The Polar Bear and the Dragon: Dream Jumper (A Middle Grade Coming of Age Fantasy Adventure) by Debbie Watson

A malevolent force threatens a small world. Teenagers with magical skills and extraordinary friends must devise a plan clever enough to outwit a cunning enemy. In Book Two of The Polar Bear and the Dragon series, Whitney and Edward, two teenagers with extraordinary talents, must protect Aiden, a young dragon destined to become the ruler of Yagdi. Aiden will mature into a majestic dragon with vast and formidable skills but remains helpless until that transformation takes place. A dangerous enemy is determined to rule Yagdi, but the young dragon stands in his way. Whitney and Edward must put their lives in grave danger to keep Aiden safe. Their strong alliance is weakened when circumstances on Yagdi force the members to split up, leaving Whitney and Edward to prepare for an almost certain confrontation with Aiden’s adversary. The teenagers must learn to use their skills effectively without the help of their powerful allies. Whitney has been given a wizard staff, which could be crucial to their survival, but she must bring forth its powers without the wizard’s skillful guidance. Yagdi teeters on the brink of war and the alliance has critical decisions to make. But in a disastrous turn of events, they’ve lost their ability to communicate. To keep Yagdi from falling into enemy hands, they must find a powerful and elusive wizard known as a Dream Jumper. In their continuing adventure, Whitney, Edward, and friends hone their powers while the threat, both through the portal and in quiet northern Michigan, grows. As our young heroes hold to their promise to stand strong no matter what, it’s apparent that in any world, perseverance, loyalty, and true friendship are the hallmarks of success. Author Debbie Watson paints an amazingly vivid world of good versus evil in a tale that draws you in and holds you until the end. Highly recommended for middle-grade readers, teens, and adults too—fantasy and coming of age in equal measure! —Vicki Shurly, Director, Peninsula Community Library

The Polar Bear and the Dragon: Dawn of an Alliance (A Middle Grade Coming of Age Fantasy Adventure) by Debbie Watson

Whitney’s thirteenth summer is being hijacked. Plagued with terrifying nightmares and confused by strange new abilities, her life is spiraling out of control. Joining forces with a mysterious and powerful ally may be her only solution. Whitney, her mom, and their unique cat live high on a sandy bluff overlooking Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Whitney has spent her entire life unaware of the unique gifts lying dormant deep inside her. But the summer of her thirteenth birthday changes everything! Strange new talents surface that can’t be ignored, and nightmares terrify her. On top of all that, she suddenly misses a father she never knew. A Chicago fireman, her father died tragically on the night she was born. Whitney’s tired of losing sleep over frequent and frightening nightmares, and these disturbing new skills are baffling her. She knows she needs help, and her mom, Susan, seems like the perfect choice. They’re very close, and never keep secrets from each other. Confiding in Susan should be so easy. But an instinct, both puzzling and believable, surfaces and stops Whitney in her tracks. It warns her not to tell Susan, because doing so might put her in grave danger. Realizing she must find a way to deal with everything by herself, Whitney feels lost and alone. Powerful and strange new allies arrive without warning, and just in time. These new friends, and a series of unbelievable events, help Whitney cope with her nightmares and guide her toward understanding and welcoming her unique abilities.