Into the shadows

Eleven-year-old Oliver Robles and his best friend, Garen Jackson, are the only kids living at Area 53, a government-run desert location where their scientist parents study anomalies, or mythological creatures, such as goblins and wyverns. When Ollie accidentally sets a bunch of dangerous creatures free one night, he and Garen must find a way to recapture them before they leave the compound. The youths attempt to enlist station golem Henry, who escapes into the Shadowland, a parallel magical world from which the anomalies hail. Forced to give chase, the tweens, now in the Shadowland, learn that their own lives are more full of secrets than they realize. Now they must unravel the truth behind the Shadowland's history--and the realm's connection to their own lives--to save both the mortal and mythical worlds. The jam-packed plot and rapid-fire pacing occasionally overwhelm, leaving readers and characters with few opportunities to process the events. Nevertheless, Cervantes (The Cursed Moon) balances quippy dialogue, resourceful protagonists, and pulse-pounding action to establish this series launch with flare. Characters have varying body types and skin tones. Ages 8--12. Agent: Adriana Dominguez, Aevitas Creative Management. (Aug.)

For best friends Ollie and Garen, home is an underground lab filled with magical creatures. Deep within the Nevada desert, Area 53 is home to beings like wyverns, golems, and llamacorns (not to be mistaken for Area 51's alien counterparts). The government keeps the "earthborn mythical creatures" known as anomalies contained, hoping their magic holds the key to stopping the constant apocalyptic lightning storms. For 11-year-old Ollie Robles and 13-year-old Garen Jackson, whose parents lead the research, Area 53 is all they've ever known. And as the only two kids there, they've been "onlies" from the start--each other's only option for a friend. But when Ollie accidentally triggers the emergency alarm system, some of the anomalies escape. Now, the duo must track them down before disaster strikes. Their chase leads them into the Shadowland, a hidden realm teeming with creatures of legend--chupacabras, kappa, ogres, and more. Along the way, they uncover secrets their parents never meant for them to discover, forcing them to question everything they thought they knew about themselves and the world they inhabit. With heart, humor, and high stakes, this whirlwind story explores the delicate balance between discovery and destruction. Themes of friendship, perseverance, and the search for truth run throughout, making this an exciting read for lovers of adventure and mythology alike​. A rollicking, fast-paced fantasy adventure in which science meets myth.(Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.