Guardians of the Taiga

Gr 3–5—Stacy Hinojosa, better known to millions as StacyPlays, the creator of the "Dogcraft" series on YouTube, pens a debut middle grade series based on her love of animals and belief in the importance of environmental conservation. Young Stacy doesn't know how old she is. All she knows is that for as long as she can clearly remember, she has been raised by a pack of six wolves who communicate with her both telepathically and through body language. Vague recollections of humans sometimes enter her mind—she can speak English, after all, but she has no idea what her life before the wolves was like. Her main occupation is to rescue all animals in trouble in the taiga forest in which she lives. She quickly adds a little dog to her pack and the dog, named Page, helps with the rescues. Hinojosa creates compelling animal characters and the plot moves along rapidly. The mystery of Stacy's past and just what the wolves know about it leave plenty of room for a sequel, as does the threat of development of the taiga area.