CanLit for LittleCanadians: Vampire Jam Sandwich

Written by Casey Lyall

Illustrated by Nici Gregory

Tundra Books

978-1-774883464

48 pp.

Ages 3-7

July 2025 

You know what happens when a vampire takes a bite of a human, right? But what happens when it takes a bite of a delicious strawberry jam sandwich?

From Vampire Jam Sandwich, written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Nici Gregory

A tale so fearsome that when

 they hear it, folks run to tighten

 the lid of every jam jar . . . 

This
might be a legend or just a scary story but don’t let that keep you
away or worry that it will keep you up at night. It’s the story of a jam sandwich, a vampire that
may or may not be called Terrence, and a little girl who wants to
protect all the jars of strawberry jam. 

Our “legend” begins in the middle of the night when a “vampire” whose scare-factor is all the greater because of the flashlight shining beneath his face (or is it?) makes his way to a kitchen. He takes a bite of a sandwich, perhaps anticipating a different red filling, and is delighted with the taste of the strawberry jam on very tasty bread. But when he is surprised by a little girl in her nightgown, he takes off, leaving a jam sandwich that has been turned into a vampire jam sandwich. And that vampire jam sandwich is craving more, more, more jam! That little girl heeds the advice of the narrator to keep the remaining jars of strawberry jam safe, but will her actions actually do so?

From Vampire Jam Sandwich, written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Nici Gregory

Readers will know from the book cover that Vampire Jam Sandwich is not a scary story. Casey Lyall’s
humour is subtle but it’s there and children will laugh to think that a
sandwich would crave strawberry jam and pursue it relentlessly. 

From Vampire Jam Sandwich, written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Nici Gregory

But it’s the way that Casey Lyall presents the story that pulls the reader in. It’s like the classic tale of moving from a dark, dark forest indoors to yet another dark, dark space. Her words may try to convey some scary elements like a vampire but in the context of strawberry jam sandwiches and a narrator who plays with both the reader and the little girl in a mischievous way, Casey Lyall never strays from a tale of humour. 

From Vampire Jam Sandwich, written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Nici Gregory

England’s Nici Gregory also tries to suggest an eeriness to Vampire Jam Sandwich with her sepia tones and blotches of red. But there’s no darkness here, just some nighttime endeavours and a whole lot of sweetness. From the humongous eyes on all the characters to the cowlicks on the children and the charming details such as the cat’s fish-shaped tag and the strawberry-themed home decorations, Nici Gregory ensures that the balance of humour and potential scariness always leans heavily to the delightful.

We’re in tail end of strawberry season where I live and there will be much jam-making going on. Hope you can find a way to keep your jam safe from midnight snackers and marauding vampire sandwiches because they’ll be sure to be tempted.