Very weird, and not in a great way. I like Casey Lyall's previous picture book, A Spoonful of Frogs, but this one did not leave much of an impression.

Cute picture book with illustrations that really fit the story. We learn about the horrific Vampire Jam Sandwich and what to do to keep it at bay. It felt like there was something missing in the story, but overall a picture book where the illustrations fit the story well and give us some horror for younger kids!

This book is a silly and unique idea on the vampire concept. The last time I read a unique vampire retelling was bunnicula.
This story keeps it just enough creepy to keep you on your toes. The art work fits perfectly with the them.
Very kid friendly but with a bit of a spooky twist. Perfect book to “Jam” out to for Halloween.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this advance reader copy!

Vampire Jam Sandwich is an illustrated children’s book were we learn that Terrance the vampire has taken a bite out of a jelly sandwich and now the sandwich wants more jam. The illustrations are adorable! I love the color scheme throughout the book and the character design is just as cute. I love the story and how easy it is to follow for younger readers, and the touch of spooky is so fun!

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley, for this ARC of Vampire Jam Sandwich written by Casey Lyall and illustrated by Nici Gregory. OMG! When I logged onto NetGalley and saw that Casey Lyall had written a new cute, creepy book for children, I knew I had to get my hands on it!! If you have not already read Casey Lyall's other book, A Spoonful of Frogs, you must read it! It is one of my favorite Halloween books to read to my students during October!

This book has such a thought-out concept that it is hilarious and intriguing. It feels similar to the story Creepy Carrots and the others in that series, which I am a huge fan of as well. I mean, a Vampire Jam Sandwich is just pure genius! I love how a young boy and his pet cat tell the story of this Jam Sandwich and how to protect your jam from this monster. But a fun twist of events happens within this story that I do not want to spoil! I wanted to add that I absolutely loved the illustrations that went along with this story; the shading and lighting in this book help direct your eye to focus on different parts of the page, which I think makes the book more spooky and really captures the reader's interest.

Side note: The book also reminded me of The Boxtrolls film, which gives off the same creepy, magical, mischievous vibes from the characters in this story! I loveeee that!

The story is told as if you were sitting around a campfire sharing ghost stories. This could be a fun and lighthearted way to share somewhat scary stories (for kids) with your students or your own children without scaring them. I think this could lead to some fun conversations regarding items that students may have never thought about being creepy until now. Or even creating a lesson or activity with the question, "If you created a scary story for kids, what would it be about? Remember that a children's scary story is not to scare them but maybe give them goosebumps." Or "If you were to have a monster in your home, what item would it be? What would be its monster power or ability?" I think these prompts could be a fun way to get students involved in the spirit of Halloween and have a fun display with illustrations made by the students with their stories below!

Clearly, my mind is running with ideas from this book! I loved it and look forward to reading it with my students. I think my students across many grade levels will adore this story! I believe this could be the next big children's book!

This review is based on an ARC.

This was a cute story. I love vampires so this twist on both the classic vampire tropes and peanut butter and jelly was divine. It is a fun story to read around the holiday season and beyond. My son and I enjoyed reading it together a few times.

I received an ARC from NetGalley…

This is a very simple books. The graphics are cool and fun to look at. The story needs just a bit more for me but gets the job done for what it is.

I definitely recommend it for kids that like vampires but don’t suggest it for kids who love peanut butter and jam sandwiches. (Depending on their age, it may change their mind.)

Vampire Jam Sandwich by Casey Lyall is a cute and clever book with fun illustrations by Nici Gregory. Kids who like a little bit of spookiness and a whole lot of humor in their stories will be sure to love this tale of an older boy telling a younger girl about a vampire who sucks all the jam out of sandwiches. Nici Gregory used a limited palette to great effect here. Text and illustrations work well together, creating a slightly scary atmosphere for a laugh out loud story, perfect for Halloween or any time of the year.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this one on title alone! The illustrations are neat - mostly sepia tones with bright reds (for the jam!). The legend goes that one night, a vampire snuck into a kitchen and ate a jam sandwich…he probably thought the jam was something else, but that one bite from a vampire created a VAMPIRE jam sandwich! And it stalks the night, looking for more jam to eat. This is super cute, and it of course has a little twist at the end that older kiddos will appreciate. Not great for storytime, but might be fun for a Halloween school visit.

