Kingdom Riders — Shannon Eric Denton

Race through an exciting and dangerous fantasy world on the back of a toad in this wildly original combination of Hunger Games and Amulet. Kayla is a peasant who cares little about the world outside her town or the wildly popular Kingdom Races. That is, until her best friend, Mal, finds herself in trouble and Kayla must enter as a rider to save her. But the prize for winning this series of races is more than Kayla could ever imagine. With control of the entire kingdom at stake, Kayla finds herself thrust into political intrigue and lurking danger. Readers follow Kayla as she adventures into the wider world while putting her own life on the line for her friends, both old and new. No one has ever even finished the Kingdom Races. Will Kayla be the first?