Dragons of Desert and Dust — Susan Brown

A boy with the Heart of a Dragon... Fourteen-year-old Angel Cerillos is stuck living with foster parents at a second-rate desert motel while his mother is in the hospital. Despite threats from a local rancher and his greedy foster father, Angel is determined to scour the harsh desert for turquoise nuggets that could pay for his mom's care. Without them, all he has of value is a carved, two-headed turquoise serpent, left to him by his mysterious father. It's a hard life. But the desert spirits are awakening, and the mythic power of his dragon talisman spins Angel into terrifying danger. What readers say about Dragons of Desert and Dust... "Dragons of Desert and Dust pulls you in. You can taste the dry dusty air and your own heart thumps wildly as you're taken on Angel's adventure in the desert of New Mexico." - Heather Wong An intense story with graceful pacing that puts you in the shoes of Angel Cerillos as he longs for adventure and freedom in the New Mexico Desert. I simply could not stop reading " - James Henry Angel is on a desert treasure hunt, searching for valuable turquoise stones with enough power to break through the dusty chokehold on his life. Will the visions that appear and the dragon talisman he wears be enough for him to soar as the eagle does, to freedom and a noble destiny? - Torri McEntire