Angus Clark is in big trouble. The World Jumper has misfired and sent him to another parallel world. Angus finds himself in a primitive, snowy village with no running water, no electricity, and enormous animals that haven't walked the earth for thousands of years. Together with his body-jumping friend, Ivy Calloway, Angus must battle a prehistoric monster, rescue his little sister, and transport himself back to his own world. That is, if he can find his invention. Will Angus survive the most colossal dung heap he's ever seen? Will Ivy overcome a huge flea infestation? And what will become of the tranquil Clark household when a fierce hunter moves in? The Crystal Lair is the second novel in the Inventor-in-Training series. Angus and Ivy have survived the pirates and now come face-to-face with prehistoric animals, harsh blizzard conditions, and one tough granny. This humorous science fiction adventure will intrigue middle grade readers looking for something a bit different.

A parallel universe, a pirate ship, a talking bird, and one seriously eccentric captain. After a laboratory mishap, inventor-in-training Angus Clark finds himself aboard the Fearsome Flea. The pirate crew mistakes the middle schooler for his alter ego, a dirty, rude cannon boy. Clever Angus must face a sea battle, a nasty mutineer, and walk the plank. Will the scientific Angus survive life on the leaky Fearsome Flea? Why is Maniacal Marge out to get him? Will he ever return to his own world? And can his mother endure the mischievous pirate who now lives under her roof? Helped by a sassy, body jumping macaw and a fastidious, cookie-baking pirate captain, Angus uses his ingenuity and trusty screwdriver to set the worlds right. The Pirate's Booty begins the story of Angus Clark, a middle schooler striving to be an inventor. While working on his latest invention, Angus accidentally transports himself to a parallel universe where pirates still terrorize the waters. D.M. Darroch's debut novel introduces the Inventor-in-Training series with smoke and a sizzle. Breakneck pacing and lighthearted humor will delight quick-witted readers looking for an adventurous good time.