Dani Camarena
Official Website of Author,
Dani Camarena
Writing unlocks the characters and the whimsical thoughts they hold captive within our imagination.
-Dani Camarena
BOOKS
Twelve-year-old author-in-training and gadget-making enthusiast, Issy Garcia, dreams of bringing her steampunk inventions to life. If only she could convince her scientist parents to share space with her in their backyard barn lab. But they won’t let Issy near their precious “real science” experiments. That is until they end up stuck in one.
When a mysterious storm hovers over her family’s new home in Cornville, Arizona, and rogue lightning streaks through the house, Issy’s parents go missing. In the hunt for answers, she discovers Mamá and Papá stuck inside her latest story’s world and the truth of their experiments—tachyons and time study. Clues and ingenuity lead to her parents’ trail, landing Issy in an alternate 1886 New York City filled with bizarre costumes, steam-powered machines, and automatons.
Convinced her writing created this mess, Issy is determined to rescue her parents and shut down the time loop. Not an easy task with Time Pirates hunting her for unknown reasons. She must navigate the streets of New York with clever street orphan Mekasha and calculate a way to get everyone back home. Or be lost to her family forever, trapped in a world of steam and odd tech.
Illustrated by Robin Dewitt & Patricia Dewitt-Grush
Available:
TIME WRITER
Coming Soon in 2024:
CASEY BUCKLES AND THE KEEPER OF THE ICE CAVES
Summer camp in the Idaho mountains could be the rock adventure of a lifetime for twelve-year-old geology buff Casey Buckles. With ice caves and lava tubes, the location offers rare stones galore. But looming problems between his parents and his dad being away splits Casey's heart between camp and leaving his mom behind.
Arriving at camp, Casey learns about the local folklore of ancient people hidden within the ice caves. Struggling against self-doubt and disbelief, he convinces best friend Felix, an engineering enthusiast, and new friend Ellie, an aspiring legend hunter, to help find the caves.
But locating the entrance presents more problems than they bargained for, and Casey’s impatient decisions trigger the first of many booby-traps, forcing the trio deep into a secret world. There they discover migrant clans who’ve kept their existence veiled for centuries and must depend on three kids to save them from evil rule. To make it out, Casey risks it all in a fight-or-death quest of lava tube mazes, dangerous logic puzzles, and deadly creatures. Complicated relationships between friends and impossible odds push Casey to the limits, where he must keep his cool to survive or become a part of the legend.
REVIEWS & ON THE WEB
Readers' Favorite 5 STAR Reviews:
Reviewed by P. Rosenthal for Readers’ Favorite
Grab your pickaxe! What do a rock nerd, a gadget creator, and a legend hunter have in common? They are the main characters in Dani Camarena’s book, Casey Buckles and the Keeper of the Ice Caves. After running into Ellie at Camp Shala-Raka-Laka, best friends Casey and Felix join her quest to find the legendary ice caves and the Keeper. Ellie is out to prove the Keeper is real and not just a legend. The boys are skeptical but are intrigued by the prospect of discovering rare rocks. Once the three collect and decipher clues pointing them toward the caves, they sneak out of camp. After several hours and narrowly escaping discovery by an army of tree soldiers, they come upon a rock formation and see facial features embedded in it. Then they hear a voice. Is it... the Keeper?
Outside the perimeter of a rustic campground in Idaho…. Dani Camarena has created a nail-biting adventure in Casey Buckles and the Keeper of the Ice Caves. Camarena’s detailed descriptions of the geographical setting create a visual cinematic experience for the young reader. Diverse characters face personal challenges that naturally connect with the reader. Camarena's treatment of bilingual dialogue makes it easily understood. Underlying themes of family, friends, teamwork, and conquering fear resonate throughout the book. The plot includes a perfect mix of danger, tension, and risk, challenging our protagonists to become extraordinary versions of themselves. Casey Buckles and the Keeper of the Ice Caves is highly recommended for STEM enthusiasts and fans of fast-paced action! Ignite your imagination!
