Keepers of the Pact

by Karen Kelloway

A thrilling middle-grade adventure set in Newfoundland, featuring mermaids, intrepid explorers, and ancient secrets. Every town has a secret. And Brigus in Newfoundland and Labrador is no different. For hundreds of years the Pact of Protection has held, and the seaside fishing town has guarded an ancient and dangerous knowledge. But when business tycoon Mr. Grey begins blasting rock for a tunnel, it's more than rock that is blown the pact itself is weakened and bits of the secret begin to slip out. In their search for hidden pirate treasure, twelve-year-old Alistair and his friends Ben and Sadie stumble into the middle of this mystery. The more they learn about the pact, the more the shrieking song, the unexplained leaks in fishing vessels, and the mystery ship in the harbour begin to make sense. Partnering with the pact keepers, Alistair, Ben, and Sadie must re-instate the agreement for the benefit of all. If they don't, a lot more than a few ships will be harmed. Everything the good people of Brigus understand about the sea could be in danger. A magical middle grade novel full of intrigue and adventure, Keepers of the Pact will inspire bravery in intrepid explorers and mystery seekers everywhere.

208 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2023

About the author

Karen Kelloway is an author of both fiction and non-fiction books that take readers on an exciting, rewarding and universally relevant hero’s journey.

Karen is also the Founder/CEO of the Career Story Project. She works with organizations, executives, and entrepreneurs to create a rewarding career path and believes in the power of storytelling to learn life lessons. Karen lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her husband, two teenagers, and their fluffy black-and-white Havanese, Chewie. Find her at karenkelloway.com.

Reviews

[ATLANTIC BOOK REVIEWS · Rating 4 out of 5]

KEEPERS OF THE PACT by Karen Kelloway published by Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press.

“If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys. “ - Chief Dan George

A sensitively told story of traditional legends and age old beliefs of interactions between humans and merpeople.

Three young friends discover more than they bargain for when they set out to find rumoured treasure in a nearby cave.

There are secrets in this small Newfoundland town. Alistair, Ben and Sadie are soon deeply involved in helping and becoming members of The Keepers of the Pact. A pact readers will discover was made long ago among humans to protect precious merpeople.

Fast paced, with equal parts mystery and intrigue, this middle grade novel will keep readers up past their bedtimes in their race to finish it and uncover the secrets that are skillfully revealed by the book’s ending.

The author has given readers lots to think about in their interactions with animals, the sea and each other. She has underlined the value of protecting our oceans and all those who live in and out of it while clearly entertaining at the same time.

I particularly loved how the author re-enforced the necessity of taking the time to listen to elders without being preachy. I also loved that she gave young people the opportunity to prove that they too can play a role in helping on very big situations.

An engaging, well-plotted book. I feel certain young readers will enjoy from start to finish.

* Book # 2 of the Kindred Spirits Across the Miles Book Club with Sue Slade

[Tia Hiltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read to my kiddos (6 and 8) and they really liked it.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Keepers of the Pact” by Karen Kelloway is a Boys and girls adventure story which has engaging characters, caves, sea creatures, kids taking a sailboat through foggy ocean, and a lighthouse.
It does not transport me back to childhood in NFLD but I think it does transport young readers in a good adventure.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keepers of the Pact by Karen Kelloway is an intriguing read for Middle Graders published by Nimbus Publishing.

The pacing moves the plot along smoothly with perils and cliffhangers capping of each short chapter to keep the young reader engaged. I loved Karen's take on merpeople and her well researched intertwining of Ingenious legend, small fishing village life in Newfoundland, and relatable characters, all wrapped up in a good mystery.

A fun, engaging read for kids and 50 somethings like me.

[Sue Slade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in the Miramichi Reader on September 24- 2023
https://miramichireader.ca/2023/09/ke...

Fondly known as a lopsided three-legged stool, Alistair, Ben, and Sadie are generally always together, and despite being the same age, their heights are radically different. The 12-year-old trio live in the historic town of Brigus in Newfoundland and are on the hunt for the Misty Cove Treasure. According to Ben’s Grandmother/ Kiju, pirates visited their cove a hundred years ago, hid their treasure, and were unable to return to get it.

