Time is running out for the Dragon Masters to stop the dark wizard Maldred! Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Dark wizard Maldred has stolen the Gold and Silver Keys! With these keys, he can now control the Naga: a powerful dragon who can cause terrible earthquakes. The Naga lives in a secret temple in the center of the earth... and Maldred is on his way there! Drake and his friends Jean and Darma travel to the temple to try to stop him. What will they find there? Will the Dragon Masters defeat Maldred once and for all? A New York Times bestselling series! Praise for Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters #1): "In this first of the Dragon Masters series, vocabularly is accessible; sentences, paragraphs, and chapters are short; and dialogue moves the story along rapidly. Black-and-white sketch-type drawings add depth to the story and feelings to the characters (both children and dragons). Emergent readers will find happy success here." -- Booklist "The first of a new series of early chapter books, this entry is sure to attract fans. Brief chapters, large print, lots of action, attractive illustrations in every spread including a maplike panorama, an enviable protagonist -- who wouldn't want to be a Dragon Master? -- all combine to make an entertaining read. With plenty left to be resolved, the next entry will be eagerly sought after." - Kirkus Reviews "Each page features wonderfully detailed pencil illustrations which help to support the text." -- Library Media Connection Praise for BRANCHES books: "These books should be considered for larger libraries wanting to enhance their easy-reader collections." -- School Library Journal "A nice stepping stone to more advanced chapter books." -- Booklist Dark wizard Maldred has stolen the Gold and Silver Keys! Now he can control a powerful Earthquake Dragon named the Naga. Drake and his friends race to the Naga's secret temple...Will they get there in time to stop the dark wizard? Will the Dragon Masters defeat Maldred once and for all? Tracey West is the author of the New York Times bestselling series Dragon Masters, for Scholastic Branches. She has written more than 400 books for children, including the Underdogs series, illustrated by Kyla May; the Dragon Hill series, illustrated by Carolina Vázquez, and the perennially popular Pokémon chapter books. She lives with her husband, adopted dogs, and chickens in the western Catskill mountains of New York State. Daniel Griffo lives in Argentina. As a freelance illustrator, Daniel has worked for many large companies, including Warner, DC, and Disney. His portfolio includes: traditional and digital images, storyboards, comic-book art, inks, lettering, character development, and 3D models.