from: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5944
EAN num: 9780689857690
ISBN number: 0689857691
Label: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 40
Printing Date: September 01, 2003
Publishing house: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Age index: Ages 9-12
Sale Popularity Level: 849159
Studio: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Jeffrey the jerk is a bully and everyone knows it.
Little Vampire isn't about to stand around and watch him pick on his best friend, Michael.
There's only one thing to do:
Travel to the highest mountain and seek kung fu lessons from the master...
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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Little Vampire Does Kung Fu is a sequel to the fantastic Little Vampire Goes to School, and it continues the story of Little Vampire and his friend, Michael. Here, Michael's having some trouble with some kids at school, who are beating him up. Little Vampire takes him to see a rabbi who lives in a painting in his house, who also happens to be a kung fu master. On the rabbi's instruction, Michael braves a multitude of attacking monkeys and a steep climb to a hill-top temple to ultimately fight a Siamese dragon. Now he himself is skilled at kung fu, and he looks forward to standing up for himself against the main bully at school. But there is a small problem: the monsters in Little Vampire's entourage ate the bully. A bit of grim madness ensues as Michael and Little Vampire talk the monster into regurgitating him and then sew him back together, with the goal of resurrecting him. This goes not very well until some magicians are called in, when things get really interesting. Fortunately, the Captain of the Dead gets involved to fix everything.
I have to say that the book is not as good as Little Vampire Goes to School, but is still very enjoyable. We see mostly the same hilarious characters from the very first book, and there are more life lessons--in this case, especially about the use of violence to resolve problems. Again, goofiness reigns supreme, with absurd situations proposed and resolved in amusing ways. The art is colorful and handles the sometimes grim subject matter without glorifying or minimizing violence. As with the very first Little Vampire book, I would recommend having a look at the book before buying it for a child in your life, as the topics might be a bit morbid for your preference.
Rated by buyers -
"Little Vampire Does Kung Fu!" ("Petit Vampire fait du Kung-Fu!") begins not with the Little Vampire but his young human friend, Michael, who tells his grandfather how he was picked on, de-pants, and beaten up by the kids at school. Michael's Grandpa tells him he did the right thing by not fighting, but the young boy is not sure. He was humiliated and is so angry that he wants to kill his tormentors. When Michael tells his story again at the Little Vampire's dog Phantomat has a few brutal suggestions as to what should be done to Michael's chief tormentor, Jeffrey. But Little Vampire has a different solution and takes Michael to see Rabbi Solomon, the Kung fu master, who lives in a painting in Little Vampire's house.
You see, in haunted houses you can go in paintings, so they visit Rabbi Solomon who very first suggests building a golem to protect Michael. But teaching Kung fu to Michael is the best plan, only the book is lost and Michael has to go and get it. Unfortunately, to get the book he must defeat a Siamese dragon call Lumpini with a nunchaku, which is rather difficult to do if you do not know any martial arts.
Now, at this point you might think you know what is happening in this story, but Joann Sfar likes to toss in a few twists and turns and in this case being a Kung fu master will not allow you to defend yourself from the attack of a bully if all of your monster friends have already eaten the kid. Since Albert Einstein and his science cannot be any help, they need a magician. Fast. So the Captain of the Dead sends them to the Felicity Tree and if you think you have any clue as to how this one is going to end you are going to be surprised.
After reading "Little Vampire Goes to School" I really did think that there was no way the subsequent book in the series could be as great, and "Little Vampire Does Kung Fun!" is indeed not as great as the very first one, but that does not mean it is not a very first rate tale. The story is certainly as complex and Sfar's imagination is even more impressive this time around. But the story really is "Michael Does Kung Fu," and while the Little Vampire along with his family and friends are certainly involved they are really supporting characters (although the support offered by Marguerite, Claude, and Ophtamol is certainly more than most friends will do for you when confronted by a bully).
As for the lesson being taught here, I am not so sure that there really is a moral to the story as much as I think there is an attendant irony. Michael expresses the anger and frustration many of us felt when being tormented by bullies who added insult to injury by not only beating us up but by being stupid as well. This book, translated by Mark and Alexis Siegel, is intended for young readers ages 10 and up, but it is one of those delightful books that is really too good for kids because they are not going to get all of the humor.
So we need for Simon & Schuster to get the rest of the Little Vampire books translated toute-suite. Next is "Petit vampire et la société protectrice des chiens," and then "Petit vampire et la maison qui avait l'air normale," followed by "Petit vampire et la maison qui avait l'air normale" and "Petit Vampire et les Pères Noël verts." Then we can move on to the very first volume of the Grand Vampire series, "Cupidon s'en fout." I can hardly wait.
Rated by buyers 
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Ultimately, I think this book attempts to show the futility of fighting in order to resolve disagreements. But it uses rather violent images and notions to deliver this message including: revenge killing, cannibalism, religious mysticism, etc. This book could serve to desensitize young readers to the pain and suffering of others, in the same way that violent video games and the gratuitous violence in the news and entertainment media are apt to do.
Rated by buyers -
Now here's a rare treat... A clever, zany romp in the continuing adventures of Little Vampire. It's an unpredictable, rambling adventure, brimming with inventiveness and full of heart -- and it's a comic book. Kids 6 and up will find lots to delight in, but it's aimed at the 10 and up, who will revel in the wit and exuberant artwork. I'd bet the books in the Little Vampire series become classics in no time. Definitely nothing else like these.
Be sure and get the very first book LITTLE VAMPIRE GOES TO SCHOOL if your young reader doesn't have it already. One of the few books he or she will rank higher than most video games.
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