Beasts - Stephanie Brockway

Abigail Thaddeus is aware of her borderline geek status--which only keeps her secretly yearning for a life of fame and adventure. But as an eighth-grader in the tiny town of Westbrook, tucked away in her grandparents' ramshackle old mansion, her chances for glory are slim. That is, until she discovers a mysterious letter that launches her on an undercover quest to research mythical beasts.

With the help of her best friend, Charley, Abigail unearths little-known facts about mythical creatures, from the familiar unicorn to the bizarre bonnacon. The more she learns, the more she finds that all is not as it may seem. When a threatening letter arrives, the lines between fact and fiction and excitement and danger begin to cross. Pop, her overly-strict grandfather, and Ninny, her nutty grandmother, may both be part of a reality more complicated and mystical than Abigail ever imagined.

Will Abigail pursue top-secret knowledge at all costs or choose a path of safety? Her decision could bring eternal glory . . . or certain doom! In this scrapbook-style journal, Abigail's quest to investigate mythical beasts is full of adventure, mishap, spunky humor, colorful sketches, and historically based research.