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Sentinels #1
Sentinels: Keepers of the Forest
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26Win a free print copy of this book!
7 days and 12:55:22
25 copies available
U.S. only
Discover a world of warring squirrel clans—and meet the chosen ones who will save them—in the start to a new action-packed illustrated middle-grade trilogy perfect for fans of WARRIORS and GUARDIANS OF GA'HOOLE.
Rum is the runt of his litter and an outcast in the Sky Clan, but he sees and understands things the other squirrels don’t—for Rum is a sentinel. Born to each squirrel clan when a catastrophe is looming, sentinels are powerful seers that must go to the Dark Forest to meet a mysterious squirrel that can decipher their message. When Rum befriends the Lowland Clan’s runaway sentinel, Nearly, the two band together to reach the Dark Forest to meet the ancient squirrel, Arundale.
But the message Arundale deciphers is dire: A fire is coming to the mountains that will destroy everything in its path. Only the sentinels can save the forest creatures. But one of their kind, the final sentinel, is missing.
So Rum, Nearly, and a legion of animal protectors set off on an epic journey to find the missing sentinel, and learn her secret message before it’s too late.
Fast-paced and packed with drama and dangerous battles, Sentinels is perfect for reluctant readers and fantasy lovers alike, and filled with captivating illustrations that bring the squirrel world to life.
Rum is the runt of his litter and an outcast in the Sky Clan, but he sees and understands things the other squirrels don’t—for Rum is a sentinel. Born to each squirrel clan when a catastrophe is looming, sentinels are powerful seers that must go to the Dark Forest to meet a mysterious squirrel that can decipher their message. When Rum befriends the Lowland Clan’s runaway sentinel, Nearly, the two band together to reach the Dark Forest to meet the ancient squirrel, Arundale.
But the message Arundale deciphers is dire: A fire is coming to the mountains that will destroy everything in its path. Only the sentinels can save the forest creatures. But one of their kind, the final sentinel, is missing.
So Rum, Nearly, and a legion of animal protectors set off on an epic journey to find the missing sentinel, and learn her secret message before it’s too late.
Fast-paced and packed with drama and dangerous battles, Sentinels is perfect for reluctant readers and fantasy lovers alike, and filled with captivating illustrations that bring the squirrel world to life.
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Kate O'Hearn
47 books971 followersKate O'Hearn was born in Toronto Canada, but raised in the heart of New York City and has lived in many places throughout her life. These days, she calls the south coast of England home. She has 3 brothers, no sisters and is passionate about animals and their causes and has many animal friends. (Pets)
Over the course of her life she has had several careers before finding her real love, writing children's books. Being the only girl in family of boys, she grew up a true tom-boy and always loved books with high adventure. But one of the problems she discovered was a lack of female leads in these adventure books.
When she started to write, Kate decided to address this imbalance and now writes high fantasy adventures with strong, compassionate and adventure loving girl heroes. There are plenty of boys in the story to keep it interesting and challenging, but she believes that a girl hero can be as brave, strong and adventurous as a boy.
She insists that adventures are for everyone!
So come and enjoy a few adventures with her...
Over the course of her life she has had several careers before finding her real love, writing children's books. Being the only girl in family of boys, she grew up a true tom-boy and always loved books with high adventure. But one of the problems she discovered was a lack of female leads in these adventure books.
When she started to write, Kate decided to address this imbalance and now writes high fantasy adventures with strong, compassionate and adventure loving girl heroes. There are plenty of boys in the story to keep it interesting and challenging, but she believes that a girl hero can be as brave, strong and adventurous as a boy.
She insists that adventures are for everyone!
So come and enjoy a few adventures with her...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Disclaimer: I have been provided an Advance Review Copy by the publisher.
Rum is the runt of his squirrel litter. Born with a disfigured leg, he has to deal with bullying and ostracism from his family and other squirrels. Not only that, he is plagued by the overwhelming need to share The Call, some form of ancient language that is incomprehensible to everyone. His mother warns him to keep it a secret, because squirrels who make The Call are taken away to Dark Forest from which no one ever returns. However, not everything is within his control and The Call must be heard...
