After some kids bully their first teacher into quitting, the find themselves up against a more formidable opponent. The book even gives a little tip of the hat to Viola Swamp from Miss Nelson Is Missing.

It was hard to like the kids since so many played along with the main bully, and the ending is abrupt and doesn't resolve any of the questions raised about the teacher. ( )

A new teacher comes to the third grade who lives in a haunted house and has a coffin in the basement. She might be a vampire!

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When the students of the third grade at Bailey Elementary drive off their teacher, a new one arrives as replacement. The children are confident that their irritating tactics will work just as well on Mrs. Jeepers, the teacher from Transylvania. How wrong they are. With her mysterious green brooch, flashing green eyes, and secret history, the teacher is more than a match for the rebellious children. Soon, they are following orders and staying quiet. They do their homework, they clean the room, and obey instructions. When rumors that she is a vampire circulate, the children are only more determined to keep Mrs. Jeepers happy. Eddie, the worst of the worst, is disgusted. He isn't afraid of the new teacher. He and Melody decided to sneak into her house late one night, Eddie to prove that she is a normal teacher, and Melody to keep an eye on him. They don't find the proof Eddie wants; in fact, all they find is a box shaped like a coffin that is locked from the inside. They scoot out of there, but Eddie isn't ready to give up that easily. He tries one last time to prove who is the boss of their classroom using his most outrageous stunts. When Mrs. Jeepers finally says enough and escorts Eddie outside, what will become of the red-headed trouble maker?

This is the first book in the Bailey School series. It introduces the main characters and establishes the setting and the theme of the story. Every book features an adult who may be a supernatural creature, and the children's attempts to uncover their true identity. In this story, the clues point to actual vampires, but the author never decisively steps in and settles the matter, so the reader is free to come to her own decision. The action is fast, with quick chapters that are short enough for the intended audience, and the tone is quirky and fun with just enough spookiness to thrill but not scare. I enjoy this series, and am sure my daughters will too, when they reach the right age. ( )