“The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue” by Jerzy Drozd

This graphic novel is full of humor, action and dynamic art. With an optimistic pig named Pickles, a grumpy tortoise named Taft and the ever curious Doctor Baer the bear, we set off on a beautifully illustrated adventure. On the outside, Doctor Baer runs a horrifying haunted mansion filled with ghosts, demons and curses, but in truth it’s a safe haven for all those spooky entities. But the Doctor has enemies who wish to harness the powers for their own evil deeds. Doctor Baer has never left his home, but now he must in order to get his friends back. With big pages for expansive graphics, and lots of twists and turns, this book is the perfect mix of spooky and cozy. So many adorable characters to fall in love with, and lots of action to enjoy.

“Taxi Ghost” by Sophie Escabasse

Adéle is becoming a woman, but that comes along with acne, a period party thrown in her honor, and the ability to see and hear ghosts. Without a reliable source to guide her through this new found ability, Adéle turns to her local library, where she forms an unlikely friendship with a ghost named Ambroise. Set in a snowy Montreal, Canada, Adéle must work together with the ghosts of the city to save it from developers. Funny, and filled with quirky ghost rules and fun interactions between characters as they navigate communicating through Adéle. Elements of action and mystery, as a young girl finds her talents for helping others when no one else can.

“Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers” by Angela Dominguez

Written and illustrated as though you pulled the chapters out of a real life journal. It reminds me of so many elements of my own childhood and all the feelings that come along with growing up. Gabby is your classic 4th grader, she’s silly, and full of ideas, but isn’t always the best at executing them. Although she believes herself to be very mature and capable, sometimes she gets in over her head. Gabby Torres is tasked with running the Sea Musketeers social media page, until things get complicated and she needs to learn that maybe the internet isn’t always the best place for young people to be. There are good things on the internet, but also bad, and her parents make their rules for a reason. Gabby is funny, sprinkled with sass, and always scheming.

“Lo and Behold” by Wendy Mass

Get ready to fall in love with Addie, a young girl who loves moon trees and tortoises. Addie’s life begins to get complicated after her mother has a bike accident and needs to go away to aid her recovery. In the meantime, Addie and her father go on a trip for her father’s work which takes them to a college campus for the summer, where Addie meets Marco and they hesitantly make friends. While struggling to cope with her own emotions surrounding her mother, friendships and growing older, Addie uses virtual reality to discover aspects of herself that she forgot were there. The art shifts to fully envelope you in the world of VR, and so much story is told in the small details of the illustrations. This is a beautiful graphic novel that explores the wonder of connection and escapism during the good and bad parts of life.

By Grace Champion

Youth Services