by Jason Rekulak, illustrated by Kim Smith

Quirk Books, out now

At eight years old, Buffy Summers isn’t yet the fearsome vampire slayer we know and love from Joss Whedon’s classic show. When she hears something in her closet go bump in the night, Buffy needs all the help she can get to face her fears, so enlists her best friends (similarly pint-sized Willow and Xander) on an epic sleepover of discovery!

Buffy’s initiation into the supernatural world makes a soft and fuzzy bedtime story, passing on the show’s message of courage in adversity and the power of friendship to a new generation, with tantalising Easter eggs thrown in for long-time grown up fans. Our heroes are easily recognisable in Smith’s adorable art style, and she creates a richly detailed back drop of Sunnydale from an eight-year old’s perspective.

The book also raises an interesting possibility: what if Buffy had been raised in Sunnydale? How would it have affected her journey as the slayer? If Giles had indeed found her at such a young age, would she have become another cookie-cutter Watchers’ Council slayer? Perhaps, if this book series continues, we’ll find out…

Verdict: An uplifting, sugar-sweet peek into the somewhat kinder world of baby Buffy, enriched with the purest magick of all: childhood. 9/10

Sophie Simpson