CB: Iggy Included - Ages 8+

Twelve-year-old Paige Coopersmith and her family have won a house in an essay-writing contest. Excited to leave their cramped apartment and move to a sprawling property in rural Ontario, they’re more than a little surprised to find the house is old and in need of major repairs. They’re even more shocked to discover that Iggy — the old dog who lives there — comes with the house. Apparently it was all in the fine print!

Due to financial stress, and with nowhere else to go, the family stays. Paige, who is scared of the large, unkempt Newfoundland dog, does her best to stay out of her way, while her parents deal with an unusual list of instructions from the previous owner.

But girl and beast soon form a special bond, when Paige, a hesitant reader, practises her reading out loud and discovers that Iggy loves to be read to.

Little does Paige know Iggy is even more special than she realizes. In fact, someone else has their eye on her, and when Iggy goes missing, it’s Paige who must solve the mysteries of this unusual house and find her now beloved dog.

This book is a part of Scholastic's Summer Reading program. 

Deborah Kerbel was born in London, England, and now lives in Thornhill, Ontario with her husband, son and daughter, and a rescue dog named Freddie. Deborah is the author of four young adult and two middle-grade novels. Her books have been shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association's YA Book Award and the Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award. She''s also the recipient of the City of Vaughan''s 2011 R.A.V.E. Award for her work with youth as a literary arts educator and mentor. Visit her online at www.deborahkerbel.com.