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
Casey Buckles and The Keeper of the Ice Caves is a children's action-adventure fantasy by Dani Camarena. Casey Buckles, a twelve-year-old middle grader, loves to collect rocks and anything related to geology. After arriving at an Idaho mountain camp for the summer, Casey and his best friend Felix meet Ellie, a self-proclaimed legend hunter interested in finding the mythical Keeper of the Ice Caves. As the young trio follows the trail of the carvings, they finally come across the Keeper. Now, they must find a way to defeat the evil. Along the way, they have to navigate several traps, riddles, lava tubes, and dangerous creatures. Can Casey fulfill his duty?
Packed with action, mystery, and adventure, Casey Buckles and The Keeper of the Ice Caves never lets your attention waver and keeps your eyes glued to the pages with unexpected twists and turns you never see coming. With a fast-paced plot and a cast of compelling and colorful characters, Dani Camarena ensures readers have a blast with this book. The narrative takes you on a rollercoaster of a ride where you've no idea what's going to happen next. Camarena's worldbuilding is phenomenal, full of lore and extraordinary creatures. I also loved how Felix and Ellie kept supporting Casey even after they suffered a few setbacks. Their friendship and eagerness to help one another make them immensely likable and easy to root for. All in all, this is a fascinating adventure tale for children. Preteen readers will love this book!
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WritersInfusion.com
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4 STARS
This book [Casey Buckles] hooked me in from the start with its perfect insight of a young boy’s troubles. The characters were flawed but lovable. The story was at times funny and suspenseful. This is a wonderful story for young readers with some life lessons on the importance of family and friends.
Marie, Beta Reader, Quiet House Editing
BIO
A little about me...
I grew up reading Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon (remember her), and the Hardy Boys. Reading allowed me to enter new worlds and go on adventures. My mom had so many classics on the book shelves: Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson, Charlotte’s Web, Pippi Longstocking, Watership Down. I devoured them all, many times over. Fun and imaginative stories always abounded in my head. It made me a popular babysitter.
However, my stories never made it to paper. I dreamed of being a veterinarian (typical school girl dream job) and then dreamed of being a marine biologist (another typical school girl dream job). Neither of those panned out, so I entered the world of programming (coding, variables, functions, case statements, blah, blah, blah), and my nerd-brain loves it all.
Life took its course: marriage, babies, working on a career. Then came Harry Potter. Ah yes, the book series that took my heart (Accio, blood pumping organ). I couldn’t wait to read the next book, and the next book, and the next. Those fun stories in my head from all those years ago--they started popping. Could I write my stories on paper? Sure, how hard would it be? Eh! Enter reality. I enrolled in the advanced writing course at the Institute of Children’s Literature (awesome course by the way). In the beginning it took me 5 hours to write one page. Woh! Crazy, but I was hooked. I graduated in January 2015 with a completed draft of my first novel.
Hobbies...
Avid camper and snowboarder with my two boys.
Mini-Accolades...
#WriteMentor 2018: selected as a mentee.
#FicFest 2016: chosen as part of the top 5 picks of one of the incredible judges.
#70Pit16: made the MG top playlist (code song: You Rock My World).
Critique Group...
My critique group came together in March 2015 and we are still together and meeting monthly. We found each other through SCBWI and it's wonderful to see how our diverse personalities and age ranges did not deter us from forming unique relationships. I adore my critique partners and value their clever insights and refreshing input.
My middle grade novel, CASEY BUCKLES AND THE KEEPER OF THE ICE CAVES, was inspired during a visit to Idaho's Shoshone Ice Caves. When the tour guide pointed out what looked like a face in the rock entrance of the caves, I was like, "Yeah, I see him," while most others were like, "Huh?" Ideas started to spark. What's this rock face doing here? What's he guarding inside the caves? Does he need help? Yes, he does! In the form of a twelve-year-old impatient, loyal, family-loving, nerdy rock collector--Casey Buckles.
Click here for more about Casey Buckles and his adventure.
Favorite Reads...
Curious World of Dandy-Lion by Lorraine Hawley
The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
The Mysterious Benedict Society (series) by Trenton Lee Stewart
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Book of Lies by James Moloney
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar
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