“Goosebumps”’ Miles McKenna Says Writing Debut Kids Book Is ‘A Dream Come True’ — See the Cover Here! (Exclusive)

The actor will publish his debut children’s book, ‘I Am Not a Vampire,’ next year

Miles McKenna’s empowering children’s book is on its way — and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look!

The Goosebumps actor will publish his debut children’s book, I Am NOT a Vampire, through Little Bee Books next year. The book, perfect for readers ages 3-6, follows Arlo, who lives in the magical town of Pumpkin Valley among werewolves, monsters and other creatures.

Arlo, raised in a family of vampires, is not a vampire himself, no matter how hard he tries to change. One magical night, however, Arlo does transform — and comes to see the meaning of his true self as well.

McKenna, who played the comedic relief James on the 2023 Goosebumps TV adaptation, came out as transgender in 2017, and previously told PEOPLE that I Am NOT a Vampire was inspired by his own childhood experiences.

“I was raised in a family where being who I am wasn’t accepted, and I lacked the language to be able to advocate for myself,” McKenna said, at the time. “Halloween was my favorite holiday as it’s the one night of the year where everyone's unique look is celebrated, and you can push the ‘acceptable’ boundaries of who you’re ‘supposed’ to be.”

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“I asked to be a vampire in the first grade, but on Halloween night, I felt so wrong in my big black wig and gown that was bought for me,” McKenna continued. “I didn’t know why those feelings were there. The following year, in second grade, I asked again if I could be a vampire. My mom reminded me that I was a vampire the year prior. I corrected her and said, ‘I want to be a boy vampire!’”

McKenna tells PEOPLE today that returning to that period while writing the book was a pivotal experience — and that the book holds an important message for its readers.

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“Working on this book has been a dream come true and feels like a return to my childhood,” McKenna says. “Halloween was always a highlight for me, and this book beautifully captures the magic of pumpkin patch visits and fall festivals. It also conveys an important lesson that I didn’t have back then but learned many years later: the importance of being yourself. That’s where true magic lies and it’s how life falls into place, regardless of how you identify.”

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“As a gay man with a transgender experience that hasn’t always been accepted, I wanted to write a book that would allow my younger self to just be himself,” the author continues.

“I aimed to create a world where anyone, no matter their identity, could relate because I think we all go through our own kind of coming out," he adds. "We each discover who we are and feel this strong urge to share it, even when it doesn’t match what others think. In this story, Arlo is definitely not a vampire, and I hope his journey resonates with others!”

I Am NOT a Vampire will be published on May 6, 2025 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.

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