Lost in the Crystal Caves (Magic Gems #2) by Doshi, Payal

Dragon Girls meets Love Puppies in this new chapter book series starring a group of friends who protect animals with their magical gemstones!

Rio, an Earth Gem, is eager to earn his first gemstone in order to do more for his animal neighbors. One afternoon, a fox bounds up to Rio, clearly in distress. Another fox is lost inside the nearby Crystal Caves!

Without waiting for his fellow Gems, Rio heads into the caves. Once inside, finding a lost fox proves trickier than Rio thought it would be. He's worried he might get lost himself!

Author: Payal Doshi
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Published: 04/21/2026
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.20lbs
Size: 7.41h x 5.13w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781546175681
Audience: Ages 9-12

Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 04/01/2026 pg. 67

About the Author

Payal Doshi has a Master's in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The New School, New York. Having lived in the UK and the US, she noticed a lack of Indian protagonists in global children's fiction and one day wrote the opening paragraph to what would become her first children's novel. She was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and four-year-old daughter. When she isn't writing or spending time with her family, you can find her nose deep in a book with a cup of coffee or daydreaming of fantasy realms to send her characters off into. She loves the smell of old, yellowed books. Her debut middle grade fantasy novel, Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, is the recipient of the IPPY Gold Award.