Im looking for a book that I think has a dragon or a phoenix on the front and the book opens weird?

I read the book about 6 years ago when I was in 6th grade so I dont remember much. But I do remember the book didnt open like a normal book there was a slit or something down the middle of the cover of the book and you opened it that way. The book was about a boy with some disease or something and I think him and his family was on vacation. Some how he ped out or something on I think it was the equator and he woke up in another world. I dont really remember anymore but at the end he was trying to get away from someone or something and he got back. I know that wasnt very detailed but thats all I remember. I think one of the people he met had turned her parents into statues or something.