Title: David and the Drainosaurs
Author: Janyce Brawn
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Book Blurb:
During an argument with his younger brother, twelve-year-old David Gonzales accidentally drops his mother’s diamond ring down the kitchen sink drain. As he reaches for the ring, he sees a tiny dinosaur creature who calls herself Princess Doris Drainosaurus and claims the ring is her kingdom’s missing crown. In his tussle with Doris over the ring, David is pulled into the magical kingdom of Drainovia. There he must find the missing Drainovian crown in order to exchange it for his mother’s ring. David has just three days to accomplish his task, or he will be stuck forever where Drainosaurs rule, doors fly, hats teleport, and treachery abounds. [Tales of the Teleporting Topsider (Book 1) written and illustrated by Janyce Brawn | Juvenile Fantasy (rated G for ages 8-12) Illustrated]
Excerpt
Chapter One
Mama didn’t realize babysitting Luis was the worst job in the world. There he was, holding Abuela’s ring that she had left to Mama. I knew how much Mama treasured it, and I wished Luis understood that. I ground my teeth together. If he loses that while I’m watching him, I’ll be in trouble. He blames me for everything. First, the broken garage window when we were playing baseball, and he threw the ball at it, and now this.
I sneaked up behind Luis and whispered, “Put. That. Back.”
Luis jumped. “David, I’m not hurting it.” He put Mama’s ring on a little red and orange sombrero-shaped ring dish at the corner of the sink. The ring’s yellow diamonds winked in the sunlight. “There.”
“Scram.” I grabbed a placemat decorated with red chili peppers off the kitchen table and tossed it at him. I missed.
Luis picked it up from the floor and threw it back like a discus.
I ducked and the placemat landed on the little dish. I yanked it off and gasped as Mama’s ring tumbled into the sink.
“No!” I tried to catch the ring, but it disappeared.
“Ooh, you’re in trouble now,” said Luis.
“You started it. I hate babysitting you! I wish I was out with my friends.” I clenched and unclenched my fists.
Luis chanted, “I’m going to tell. I’m going to tell.”
“Don’t even try.” I reached for him as he ran out the backdoor, but all I caught was air. I yelled, “Better keep quiet.”
He laughed as the door slammed.
My stomach did somersaults, and my mouth tasted bitter. I had to get Mama’s ring back. I just had to.
After I turned twelve, Mama decided I was old enough to babysit, when she and Papa weren’t home.
“Just think of how much Luis looks up to you, David,” Mama had said the other day. “Play with him. If your roles were reversed, you’d want him to play with you.”
I knew what she meant but she didn’t know how bratty Luis was. I wished I could do what I wanted instead of being stuck with him.
Turning back to the sink, I noticed the air shimmering with tiny swirling dots. Curious, I tiptoed over and peered into the drain.
Mama’s ring hadn’t fallen through the metal crosspiece that sits in the bottom. The ring sat on top of a piece of carrot. We didn’t have a garbage disposal so sometimes pieces of food stuck there.
Jabbing a couple of fingers down to get it, I poked something warm and squishy coming through the drain.
“Watch it!” a high-pitched voice commanded.
Shocked, I stared at a green finger-length glob with thin arms and a small reptile head on a long, thick neck. Beady black eyes glared. Tiny ears wiggled. Three claw-like fingers, wearing gold rings, balled into fists and shook at me. Its fat, orange dress-covered belly jiggled. It looked like a weird dinosaur dressed in clothes. I shook my head.
“How rude,” it said in a huff. “Don’t you know not to poke at strangers?”
The air sparkled.
I blinked, but the strange creature still stared at me. My hand shook as I pointed in the drain. “I-I d-dropped Mama’s ring down there. I have to get it back.”
“Well, I haven’t seen it, I’m sure.” The miniature dinosaur straddled the holes in the drain, hands planted on the sides of her big belly.
“Unreal,” I muttered, “I’m talking to a dinosaur in the drain.”
“Drainosaur.”
“What?”
“We’re called Drainosaurs.” She shrugged. “We live in the kingdom of Drainovia. I’m Princess Doris Drainosaurus. Now, hurry up and describe this ring you’re talking about so you can leave me alone.”
“It’s a gold ring with three diamonds. It was right there a minute ago, on a piece of carrot.”
Princess Doris Drainosaurus swiveled her head around, looking around the drain. “It’s not here, so I guess you’re mistaken. Well, goodbye.” She reached behind to pick up the round chunk of carrot and placed it on her head like a hat. The ring was wedged on top of it.
“Hey. There’s the ring.” I reached for it.
“No.” Princess Doris’s fingers clamped onto the carrot and ring. “It’s the missing crown of Drainovia. We’ve been looking for it since the end of the Plumberian War. Now that I’ve found it, I’ve got to give it to the king.” She moved to the other side of the drain making the air shimmer.
“Wait.” I shoved in two fingers, hooked the ring and tugged.
The next thing I knew, I began to shrink. I grabbed for the faucet with my other hand, but it hit the handle and water started to drip down on me. “Aiii,” I screamed.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Book Bub: David and the Drainosaurs (Tales of the Teleporting Topsider Book 1) by Janyce Brawn - BookBub
What makes your featured book a must-read?
David and the Drainosaurs features action, fantasy, magic and adventure that kids of all ages will enjoy. It’s a story where you will root for David against evil forces as he travels through strange lands, helping new friends with their problems as they help him in his quest to find Drainovia’s missing crown to exchange for his mother’s ring. Excitement builds at every new obstacle and the ending will surprise and delight all readers.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs September 10 – September 17, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on September 18, 2024.
Author Biography:
Janyce Brawn is a retired K-12 English as a Second Language and Spanish teacher who also has a degree in Art. She uses her art training to illustrate magazines and books. With a vivid imagination, Janyce has been writing and drawing since she was a little girl working on handwritten stories and crayoned pictures for books with her twin sister. Her Boston Terrier is always curious about what she’s doing at her desk and sticks her short nose into everything, thinking she is helping create characters and scenes. Janyce’s stories and books focus on family values, being kind, and following the Golden Rule to help others through fantasy adventures. When Janyce isn’t writing or drawing, she likes to read, go boating on the nearby lake, or visit with family and friends.
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Thank you, Janyce, for sharing your delightful midgrade adventure in our Middle-Grade & YA Event!