• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

A girl, a dog and a summer they won’t forget.

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.

DEBORAH KERBEL a écrit des livres pour les jeunes adultes, les préadolescents et les lecteurs débutants. Ses romans ont été présélectionnés pour les Prix littéraires du Gouverneur général, le prix du livre de l’année pour les jeunes adultes de l’Association canadienne des bibliothèques et le Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award. Elle vit à Toronto avec son mari, ses deux adolescents et Freddie, leur chien adopté.

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 has written a number of picture books, and is the author of four young adult and two middle-grade novels, including My Deal with the Universe. Her books have been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association’s YA Book Award, and many readers’ choice awards. Visit her online at www.deborahkerbel.com.

Deborah Kerbel's profile page

• Nominated, OLA Silver Birch Award, Fiction

Praise for Deborah Kerbel:

“Remarkable . . . I actually found myself missing the characters once I was done. Highly recommended.” (Like a Duck) 4/4 stars — CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Lightness and sparkle . . . Deborah Kerbel makes it clear that normal is different for everyone . . .” (Like a Duck) — CanLit for LittleCanadians

“My Deal with the Universe is a tender story about learning to love what makes you different, featuring the coolest house I’ve ever read about.” (My Deal with the Universe)— Vikki VanSickle, author of The Winnowing