Inside Scouts Help the Brave Giraffe, written by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, with art by Francesca Mahaney, is a first graphic novel for young readers. Pages have attractive art with speech bubbles. Two children, the Inside Scouts, set off to help giraffe whose bowels are blocked. In the same vein as The Magic School Bus, the children can make themselves small and come to the rescue anywhere. Along the way they learn about the digestive system. The author has created other popular series, including The Party Diaries, for young readers and has a medical degree.  ISBN 978-1-338-89501-8, Scholastic 

Iggy Included by Deborah Kerbel is a fun, wholesome novel for young readers. 12 year old Paige is between being a kid and a teenager. When her family wins a house in a contest, they move to a new place. But instead of the nice house they expected, they find a dilapidated old mansion. And what’s worse, it comes with a big slobbering dog. And Paige does not like dogs. 

Throughout the summer, the family works together to restore the house. Paige and her brother make a new friend, and when the dog rescues her baby sister, Paige falls in love with her – despite all the drooling. When dognappers take Izzy away, Paige and her brother become detectives, solving riddles and figuring out where and how to rescue both the dog and their new family home. A fun read full of action. ISBN 978-1-4431-9706-9, Scholastic Canada

Seeking Draven by Michael J. Stewart is a brilliant book for teen readers. Written in free verse, the author plays with language in a beautiful way. But at the same time he deals with some heavy duty issues that everyone should read about. Not just kids, but adults as well. Seeking Draven is about a 10 year old whose much older brother disappears after a fight with their dad. Teagan is not happy. She not been allowed a cell phone and feels left out at school. All of her friends spend all their time on the phones, even chatting to each other while standing next to them. When her beloved brother also abandons her, Teagan is lost. Until her father gives her his busted phone and whole new world opens up. Not only is Teagan suddenly part of a much wider circle of friends who ‘like’ her, she slowly realizes that the phone sucks her in. While her brother has to deal with and come to terms with a gambling problem, Teagan learns that her cell phone can be just as addictive. Rather than being didactic, the story ‘shows’ what happens when teens spend too much time on their phones and the dangers that come with it. It does so brilliantly by using light, poetic language. If you can’t get your kids or your students to read this book, read it aloud with them! ISBN 978-0889957381, Red Deer Press

Faker is Gordon Korman’s newest novel. Like all of his other books, it’s full of adventure, humour and relatable events. What I particularly like about this one, is how believable it is. Trey has never known better than having a loving, caring dad who also happens to be a crook and a thief. His dad’s business is swindling others by getting money for scams. And each time a new scheme goes wrong, Trey, his sister and his dad leave town. But now that he’s getting older, Trey doesn’t like leaving his school and his friends. It’s hard work to re-settle every few months. When a socials class involves discussions on ethics, Trey realizes that his dad is a crook and that the parents of his friends become his victims. Through wild adventures and new friendships, Trey learns to speak up and turn things around. He also learns that his dad is not the only one scheming dishonest plots. A great read for one of North America’s most popular writers.

ISBN 978-1-338-82675-3, Scholastic Press