Legends of Dracula (Biography (A & E))

Grade 6-9-By the end of the first chapter, readers will be longing to have A & E's host Peter Graves take over, for Streissguth's text gives a mediocre account of a fascinating subject. Part I is decent; it gives a fair overview of the Balkan peninsula during the reign of Vlad Dracula, the historical basis for the modern legend. The text falls short soon after that. Part II describes various vampire legends, including Bram Stoker's novel. The short chapters offer only the barest hint of information. Part III, "Dracula on Stage and Screen," is by far the weakest section, giving too much attention to Bela Lugosi and not enough to actual films portraying this legend. The filmography and the photos and illustrations are poor in quality. The pronunciation guide includes limited entries and odd inclusions such as "shish kebab." The text is dry, and the accompanying illustrations only serve to match that tone. This title may come in handy for reports by students who don't care about the topic, but true vampire enthusiasts will undoubtedly seek out a more stimulating text.
Elaine Baran, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
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