Squirrel fantasy xenofiction! Apparently that has been a thing before, but they haven't been a popular choice for animal fantasy. But I'm always eager to see new positions in the subgenre so I was eager to check it out.
So, how does it do? It's... Fine. I read it and sort of enjoyed it, but it's clearly missing something more. It's probably as straightforward a take on the genre as possible. Which probably won't be a big deterrent for the intended audience.
I liked the main cast, though out of the five Chosen ones only Rum and Nearly get decent characterisation and development, the others are mostly just kind of there.
The pacing is very energetic, there's always something happening. It seems to be a new trend with the books to keep things going fast and I didn't really mind it here. It did seem to know when to take a bit of a breather but never overstayed its welcome.
The story is the weak spot. It feels like the most classic take on the hero's journey and on one hand that's fine, on the other hand I wished the author put more of herself into it and came up with at least a bit of something fresh. The outcast main character ending up becoming the chosen one hero also seems extremely prevalent in xenofiction which only adds to it feeling derivative.
There's also the matter of the main villain, who is done extremely poorly and doesn't help to properly establish the threat. The way in which he is defeated is also extremely disappointing and anticlimactic.
On the other hand, the artist responsible for the cover and inside illustrations (and there are a lot of them) did an amazing job. So lively and cute, they were always a joy to look at.
It's not a terrible book, but it does feel a bit stale in its concepts. Despite that, it's executed well for the most part and it was a fast and pleasant read. I think if the author can take some creative risks and try to innovate a bit it could become a good series, as it is, it's only decent.
3.5 a star for me, rounded up for the amazing artwork.
Rum is the runt of his squirrel litter. Born with a disfigured leg, he has to deal with bullying and ostracism from his family and other squirrels. Not only that, he is plagued by the overwhelming need to share The Call, some form of ancient language that is incomprehensible to everyone. His mother warns him to keep it a secret, because squirrels who make The Call are taken away to Dark Forest from which no one ever returns. However, not everything is within his control and The Call must be heard...
Squirrel fantasy xenofiction! Apparently that has been a thing before, but they haven't been a popular choice for animal fantasy. But I'm always eager to see new positions in the subgenre so I was eager to check it out.
So, how does it do? It's... Fine. I read it and sort of enjoyed it, but it's clearly missing something more. It's probably as straightforward a take on the genre as possible. Which probably won't be a big deterrent for the intended audience.
I liked the main cast, though out of the five Chosen ones only Rum and Nearly get decent characterisation and development, the others are mostly just kind of there.
The pacing is very energetic, there's always something happening. It seems to be a new trend with the books to keep things going fast and I didn't really mind it here. It did seem to know when to take a bit of a breather but never overstayed its welcome.
The story is the weak spot. It feels like the most classic take on the hero's journey and on one hand that's fine, on the other hand I wished the author put more of herself into it and came up with at least a bit of something fresh. The outcast main character ending up becoming the chosen one hero also seems extremely prevalent in xenofiction which only adds to it feeling derivative.
There's also the matter of the main villain, who is done extremely poorly and doesn't help to properly establish the threat. The way in which he is defeated is also extremely disappointing and anticlimactic.
On the other hand, the artist responsible for the cover and inside illustrations (and there are a lot of them) did an amazing job. So lively and cute, they were always a joy to look at.
It's not a terrible book, but it does feel a bit stale in its concepts. Despite that, it's executed well for the most part and it was a fast and pleasant read. I think if the author can take some creative risks and try to innovate a bit it could become a good series, as it is, it's only decent.
3.5 a star for me, rounded up for the amazing artwork.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was truly the first book I couldn't put down right from the start. It was wonderfully written. I loved the storyline. Each of the characters introduced just added to the depth of the subject matter. This is definitely one that I will recommend to my older grandchildren who can read. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Rum is the runt in his squirrel family. He is always ignored and looked down upon due to his handicap. He meets a squirrel named Nearly, who is also looked down upon in her squirrel family. He knows that he should hate her, due to the warrior like tendencies of her squirrel clan, especially towards his. However, he just can't. This begins a wonderful story of how the two of them find their place in the world and how wonderful they really are. They take an epic journey and along the way meet others like themselves and find they have a special mission. This story is full of fun and suspense and the task of overcoming their personal and collective challenges. Will they overcome all that has been set before them?
