Animal Rescue Friends (Volume 1)

At the Animal Rescue Friends shelter, everyone is looking for a way to belong—kids and animals alike. From Epic! Originals, this is the first book in the Animal Rescue Friends graphic novel series, filled with humor and furry friendships middle grade readers will love.

“Cute critters, compassionate kids, and community—what’s not to love?”—Kirkus Reviews

Welcome to Animal Rescue Friends, where any stray can find a friendly face. This first collection of comics for readers ages 8-10 includes five tales of found family: A lonely girl living in the suburbs finds happiness with a stray pit bull; a protective mama ferret and her six kits learn to trust a shelter volunteer; a shy boy stands up for himself with the help of a strong-willed bunny; a cantankerous cat helps to mend a troubled relationship; and the shelter’s unofficial mascot eventually finds a home.

Perfect for kids who love pets, rescue stories, and friendship-focused adventures, this adorable comics series is an inspiring, uplifting read.

Why young readers love Animal Rescue Friends:

• Positive, uplifting graphic novel stories centered on rescuing and caring for animals
• Relatable kid characters who learn, grow, and solve problems together
• Themes of friendship, compassion, responsibility, and teamwork
• Engaging visual storytelling with humor and heart that helps build reading confidence
• Accessible for independent and reluctant readers in grades 2–5

Meet the animals, discover new friends, and start an adventure that young readers will want to revisit again and again.

Gina Loveless fell in love with kids’ books when she was eight and fell back in love with them when she was twenty-eight. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from California Institute of the Arts and resides in eastern Pennsylvania.

Meika Hashimoto grew up on a shiitake mushroom farm in Maine. She is a children's book editor and lives deep in the woods with her husband, two rescue mutts, and a calico cat. She is the author of The Magic Cake Shop and The Trail.

Genevieve Kote is an illustrator from a small town in Quebec who now lives in Montreal. Her work has appeared in parenting and lifestyle magazines, kids’ magazines, newspapers, chapter books, educational manuals, and video games. She is the illustrator of According to Aggie—a comic that appears in every issue of American Girl magazine. She is inspired by vintage children's books, Manga, animation, and screen-printing. In addition to being an artist, Genevieve is an avid reader, enthusiastic baker, and traveler. She shares her studio with a sweet but tired-looking cat.