THE SECRET OF THE DRAGON GEMS

An epistolary middle grade novel co-authored by Sydney Taylor Notable author Chris Baron (l.) and Newbery Honor author Rajani LaRocca. The story follows two kids who keep in touch by letter, email, and video chat after they discover some strange rocks together at a summer camp, and wonder whether they might be more than just rocks.

Eleven-year-olds Tripti Kapoor, a feisty "word nerd" from Massachusetts, and Sam Cohen, a shy, imaginative budding geologist from California, are both miserable at Camp Dilloway, a summer camp in upstate New York. They meet on the last night of camp when they both escape the noise of Campfire Night and follow a shooting star to a quiet creek. There they find two silvery rocks glowing in the night, and start a friendship. They each take a rock home.

But then strange things start happening: the rocks seem to move locations and dominate the kids' thoughts. Tripti and Sam begin communicating via letter, email, and video chat to discuss the strange rocks but also reveal their struggles at school and at home. Inspired by their mutual love of the middle grade Dragon Gems series, they dub the rocks Opal and Jasper, after the "Dragon Gems" in the books. But then things get even weirder: strange noises, school disruptions, and blacked out pages in their favorite books! When a graphic "code" appears to both kids, Tripti and Sam realize that the rocks are not at all ordinary... and they might even be otherworldly!

But others are interested in the stones, too - including the owner of Camp Dilloway, who hides a secret of his own. Tripti and Sam must crack the Dragon Gems' code and keep them out of Dilloway's clutches, all while navigating the rocky road of middle school friendships and learning to stand up for what is right.

Perfect for fans of TO NIGHT OWL, FROM DOGFISH and UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY, THE SECRET OF THE DRAGON GEMS is an out-of-this-world epistolary middle grade novel (with series potential) involving friendship, family, moving on, and coming home.

Chris Baron is a Sydney Taylor Notable middle grade author and Professor of English at San Diego City College. He grew up in New York City, but he completed his MFA in Poetry in 1998 at SDSU. Find him online at www.chris-baron.com.
Rajani LaRocca is a Newbery Honor middle grade and picture book author. Rajani was born in India, immigrated to the U.S. when she was a baby, and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, she practices medicine and lives outside Boston with her family. Find her online at www.rajanilarocca.com.