conquering fears and not judging someone just because of what they are. This will definitely be recommended in my library.

I loved this book! When you suspend belief and get over the weirdness of vegetables selling... vegetables... it becomes a very charming read. Recommended to kids who like graphic novels with a little bit of fantasy and adventure :)

Garlic always feels that she is not doing anything right but loves her friends and family. When a vampire moves near her farm and village, she goes on a quest to save her family Along the way she learns what it means to be a friend and to never judge someone based on fears and misunderstandings.

I thought this book was a really great and funny book for middle grade readers. I will be purchasing it for my library.

I really liked this graphic novel. The art was stunning, the story was phenomenal. I would love to get this to add to my shelf in the front office for students to borrow.

So cute but so so short. Like it should have been a webcomic instead of a book because I can't imagine people paying for this. I loved the relationship between Garlic and Carrot, the costumes, and the overall concept. Maybe if there had been dialogue in the final montage instead of just a bunch of images. And there was no character growth or conclusion with Celery.

Garlic is just one of many vegetable that were given sentient life to help the witch run her garden. All of them are a bit anxious, and Garlic is constantly running late. She has a tendency to bump Celery or their table, and while it is an accident it does not endear Garlic to Celery. One day while in the garden the veggies see smoke coming from the castle in the distance, and they all worry that vampires have come to their town and will destroy everyone. Celery pushes for Garlic to be the one to confront the vampire. After all, she would be the “safest”. Unlike Celery, Garlic is willing to take on the challenge. They are scared, and worried, but they will do anything to make sure everyone else stays safe. I absolutely loved this book. It was so much fun. It has the perfect lessons about judging people by their appearance, or by the history of their ancestors. Great read and great illustrations. I want more please.

A fun and imaginative read that kids will devour. This feels, looks and reads like a unique graphic novel.

This was so good. The illustrations were adorable and the story warmed my heart. I will definitely be looking out for more by Paulsen.

Very cute graphic novel with an interesting premise! I loved Garlic and the vampire character the most. Looking forward to continuing this series!

This is such a cute graphic novel! I loved all the vegetable helpers that Witch Agnes has - Carrots, Garlic, Potato, Tomato, Pumpkin, Celery, and all the others. They all have distinct personalities and quirks. The artwork was gorgeous and the story was a cute, fast read. Overall, this is a very cute graphic novel that deals with being brave, even when you are small. I think it's a really great way to talk about braveness with kids of all ages.

Normally, I am creeped out by anthropomorphized animals and even more so by anthropomorphized vegetables of all things, but somehow this graphic novel makes them cute. It's a basic story about bravery and not judging a book by it's cover, but it will definitely appeal to middle-grade readers due to the adorable art style and loveable characters.