Isadora Moon Puts On A Show- Harriet Muncaster

We adore Isadora in this house. The half vampire, half fairy totally unique character has stolen our hearts and this latest addition to the collection is wonderful story and Littlefae has been particularly enchanted by this one.

This is a special edition like last year’s Isadora Makes Winter Magic with a hardback edition and silver metallic edges and extra activity pages in the back including recipes, crafts, ideas to put on your own show including writing the story.

It’s the annual Vampire’s Ball and this year it coincides with the Blood Moon making it a special celebration and all the vampire children attending are expected to join in the Talent Show.

Isadora being Isadora wants to perform ballet but her confidence is knocked when her father says it’s not ‘vampire’ enough. What will Isadora do? Will meeting another half vampire so anything to change her mind?

Harriet Muncaster is very observant of the worries of young children. She has the incredible ability to pick out the issue and speak to young children through Isadora and here she speaks about a sense of belonging whilst being true to oneself and being torn between two identities.

Isadora being of dual heritage is not just a cute ploy to appeal to both vampire and fairy fans, it’s a powerful tool to explore the very real experience of many children being of two different backgrounds, cultures, religions or others and finding your own identity within that context. Yet Isadora is this wonderful universal character as this story can also resonate with children who feel they don’t fit into their family for other reasons too.

Isadora feels she isn’t vampirey enough for the vampires in her family, that her interests are too fairy and this makes her wobble and try to change herself to fit in.

Muncaster gently teases out the worries that Isadora feels in a believable way as she even talks her mum into believing she is ok not doing ballet, but she also provides and excellent resolution by finding people who feel the same as you, seeking out friends like you and having the courage to be yourself anyway.

Isadora changes hearts and minds in this book and makes a new friend by being brave, this is a wonderful message for young readers and as always Muncaster’s illustrations are beautiful especially those taking place on the way to and at the Vampire Ball, a beautiful family scene in particular.

Overall, a must have for any Isadora fan but also a fabulous tool to know about , this book promotes self expression and not changing your identity out of worrying you won’t fit in, Isadora encourages all children to sparkle in their own way.

Isadora Moon Puts On A Show by Harriet Muncaster is published by Oxford University Press