But instead of finding hidden treasure, they stumble upon something straight out of Myths and Legends. Strange shrieks (maybe it’s a dying seagull?), unexplained leaks in the fishing vessels (are they caused by the blasting?), and what was that in the water…? All these mysteries will keep you invested in this story right until the end.

Keepers of the Pact also has you dreaming of what you’d buy with your share of the treasure. Would you be like Ben and want to buy a candy pantry and enjoy Halloween all year round, or would you buy a new skiff like Alistair?

With its attractive cover and fun map at the beginning of the book, Keepers of the Pact is sure to not only engage middle-graders but their teachers as well. With 34 short chapters, this would make a great classroom read-aloud novel. There are even some insightful and thoughtful discussion questions and a writing exercise at the end. The captivating first chapter would also make this the perfect book for first-chapter Fridays.

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing quite like an adventure read to brighten up a weekend! This book has all the things that make up an edge-of-your-seat story--treasure hunting, "pirates" mer-people, and three precocious 12-year old adventurers. Throw in a HUGE town secret, and you have "Keepers of the Pact."

One of the things I liked best about this story was that each of the three children played a vital part in the unfolding of the plot. Alastair may be the "main character," but he could not have succeeded in their mission, if it were not for his two best friends, Sadie and Ben. What begins as three kids on a treasure hunt, becomes MUCH MORE! (I won't say any more, because I don't want to give any "spoilers!")

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this book, but I now know that the author delivered! Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK! I know I will be looking for more books to read by Karen Kelloway!

Thank you to NetGalley, for a free download of this book, in exchange for an honest review. Reading this book was a joy!

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keepers of the Pact had me eagerly turning the page to see what was going to happen next in this fun-filled story where secrets are slowly unravelled. The author did a great job breathing life into the characters and their adventures around Brigus. Although written for a younger audience, it can definitely be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

[Digitally Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jorja's review:

Alistair is a twelve year old boy who lives in Brigus Newfoundland and Labrador. Brigus is a fishing town and Alistair’s dad is a fisher who is almost always out at sea. His father forbade him from going out in his skiff when he is not home. One day when his father is gone Mr. Grey, the owner of the docks starts blasting a tunnel near one the docks. The community begins to theorizer’s what he is doing. Some think he’s looking for treasure, while others think he is making a landing port for supplies. The treasure theory peaks Alistair’s interest along with his friends, Sadie and Ben. They decide to take Alistair’s dads skiff and compass to go and investigate the blast site. While looking around they find a small tunnel. Alistair feels he can fit through, so he takes off his life jacket and goes in. Once Alistair goes through the tunnel he falls into a deep pond and starts to drown from the weight of the seaweed and his clothes. Sadie and Ben start to panic because they can’t get through the tunnel to help Alistair, but then a strange creature saves Alistair and brings him back to his friends. They decide to leave after this close call but they can’t explain what just saved Alistair’s life. While leaving they see a new ship coming in to the harbor called “My Dream”. Everyone in the town is interested in this new ship. They notice that the only person who goes on or off the boat is Mr. Grey and the crew of the ship fish everyday but never seem to catch anything. One day Alistair and his friends see the crew bring up something bigger than what they have ever seen in their harbor before. This makes Alistair, Sadie and Ben suspicious so they sneak on the boat, but what they discover leads them to things that were supposed to be kept a secret to everyone in Brigus.
I really enjoyed this book and the fact that it talks about indigenous people, the people of Brigus, and the connections they have to each other. I also really liked that Alistair, Sadie and Ben reminded me of Harry, Hermione and Ron through their personalities and the dangerous situations that they get themselves into. I rate this book a 4/5.

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Julia's review:

This book follows our main character Alistair along with his friends, Sadie and Ben who must put the Pact of Protection back to save the small town of Brigus, Newfoundland.

