The Pillars of Ponderay — Lindsay Cummings

This second book in Lindsay Cummings's Balance Keepers series explodes with just as much magic, mystery, friendship, and humor as Book One. Fans of books like Brandon Mull's The Candy Shop War or the Unwanteds series by Lisa McMann will love the action and imagination in this epic fantasy adventure series.

With both boy and girl main characters, creatures like Hammerfin sharks to battle, a traitor to expose, and a boarding school that could be described as Hogwarts underground, there's something for every reader to enjoy in this series reminiscent of the classic Journey to the Center of the Earth. An anti-bullying theme also makes this great for in-classroom reading.

In The Pillars of Ponderay, Balance Keepers Albert, Birdie, and Leroy enter the underground watery Realm of Ponderay along with their archrival, Hoyt, in an attempt to reset the Balance of the Realm. If they don't succeed in time, all of California above could be consumed by tsunamis and hurricanes.