Balance Keepers #1: The Fires of Calderon

One day, while Albert is sorting mail, a dog brings him a letter to deliver. He follows the dog, Farnsworth, to a treehouse. When Albert goes in, he finds himself in a mysterious place with a person who calls himself ‘The Path Hider’. Two more children come into the house, and they are told to go over to a gondola and go for a long ride. They come to room in which they meet a professor; Albert is astonished to find it is his father. The children are given tiles which are supposed to give them powers. Birdie, the girl, is given powers to breathe underwater and swim really fast. The boy, Leroy, is given a tile which helps him remember everything. Albert is given the legendary Black Tile, but no one knows what it does. It seems that one of the realms, called the Calderon Realm, is out of balance. Will Albert and his friends be able to restore the balance before it’s too late?

This book has a lot of fantasy and wonder and makes you realize there is more than just what meets the eye or what you hear. I like the characters; they were well-drawn and were kind to everyone except their enemies.