(3) 1-3 Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol series. Illustrated by Victor Rivas. Andres Miedoso is afraid of everything, especially the ghost in his new house. Luckily, "coolest, bravest kid in the world" Desmond Cole lives next door. Running Desmond's "Ghost Patrol" business out of the garage, Andres and Desmond discover both bad and friendly ghosts. Through the easy-to-read first-person narration and plentiful engaging illustrations, readers will gasp and laugh alongside Andres in these first installments. Review covers these Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol titles: Ghosts Don't Ride Bikes, Do They? and The Haunted House Next Door.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 1-3 Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol series. Illustrated by Victor Rivas. Andres Miedoso is afraid of everything, especially the ghost in his new house. Luckily, "coolest, bravest kid in the world" Desmond Cole lives next door. Running Desmond's "Ghost Patrol" business out of the garage, Andres and Desmond discover both bad and friendly ghosts. Through the easy-to-read first-person narration and plentiful engaging illustrations, readers will gasp and laugh alongside Andres in these first installments. Review covers these Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol titles: Ghosts Don't Ride Bikes, Do They? and The Haunted House Next Door.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 4-6 Behind the Legend series. Illustrated by Victor Rivas. This fascinating series looks at the myths surrounding legendary creatures. Also explored are the factual or scientific bases that provide reasonable explanations for how these creatures may have entered into folklore. Each chapter is further divided into subsections and sidebars, which makes for easily digestible information. The cartoon-style illustrations tend toward dark and brooding and fit well with the subject matter. Reading list. Bib. Review covers these Behind the Legend titles: Unicorns, Werewolves, and Zombies.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Victor Rivas. After twelve-year-old Ever's genius guardian Doc goes missing, she seeks help from the titular Snowize (a forgetful detective) and Snitch (a rat who communicates via sign language). As the trio travels the globe in search of Doc, the stage is set for a thrilling adventure, but it is ultimately diluted by an overabundance of hijinks and trying-too-hard cleverness.

Reviewer: Casey Todd

(4) 4-6 Just Jake series. Illustrated by Victor Rivas Villa. It's summer break, and Jake is relaxing and earning money through innovative online sales when his father decides they will attend a survival camp hosted by a celebrity. His sister and the bratty quadruplets she babysits tag along. None of this is believable, but Jake is likable, the action is funny, and mixed-media illustrations and photographs add dashes of additional humor.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Victor Rivas Villa. Sixth grader Jake's family relocates to Maryland, uprooting his hard-earned social status at his old school but not his self-confidence. His comic efforts to make friends and fit in are off-set by his astute observations of the people around him; the caricatures he meets are predictable yet amusing. Mixed-media illustrations and photographs are annotated by Jake. Another journal-novel for fans of the format.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Víctor Rivas. Every werewolf dreams of his first Transwolfation. When Freddy's ceremony reveals he's a werepoodle, he flees home in disgrace, then is taken to Coldfax Fort. It's not a pleasant place for a poodle, but it is the right place to solve a mystery, curly-haired canine or not. The story, with humorous pen-and-ink chapter-opener illustrations, provides apt silliness for animal lovers.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax