Giraffe Island by Sofia Chanfreau

An original mystery adventure, colored by magical realism, about a girl whose world is peopled with animals no one else can see, with a mystery, a circus, and family at its heart.

Far away in the middle of the sea there is an island shaped like a giraffe. Nine-year-old Vega lives there with her father and grandfather-a gardener and former ringmaster. Their shed-the Paraphenalium-is filled with every possible thing you didn't know you needed. Vega's bathroom is home to a gray bear with shampoo-lathered fur, and every day she talks with the asphalt beaver and crosswalk zebra on the way to school. Her best friend is Nelson, who observes things others don't notice and keeps a notebook of mysteries and facts. Vega and Nelson set out to save Vega's father and find her mother in a search that leads them to a unique circus and unexpected answers. Giraffe Island is a magical realist mystery adventure driven by the longing to be part of a family. It is playful, fresh, and beautifully written.

"Chanfreau's writing is so colourful and original, and there is great mystery at the centre of the novel. I love the wonder of the circus, and the elements of magical realism create a fantastically exciting story world."-JUNO Magazine