The Racc Pack (The Racc Pack #1)

The Bins family, a trio of raccoon siblings, live in the attic of a human residence in Toronto’s Kensington Market, a food-centric neighborhood rich with delectable dining establishments. De facto leader Dusty, muscular ReRe, and tech-savvy Scraps—a possum who believes he’s a raccoon—have yet to meet a trash bin they can’t open or a dumpster they can’t dive into, much to the despair of Kensington residents. Following the grand opening of upscale grocer Well Bean, the siblings scheme to plunder the business’s dumpster, where enormous quantities of perfectly edible food are discarded daily by order of CEO Jeff Bean. Discovering that Bean has installed a high-tech system guaranteed to keep critters at bay, the Bins family, aided by JB, a mysterious black cat with an ulterior motive, begin plotting the most daring garbage heist Toronto has ever seen. Ecological messaging surrounding food scarcity and community action ring true amid the humorously high-octane antics. Via expressive and vividly saturated cartooning by Gardner (Long Distance) and punchy text by Cooke (the Oh My Gods! series), the creators subtly raise awareness of waste prevention in this Mission Impossible–leaning graphic novel series launch. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Charlie Olsen, InkWell Management. (Jan.)