Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico
"Quiet . . . birds . . . nature. . . .
That's what Aster expects when her parents move their whole family to the middle of nowhere. It's just her (status- super-bored), her mom and dad (status- busy with science), her brother (status- has other plans), and . . .
. . . magic?
In her new home, Aster meets a mysterious old woman with a herd of dogs who gives her a canine companion of her own. But when she and her dog Buzz are adventuring in the forest, they run into a trickster spirit who gives Aster three wishes. After wishing for the ability to understand and talk to her dog, she becomes only able to talk in dog language . . . and the trouble she gets into is just starting.
Maybe the middle of nowhere will be more interesting than Aster thought." — Summary
Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley
"When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he'd find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner's death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary.
Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother's name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way." — Summary
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman
"While picking up milk for his children's cereal, a father is abducted by aliens and finds himself on a wild adventure through time and space." — Summary
