ANOMALIES 53

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.