What happens when you mix two teenaged girls, one large dog, a squirrel and a magical rock?  Answer--an adventure that will keep you glued to your seat reading.  Alex and her best friend, Sarah, live normal teenaged lives--getting in trouble for not doing chores, going to school, babysitting.  Walking home from an evening of babysitting, the two girls, along with Alex's German Shephard, Butch and Butch's "pet" squirrel, Pops, find an innocent-looking stone and some gold glitter.  Within minutes, the whole group is transported to a magical world full of talking trees, an ice castle and a six-legged hamster names Jinx.  Together, this unlikely group embark on an adventure full of danger, revealed secrets and self-discovery. 

Lea Schizas has penned a tale that will delight and entertain both young and old.  The Rock of Realm has surprises around every bend and even the most well-read among readers will be kept in suspense as they travel with Alex and her friends on the adventure of a lifetime, in a land where nothing is as it appears and there is danger lurking in every shadow.

Ms. Schizas' characters are so realistic and humanlike, you will soon find yourself forgetting that most of them are animals.  Your emotions will run the gamut from laughter to tears, from anger to wonder.  Whatever the current emotion, you can be sure it won't last long as you wander through the pages of The Rock of Realm.

If you buy your child or grandchild just one book this year, make it The Rock of Realm.  Be forewarned, however, that you may want to read it first--otherwise, you may never get it away from them again.  This book is destined to become a classic in children's literature!!