Puddle Jumpers

Miserable.
That is the only way to describe 10-year-old Daniel's life for the past 3 years. His mother is terminally ill, his father is not around, and their caretaker, his Aunt, is a ruthless beast of a woman.
On the day of his mother's death Daniel learns his life is not what it seems and his mother's illness may not have been an accident. As the day's events unfold a mystical man appears and offers Daniel a chance to save his mother from death itself.
With a magical pair of rainboots Daniel and his newfound friend Penny are transported to a picturesque land filled with a multitude of puddles. They soon learn through a pure childhood mishap that the rainboots can transport them through each puddle to an entirely different world!
The duo embarks on a whirlwind adventure, tasked with finding an oddball inventor who has gone to great lengths to stay lost. Along with a new companion (Bregfut the highly educated squirrel and right-hand man to the inventor) they must find their way through this new world, without being caught by the Queen of Oskal who has her own reasons for wanting Daniel within her clutches.
Upon their journey Daniels uncovers hidden truths about his family, his mother, and most importantly, himself.
The first in a potential series, Puddle Jumpers is a coming-of-age adventure full of magic, madness, and mystery.