This is a must read for families with middle grade children and even some adults I know. It teaches about responsibility not only to family, ourselves and others, but it teaches about how we all need to get along, how hard it can be. You won't regret reading this one.
Rum is the runt in his squirrel family. He is always ignored and looked down upon due to his handicap. He meets a squirrel named Nearly, who is also looked down upon in her squirrel family. He knows that he should hate her, due to the warrior like tendencies of her squirrel clan, especially towards his. However, he just can't. This begins a wonderful story of how the two of them find their place in the world and how wonderful they really are. They take an epic journey and along the way meet others like themselves and find they have a special mission. This story is full of fun and suspense and the task of overcoming their personal and collective challenges. Will they overcome all that has been set before them?
This is a must read for families with middle grade children and even some adults I know. It teaches about responsibility not only to family, ourselves and others, but it teaches about how we all need to get along, how hard it can be. You won't regret reading this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had the opportunity to read an Advance Reader Copy of Sentinels: Keepers of the Forest by Kate O’Hearn. Overall, this was an average read for me, but there were some things I really appreciated about it.
What I enjoyed most was the focus on the unlikely, flawed characters — the runts, the outsiders, even the flying squirrel who can’t fly. I always love stories where the ones others overlook end up showing real courage and heart, and this book did that well.
I also appreciated the message woven throughout the story: standing up, speaking the truth, and coming together across differences to save everyone. There was something really meaningful about seeing different species work together, especially when it would have been easier to stay divided. That theme gave the story a lot of heart.
While it wasn’t a standout book for me, I did enjoy the reminder that strength often comes from the most unexpected places. If you enjoy animal adventures with themes of courage, truth, and unity, this one may be worth checking out.
What I enjoyed most was the focus on the unlikely, flawed characters — the runts, the outsiders, even the flying squirrel who can’t fly. I always love stories where the ones others overlook end up showing real courage and heart, and this book did that well.
I also appreciated the message woven throughout the story: standing up, speaking the truth, and coming together across differences to save everyone. There was something really meaningful about seeing different species work together, especially when it would have been easier to stay divided. That theme gave the story a lot of heart.
While it wasn’t a standout book for me, I did enjoy the reminder that strength often comes from the most unexpected places. If you enjoy animal adventures with themes of courage, truth, and unity, this one may be worth checking out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love to read stories about forest creatures, especially well-written stories that capture what it might be like to be a squirrel living in a big forest. Kate O'Hearn's Sentinels: Keepers of the Forest captures the reader and takes you to that animal world.
The character Rum is an outcast, and different from the rest of his clan. He was born with the strange and terrifying need to call that he must hide from the clan. As Rum ventures away to be alone at his secret place by the waterfall; he makes a new friend that also has the urge to call. What is this call and what are Rum and his friend supposed to do with it? Rum's adventure is action packed, including aggressive battles amongst different animals. This story is not just about animals in a forest but about their survival, and their ability to see past their differences to unite and protect each other as danger looms in the distance. The book is accompanied by some beautiful illustrations, a must read for fans of animal stories.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The character Rum is an outcast, and different from the rest of his clan. He was born with the strange and terrifying need to call that he must hide from the clan. As Rum ventures away to be alone at his secret place by the waterfall; he makes a new friend that also has the urge to call. What is this call and what are Rum and his friend supposed to do with it? Rum's adventure is action packed, including aggressive battles amongst different animals. This story is not just about animals in a forest but about their survival, and their ability to see past their differences to unite and protect each other as danger looms in the distance. The book is accompanied by some beautiful illustrations, a must read for fans of animal stories.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the next book you give to your Warriors fan!
As a kid, I loved books where animals work together and Sentinels delivers that and more! Featuring an outcast squirrel who cares for others in a clan that is every squirrel for themselves, this book is about cooperation, destiny, and epic animal battles!
Highly recommend Sentinels and cannot wait for the next one!
As a kid, I loved books where animals work together and Sentinels delivers that and more! Featuring an outcast squirrel who cares for others in a clan that is every squirrel for themselves, this book is about cooperation, destiny, and epic animal battles!
Highly recommend Sentinels and cannot wait for the next one!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews