Stephanie Cooke (1)

Two raccoons and a possum who thinks they're a raccoon team up with a house cat to pull off a heist: the dumpster behind new store Well Bean is always full of delicious food, and they're determined to get it! The cat, JB (short for Jelly Bean, but don't call her that), has a particular hatred for Jeff, the owner of Well Bean, because of the way he treated the previous owners of the spot - Jelly Bean's family.

The Racc Pack - Dusty, ReRe, and Scraps - has plenty of personality and humor. They show more each have a special talent or interest (brains, muscle, gadgets) and they support each other; JB fits neatly into their group. Set in Toronto. Fun!

Quotes

"I'm canceled."
"Are you canceled or being held accountable?"
(Jeff and his mother, 170) show less

Oh boy, this one I genuinely enjoyed personally. The writing is quick and funny and really brings out the character's personalities. It makes the narrative all the more enjoyable. It also has some strikingly sincere moments. For older middle graders looking forward to high school. Ages 10-13

Karen and her divine friends find their way into a maze under their school, as Karen is determined to find a troll who has hacked her precious gaming time with her friends from back home in New Jersey. M1N0T4UR is a disruptive presence whose location has been tracked within the school. The friends find their way into the old maze (a training ground previously) and must confront a series of trials in order to locate their quarry. Along the way, Karen discovers her hidden demigoddess powers, show more and the group discovers the truth behind the M1N0T4UR. Once again, the author manages to weave a classical story into the lives of contemporary (if divine) teens, and the result is a fun, imaginative story. I don't think there are any more of these yet, but I'll keep my eyes peeled! show less

Raccoon siblings make an elaborate plan to steal a dumpster full of food waste behind an upscale grocery store.

It's almost charming, but it just made me realize I'd rather be watching We Bare Bears. ("Ice Bear bought these legally.")

I became aware of this from a list of 10 Exciting New Graphic Novels From 2024 (So Far). Hopefully the other books on the list work better for me.