Going places : Going Places
by Ellen Potter

Hidden in the fairy hole of the red maple tree are x-ray vision glasses that Piper takes to school to use as her class learns about traveling to China

Once Upon a Space-Time!
by Jeffrey Brown

Introducing: Jide and Petra, two astronaut cadets from Earth who are chosen for a mission on Mars, where their teammates include an unimpressed lizard, a robot-assisted starfish, and a species of clones all named Tobey.

Art alert: Busy illustrations reflect the off-the-wall humor in this science fiction graphic novel.

About the author: If you’re a Star Wars fan, you might recognize author/artist Jeffrey Brown from his earlier space school series, Jedi Academy.

Barney
by Ellen Miles

Supporting her best friend during an equestrian competition, Lizzie Peterson rescues an exuberantly loud, high-energy dachshund that races onto the track before its overwhelmed owners ask for help finding the pup a more compatible home.

Doodleville
by Chad Sell

In a world... where art comes to life, Drew brings her sketchbook full of mischievous doodles on an art club trip to the museum. There, the doodles escape and start causing trouble for the famous paintings, as well as for the other kids in art club. 

Why you might like it: Bright, inviting illustrations help to balance the realistic worries and friendship problems in this graphic novel from the creator of The Cardboard Kingdom.

Inkling
by Kenneth Oppel; illustrated by Sydney Smith

What it's about: Grieving the loss of his mom and stuck with a school project he can't finish, Ethan Rylance is struggling. Luckily, help arrives in the form of Inkling, a living inkblot who can read, write, draw, and (most importantly) listen. 

Why you might like it: With true-to-life characters, off-kilter humor (Inkling talks like whatever he's read recently), and interesting ideas about creativity and friendship, Inkling is a quirky and memorable read.

Rise of the Jumbies
by Tracey Baptiste

Starring: Corrine La Mer, a brave girl who protects her Caribbean island community from the fearsome trickster jumbies, even though she’s half-jumbie herself.

What it’s about: When kids begin disappearing from the beach, Corrine turns to Mama D'Leau, leader of the ocean jumbies. Mama agrees to help, but only at a dangerous price.

Series alert: You can dive into this vivid fantasy series with this 2nd book, or start at the beginning The Jumbies.

Race to the Bottom of the Sea
by Lindsay Eagar

What it’s about: Brilliant 11-year-old inventor Fidelia Quail is still recovering from the deaths of her marine biologist parents when she’s kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate who needs her science skills to retrieve a sunken treasure.

Read it for: humor, high seas adventure, a historical setting with futuristic tech, and characters who are more than they seem.

Sharks: Nature's Perfect Hunter
by Joe Flood

What it is: Filled with drawings, diagrams, and information about history and science, this comic book takes an up-close look at the ocean’s most famous predators: sharks! 

Series alert: If you prefer facts over fiction, along with plenty of pictures to browse, you’ll want to sink your teeth into the other books in the Science Comics series, which explores wide-ranging subjects such as planes, plagues, bats, and brains.

Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure
by Torben Kuhlman; translated by David Henry Wilson

Welcome to: Mouse University, where young mouse Pete and his elderly professor research an old shipwreck, build a mouse-sized submarine, and journey to the ocean floor in search of treasure.

Why you might like it: The art does the storytelling in this mostly wordless book -- you’ll be spellbound by the precise details and clever touches in the sophisticated illustrations.

You might also like: Armstrong and Lindbergh, two further tales of  mouse trailblazers from German author/artist Torben Kuhlmann. 

Aquicorn Cove
by Katie O'Neill

What it's about: While visiting the seaside town where she used to live -- and where her mom died -- a girl named Lana rescues a tiny orange aquicorn (imagine a cross between a seahorse and a unicorn) and discovers that her family's past could affect the future of these magical creatures.

Art alert: From cool coastal blues to candy-bright pastels, the imaginative art in this graphic novel brims with color.