The Guardian of Ailos

When best friends Nelson and Syd discover an ancient book hidden in a mysterious cave, their ordinary pre-teen lives are turned upside down.

Syd found joy in exploring every inch of the forest behind their apartment complex. For her, there was nothing better than the thrill of adventure—a feeling Nelson never quite understood. He'd much rather stay home and read books or play video games. At least then he could push pause when things got scary. Kind of like the moment Syd opened the dusty old book and started quoting strange poetry. Guardians, dragons, hidden realms?

Nelson wanted to dismiss it all as a fantasy, but his heart wouldn't let him. He heard the words and saw the power. He didn't know how a couple of normal kids could stop an angry dragon, but then again, maybe Syd wasn't so normal after all. And there was no way he was letting her go alone.

A tale of friendship, courage, and discovering that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

Michael B. Foss is an Austin-based author who longs to bring magical worlds to life, inspiring kids in a world that is often bleak and painful.