SOLVED. Middle Grade Fantasy read 2-4 years ago. boy who's mother is from another world, portal in garden, talking cat, evil uncle and dragon

[Ayesha]

details:
-book starts with our MC, a boy who visits a pet shop and there a cat starts talking to him
-his mother is very frail but is known for/can talk to birds and animals
-the cat leads the boy to a garden which is a portal to another world (the world where his mother has also come from)
-there is an evil uncle of the boy involved who has kept a dragon trapped/caged
-at some point our protagonist(s) has the dragon hidden inside a factory
-at some point they escape on the dragon at night - create some sort of distraction with a explosion before doing so ??
-there is a fight scene in the garden

uncertain details:
-mother could not return to her world? because of something about that evil uncle? and maybe she was frail because she was unable to adjust to this world?
-takeover of other world? by hostile powers?

[Bonnie]

The Secret Country

[Ayesha]

this is it! thanks bonnie :)

[Bonnie]

Ayesha wrote: "this is it! thanks bonnie :)"

You're welcome. Please mark as solved. Thanks.

[Ayesha]

yes im unable to edit the post rn for some reason...not getting the option. will try again in a bit?

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Ayesha.

The Secret Country (book 1 of the Eidolon series) by Jane Johnson) - Bonnie's find.

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