Seekers of the Wild Realm meets My Diary from the Edge of the World in this poignant and adventurous story of a lonely girl who befriends a kitten that might be much more—the first in a new series from author of Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls, Beth McMullen!

Twelve-year-old Cassie King’s mother always told her the universe was on her side and that hard work would be rewarded with things going her way. Then Cassie’s dad left, her mom retreated into herself, and her best friend outgrew her, trading her in for the popular crowd at school. The only thing Cassie still has is the volunteer work she does at her local library. Being surrounded by the quiet and the books helps her leave her day behind. And when there’s a strangely intense storm, she’s not the only one who uses the library as a refuge. Cassie finds a bedraggled little kitten hiding from the rain and takes him home.

The kitten—who Cassie names Albert—is a little odd, with impossible strength and agility for a creature his size. At one point, Cassie swears she sees plumes of smoke rising from his water bowl, and while Albert is in her room, a strange symbol appears on Cassie’s closet door. Then her mom notices the new resident in their home and takes Albert away. Cassie is heartbroken, but the news is even worse than she thinks. Because it turns out that strange symbol isn’t so random, and neither was the storm raging when she first found Albert outside.

Turns out, there is a long history of baby dragons hiding in plain sight as housecats. And Albert needs Cassie’s help more than she could have ever guessed. Keeping him safe is the first thing Cassie’s believed in for a long time, but can she be strong enough the face down the dangerous enemy moving ever closer?

Beth McMullen is the author of the Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls series; the Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter series; and several adult mysteries. Her books have heroes and bad guys, action and messy situations. An avid reader, she once missed her subway stop and rode the train all the way to Brooklyn because the book she was reading was that good. She lives in Northern California with her family and two cats. Visit her at BethMcMullenBooks.com.