Pop Classics’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book and How to Slay the Buffy Way both make their debut today. Our dual review will tell you if they’re worth adding to your collection!

First up is Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book, which blends a solid bedtime story with pop culture. This one is about Buffy when she’s only eight years old. She knows there are monsters in her closet, so she invites her best friends over for a slumber party so they can investigate.

If you’re a purist, this book may not be for you. At only eight years old, Buffy finds out from Giles that she’s a slayer, and she’s already best friends with Willow and Xander. Obviously, this is a departure from the television show, as is the resolution to the problem Buffy faces.

That being said, it’s a great introduction to these characters and the world they exist in. If your child is too young to watch the show, but you know you’ll force gently persuade them to watch it sooner or later, this is a good place to start.

The story is about being brave even when you’re afraid, and despite the departure from canon, the message depicted in this book is the same as the one the show always made sure to portray.

Even if you’re not the target audience for this book, you’ll be happy to know there are plenty of references to the television show, including many of the monsters we’ve grown to love (and fear!) over seven seasons. Make sure you keep an eagle eye on the backgrounds to spot them all!

The other book hitting store shelves today is called How to Slay the Buffy Way, and this one is for the show’s target audience. The subtitle reads, “Badass Buffy Attitude and Killer Advice,” and that’s exactly what you’ll get when you read this!

Each page is filled with colorful stills from the show, paired with lines written in bold and beautiful script. There are even lines for every occasion, including saving the world, surviving school, falling in love, and fighting your demons — just to name a few.

This book is small and more like a slice of Buffy that you can stick in your pocket and bring with you anywhere you want to go. It’s nice to revisit some of the show’s best advice — and its best zingers.

When you don’t quite have time to revisit the show from episode 1, you can pull this out and walk down memory line.

And remember, as always: “Seize the moment. Because tomorrow you might be dead.”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Goodreads
How to Slay the Buffy Way: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Goodreads

And don’t forget to check out Hypable’s ReWatchable podcast, where we discussed every episode of Buffy (and Angel!). You can start from episode one by clicking here.