5 stars

Few things bring this reader more joy than a charming picture book, but a picture book with a dash of horror?! Well. That may just be unbeatable.

Readers learn an important and moderately horrifying historical tale of a jam sandwich that is minding its own business when a young vampire mistakes that vibrant strawberry jam for a different substance and takes a bite. We all know what happens to those who survive a vampire bite...

This is an extremely charming book with a riveting story, adorable while sinister images, and age-appropriate horror, which I hadn't even considered an option prior to this experience.

Having taught children's literature at the college level for a couple of decades, I'm pretty accustomed to picture books with MESSAGES, and while this one does not necessarily deliver in the same way as many of its contemporary counterparts in this respect, it does come through with many high notes.

This was a blast to read, and I can't wait to recommend it to students (and buy a copy for in-class entertainment).

This book is Fangtastic‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

I love the illustrations being detailed with a little creep factor. The characters (narrator) was whimsical with a dash of suspense, and the storyline was to bite for. I also loved the idea of introducing young children to not scary spooky stories to Amp their interest in reading. I absolutely recommend this book to all ages, including the young at heart or vampire lovers.

Whats a vampire to do if he wants strawberry jam? Well find out now! This was such a charming and sweet story about a vampire who craves strawberry jam and his advice for anyone who wants to avoid the vampire jam sandwich that is going to steal all your jam! Its a cute read and the art was adorable.

Release Date: June 24,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada | Tundra Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

If you love silly/goofy picture books about vampires then this book is perfect for you! Vampire Jam Sandwich is perfect for reading to little ones and I can’t wait to order it for work so I can read it for story-time!
If you’re a surprise/guest reader for an elementary school, a children’s librarian, or even just the parent/guardian of a kid and are reading a bedtime story this is going to be perfect for you.

Once upon a time a vampire took a bite of a jam sandwich . . . and a legend was born. Now the vampire jam sandwich roams the streets, looking for MORE JAM. Will yours be next?

I absolutely loved this book, a great story for Halloween, without being too scary. The kids in my classroom are going to love this book and I can already see how I can integrate making a jam sandwich (instruction) and keeping it away from the Vampire Jam Sandwich (or is it?.....)

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC copy

can’t wait to add this to our library’s shelves! this will be a huge hit with my students, a perfect mix of clever and creepy!

If your kids are fans of the delightfully eerie world of Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, then they’re in for a fang-tastic treat with Vampire Jam Sandwich. As a parent of a six-year-old girl who adores all things spooky, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have stumbled upon this gem.

In a market often devoid of children’s books with just the right amount of spooky charm, Vampire Jam Sandwich fills that void beautifully. It strikes the perfect balance between spooky and playful, making it an ideal choice for kids who enjoy a hint of the macabre without veering into nightmare territory.

This story is highly creative. The illustrations are wonderful. It is difficult to find age appropriate "scary" stories for the children in our library and I think this will work for them. I will definitely be recommending this to our purchaser.

OMG, this book was so cute! The story focuses on a vampire who got spooked after one bite of a jam sandwich... which created a Vampire Jam Sandwich. The illustrations were hilarious, and I would have loved the mildly creepy vibes as kid. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with kiddos in the picture book age range or anyone who just wants a fun vampiric sandwich read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Casey Lyall, and Penguin Random House Canada for the chance to review!

I thought this was a really sweet introduction for smaller children into the massive world of vampire mythology. The basic story is a vampire transfers ‘the curse’ to a jam sandwich, so now the jam sandwich must spend an endless lifetime looking for jam?
My 7 year old enjoyed this, a cute pre spooky story.

This story was so cute! As a teacher, I think that this book is a perfect quick read aloud for elementary students up to about 4th grade. The illustrations are "dark" but really cute. It is an adorable, original idea and while the top is vampires, this story could be read at any time in the year.