A middle-grade adventure by Jake Zortman

The Rise of the Legends

More than a story, it’s a world written to engage young minds through adventure and learning.

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“An engaging, action-packed adventure for technophiles and aspiring detectives.”
Kirkus Reviews

The Story

Mikaela Kadono is bummed when her parents move the family to a creepy, old, fixer-upper house, leaving behind her friends, school and familiar neighborhood. But things quickly look up when she meets her new neighbor, George, who invites her to join a cool club called Drone Legends. Little does Mikaela know that this will be the first step in a life-changing adventure! On The Drone Legends very first mission, a nearly tragic accident brings a mysterious, talking AI drone into their lives. But was it really an accident? And who created this drone that seems to be far beyond any available technology?

Order today

Available to book sellers worldwide. Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9896721-0-3. Classroom sets and large orders: orders@riseofthelegends.com

The Rise of the Legends paperback cover STEM.org Reviewed

The World of Good Harbor

The Rise of The Legends takes place in the fictitious city of Good Harbor. The wonderful thing about creating the setting for a kid’s fiction series is the freedom it gives the author to construct fantastic places for the characters to experience and the reader to explore.

Hand-drawn map of the Good Harbor region
Good Harbor RegionThis is one of several maps featured in The Rise of The Legends and gives an overview of Good Harbor and the surrounding area. Maps play an important role in the story. Navigating with them, the Legends put magnetism, earth science and geometry to work.
A brick smugglers' tunnel with rail tracks
Good Harbor TunnelA long forgotten network of tunnels created by smugglers run beneath the city of Good Harbor.Concept art
An abandoned mine shack in a canyon
Jackson Canyon MineAbandoned mines are peppered throughout the mountains around Good Harbor. Adventure awaits two of The Legends as they try to escape an inferno!Concept art
A sea cave with a wired chest at the water's edge
Secret Cave AnuheThe Legends find the secret source of a mysterious radio message recorded nearly a century ago on a deserted island.Concept art

For educators, homeschoolers and parents

Where the Story Becomes the Lesson

The goal of The Rise of The Legends is to be a holistic entertainment and educational experience. It’s a story crafted to entertain while weaving in literacy goals, STEM based themes, problem solving, conflict resolution and character building. It’s meant to engage and inspire the young reader while also being a multidisciplinary asset to educators and parents. The Rise of The Legends aligns with NGSS, Common Core, ISTE, CSTA, and SEL standards.

In the story

The team finds a crystal radio and receives a message recorded nearly a century ago.

The science

Electromagnetism

Home or class project

Build a working radio.

In the story

Sunlight projected through a stained glass window reveals a hidden map on the wall, but only once a year. The Legends can’t wait — so they use a sextant to solve the problem.

The science

Properties of light · Earth science · The solar system · Geometry

Home or class project

Build a sextant.

In the story

George navigates to a mysterious island, where he becomes marooned and has to use all his skills to survive.

The science

Geometry · Earth science · Fluid dynamics · Magnetism

Home or class project

Build a compass and a sail car.

Free resources

Here you will find materials so that you can incorporate The Rise of The Legends into any educational program, including public, private, home or extracurricular.

Standards Alignments The Rise of The Legends aligns with NGSS, Common Core, ISTE, CSTA, and SEL standards. Use these guides to integrate it into your existing curriculum or build your own. Download → Instructor Package Includes a chapter-by-chapter instructor guide and full novel summary with character profiles and thematic notes — everything teachers, homeschoolers, and parents need to plan and lead discussions. Download → Novel Study A 4-week unit study covering ELA, science, math and history, a build-your-own working radio STEM project, and printable resources like activities, rubrics and curriculum alignment guides. Download → Character Studies Dive deep with your reader into character development with the character study package that includes a fun trading card project! Download → STEM Projects Easy at-home STEM projects based on the adventures and themes in The Rise of The Legends. Download →
Legends Unleashed STEM camp kit

The camp experience

Legends Unleashed

Legends Unleashed is a STEM camp program offered by Stemfinity that infuses literacy and STEM in a hands-on, fun, learning experience. It’s designed for 20 students, grades 6 – 9.

Learn more at Stemfinity →

The club is real

In the book, Mikaela joins a club called Drone Legends. In real life, any kid can too. The Rise of The Legends was inspired by and created with Drone Legends™, the multinational afterschool STEM program, and every Drone Legends kit includes a copy of the book. Readers can step into the adventure for real, and students in the program discover a story about kids just like them.

Learn more at dronelegends.com →

Meet the Legends

When Mikaela Kadono moves to a creepy old house in an unfamiliar town, the last thing on her mind is that circumstances will lead her to assemble a team of adventurers, destined to be the best of friends and change the world. These are The Legends…

MikaelaMikaela GeorgeGeorge KendallKendall CollinCollin ThomasThomas Gimbal, the AI droneGimbal Jaswinder SinghJazz

Praise

“The Rise of The Legends has become a cornerstone in the burgeoning genre of STEM novels, setting a precedent for the integration of educational content into compelling literary frameworks and in-situ community experiences.”
Andrew Raupp, founder of STEM.org, in Newsweek
“This is a horizon-expanding story that’s filled with action. It winds advanced vocabulary and STEM concepts into its imagination-sparking prose… the abundant inclusion of intriguing plot factors like secret passages and cool technology keeps the book’s appeal feeling fresh and continual.”
Paula Willey, Foreword Reviews
“Jake Zortman has proven he is a master of this genre! Get ready to embark on an epic adventure with this expertly crafted plot and well-developed characters that captivate you from beginning to end.”
Midwest Book Review
“…unique conceit—sending an object back in time, rather than human beings—makes for a fun adventure.”
BlueInk Review
“The story is well-written and easy to follow… The author focuses on strong friendships, learning to face adverse situations and helping one another…”
Namrata Ganti, Red Pillows Reviews
“These characters are great role models for middle-grade readers as this age group isn’t always known for being understanding or thinking about others.”
Mark Buxton, YA Books Central

In the media

Newsweek: “A Fresh Take on Fiction” Moments with Marianne: Author Interview Legend Makers: Author Interview Book View: Author Interview Press & media inquiries →
Jake Zortman

The author

Jake Zortman

Jake Zortman has built a career in Hollywood behind the camera as a director and cinematographer. His adventures at sea and watching his sons learn about the world inspired much of The Rise of the Legends, a story where the science is part of the fun. He’s now developing new stories for the page and the screen.

More at jakezortman.com →