A teenage vampire movie poster may put people off, but a story of love between an immortal and a human teen girl, which reinforces traditional morals and self-control, has wider appeal. </p><p>The “Twilight” series of books and its ensuing movies, written by Stephenie Meyer manages the business of adolescence with universal inter-generational appeal. The franchise is a growing global hit that’s been called the pop-culture phenomenon of the new century. </p><p>“When you think of all the vampire movies, you think of sex and violence. This was more like Mormon vampires, not too offensive, and it’s not surprising considering the target audience is 15 to 18-year-old girls,” said Joy Leith, a Keys resident who has read all four “Twilight” books. </p><p>She feels the series is much more appropriate than many titles that target this age group.</p><p>Local resident and substitute teacher Sharon Gardner said it’s an appropriate book for its target age group and her 10th-grade son’s reading list — more so than, for example, “The Kite Runner,” which sports scenes of gang sexual assault on young people.</p><p>The second “Twilight” book, “New Moon,” reached No. 1 on both the New York Times Best Seller list and USA Today’s Top 150 Bestsellers, according to those newspapers. And its movie debut is being eagerly awaited on Nov. 20. Bella is in the throws of heart-rending depression as Edward forsakes her, she embarks upon some extreme teenage rebelliousness, and becomes entangled in another addictive relationship — which paves the way to book three, “Eclipse” and the tragedy and triumph of the final book, “Breaking Dawn.”</p><p>The owner of Cover to Cover books in Islamorada says “Twilight” really is remarkably easy on the eyes.</p><p>“The series is great. It is a leisurely read and [Meyer] tells a fantastic story with universal appeal,” said Jenny Bell-Thomson.</p><p>Bell-Thompson says she recalls the reaction of not just the teenagers who came to buy the books from her, but of her employees and even some fathers who come in search of the book with frenetic eyes, desperate for their next fix.</p><p>Visiting artist Samia Tossio said, “It took me back to my youth. It just reminded me of how fun it was to be turned on by someone and get close to them, and I liked the simplicity of the story, too.” </p><p>Tossio hums Bella’s “Lullaby” all day long. She thought it funny that all these older women were so into the intense passion that builds in the books. </p><p>“It’s this innocent passion that allows this book to be passed up and down generations — from teen to mother, to grandmother,” she said.</p><p>While many adore “Twilight,” other fantasy fans feel their allegiance to J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series is unshaken and will not be upstaged.</p><p>An eloquent 13-year-old, Mallory Dye of Tavernier, was unimpressed by the “Twilight” movie.</p><p>“The ‘Twilight’ saga was really a lot of fun to read. But I’m a hardcore ‘Harry Potter’ fan and would rather re-read “Order of the Phoenix” any day,” Dye said.</p><p>“I love the ‘Harry Potter’ books because I simply cannot find anything not to love about them! I could not connect with Bella at all, while in the cases of Harry Potter and the “Spiderwick Chronicles,” I felt that I had some things in common with the protagonists.”</p><p>Another local, a 20 year old who has yet to read the book and wished to remain anonymous, said, “Twilight” is “really just a silly story about some not-even-very-good-looking pale vampire guy with a shiny new Volvo. Understandably, he’s the one everyone fancies, I mean he’s rich and immortal. I wanted to barf throughout the movie but my friends were too busy swooning.”