"Three years ago, Ash's mom left home and never returned, leaving behind a husband and child and a shed full of mystical curiosities related to the all-girl fantasy world she'd created as a child -- Koretris. One day Ash invites a new group of friends from Pride Club over, and they try one of the spells to enter Koretris. To their amazement, they're all transported to a magical realm filled with human-sized talking animals who are fiercely protective...

"Grand adventure stories often begin where you least expect, Iris knows this because she's read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny country town of Bugden, real adventure seems a distant dream. That doesn't bother Sam, Iris' best friend. For him, catching bugs and swimming in the lake is exciting enough. But when Iris and Sam stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they're led to a discovery beyond anything...