Dakota Ryan has always dreamed of exploring the world for a living - and when she and her younger brother Milo visit Mesa Verde National Park, she gets the chance to prove it.
A section of the 800-year-old cliff dwellings is crumbling, and nobody knows why. A strange symbol carved into the rock doesn't match anything from the ancient people who built it. As Dakota climbs tall ladders bolted straight into the cliff, digs through dusty old park records, and pieces together clues nearly a century old, she discovers the real story behind the mystery - one that's more surprising, and more human, than anyone expected.
Perfect for a chapter-a-night bedtime read, The Secret of Cliff Palace is the first book in the Dakota Ryan Adventures series - real places, real history, and real family fun, with a curious, brave young heroine kids will want to grow up to be like. Every book ends with an invitation for your own family to visit the real place Dakota explored.
Great for readers ages 7-12 who love mystery, adventure, and learning something real along the way.