I would classify this book as a fantasy adventure kinda book because there is a lot that goes on during the book. I picked this book as my next read because the author wrote this book for her son who liked Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and most importantly The Land Of Stories ( which is one of my favourite series of all time) and I was hooked on how she wrote a fantasy novel for people who loved these stories.

I loved this book because I absolutely loved the setting, being from Newfoundland and Labrador I get to see a lot of beautiful places such as Brigus. Although this book is not set In Nova Scotia, it does have a Nova Scotian author and a Nova Scotian publishing! I think everyone should read this book for the beautiful descriptions of Newfoundland and the awesome Blueberry festival!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

[Ariela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keepers of the Pact is such a fun adventure that brings some life and mystery into a perfectly ordinary world.
I loved the messaging in this book, I’m actually sad that I didn’t realize that this held Indigenous themes a bit sooner, because I could have reviewed this book for Bridge to Publishing, but instead I did it for Digitally Lit . :/.
Other than that, I really enjoy reading fantasy books, and this one really reminded me of Kira’s Secret Secret by Orysia Dawydiak
I loved the messaging in this book, it was very heartfelt, very touching, very sweet, and very important. I love how Indigenous themes were woven into it, and how they were presented in a fun way for readers to learn. I feel like readers that are familiar with the information would also have a good time reading it, and so would readers that weren’t originally familiar with the information. There’s a lot of fun humor, fun adventure, mystery, and fantasy. I’ve no doubt that anyone who picks up this book will have a good time.

The characters were strong and well written, with a good plot to drive the story forward. If you go looking for adventure, you usually find it, and that’s something that I kept in mind for the duration of this book. If I was thinking that certain aspects of it weren’t realistic (because let’s be real for a moment, what 12yr old takes a boat out in the morning to sneak out into some sea caves), I always thought “oh this is only something that happens in books”…. well I hate to break it to you, but this is a book. Haha. It’s such a fun filled adventure where both the readers and the characters learn new things. It really feels like a real story, and I suppose it’s based on a real story, the elements that we don’t usually get to see that are within Indigenous myths, legends, and history. It’s safe to say that I really enjoyed Keepers of the Pact, and it’s truly a book that people of all ages can enjoy. I really hope that you check it out and that you have fun reading it!

[Kathy Jourdain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't enjoy a bit of intrigue, want to believe in magic, adventure and discovery? Keepers of the Pact is not just a book for kids. Hidden treasures, merpeople, ships, underwater caves, community... readers of all ages will enjoy the mystery of this well-crafted story, situated in Brigus, Newfoundland. I certainly did.

Karen Kelloway masterfully weaves a delightful story of friendship, following Alistair, Ben and Sadie through a series of adventures where it is unclear which adults in their lives they can trust with a secret they are unravelling through their discoveries. They do find guidance from Ben's Kiju (grandmother) and Chief Jo, Chief of the Seal Rock Reserve, who offers the wisdom and stories of the elders to shed light on the long-held Secrets of the Pact.

The book will have you turning pages to see what happens next. Parents and grandparents can read this book with children and grandchildren and embark on their own conversations about the mysteries that surround us all, when we have eyes, heart and wisdom to see.

[Dorothy Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Kelloway beautifully weaves together strands of adventure tales, mythology and lore, and the relatable lives and wonderings of young people, creating a fun and rollicking page-turner. Readers of all ages will learn from this culturally and historically rich book, and feel like they have taken a plunge into the waters of Brigus Bay with Alistair and his friends.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute little story! I wasn't sure whether it was actually fantasy or not at first, the reveals were solid and it lends itself well to being a possible series or just a standalone. A solid book!

[Marcia Nylon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for fun over the weekend at a friends house. I liked it a lot and enjoyed the characters.

[Tamara Riddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Keepers of the Pact! What a wonderful story - the characters were fantastic and I was pulled into their world with ease and pure enjoyment.

[Heidi Rushton]

Enjoyed this fun adventure (with a touch of fantasy) set in Newfoundland. It has a rich cast of characters you’ll be rooting for from the start. My twelve-year-old and I both enjoyed this and are hoping a sequel is in the works!