Rules for Vampires

Luminous gray–skinned Lady Eleonore von Motteberg, or Leo, as she prefers, has reached a young vampire’s rite of passage: at 111 years old, she’s ready to hunt and eat her first human. After an accident left Leo without a right leg, her confidence never quite recovered, but her distant, perfect mother and querulous older sister expect her to complete her Hunt of the Waxing Moon on the first try. Her father is frequently absorbed in experiments, and her butler-knight, Marged, has high expectations for her charge. When Leo’s first hunt doesn’t go as planned, she is left with a significant problem: there are now two cued-white ghosts loose in the town of Otto’s End. Minna has unfinished business with the other, the Orphanmaster, and she expects Leo’s help. As the duo races against the clock to defeat the Orphanmaster before he grows too powerful, they begin an unlikely friendship as they learn more about their own strengths. Young readers will find the protagonists’ exploration of friendship, consequences, and the world resonant. With light humor and paranormal charm, Foulkes’s voice shines in this spooky debut. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)