SECRETS OF THE SHIELD

In Kelsall’s middle-grade fantasy novel, set in the wilds of Canada, a boy and a girl team up with wild creatures to save the world.

The Canadian Shield—an ancient geological formation beneath a vast, forested wilderness—forms the barrier between Earth and the evil Other World. In the novel’s first two chapters, menacing creatures slip through a crack in the Shield, and Earth’s guardian Kyree, a magical giant bird, rescues two toddlers from the firestorm it sets off. Nine years later,11-year-old Sam—who has no memory of being rescued—looks forward to a summer vacation on the idyllic lake where his family lives. He’s especially excited that his older half brothers, whom he hero-worships, are coming for the weekend. Then, as he sits on the dock, a young beaver hops out of the water and says, “Sam, my name is Riff, and I need your help.” The Trapper, a nefarious local figure, has captured Riff’s brother, Ruff. He wonders if he might be dreaming, but he tells his parents he’s going fishing and sets out to save Ruff. The beavers and the Trapper turn out to be far more than they seem, and Sam finds himself at the center of a battle to defeat the evil intruders, seal the breach in the Shield, and save the Earth with the help of the other rescued child (an Ojibwe girl named Wing), Sam’s brothers, the beavers, and Kyree. Vivid descriptions of nature convey the author’s love for the wild landscapes and small towns where the story takes place. The goal feels compelling and urgent: protecting land and wildlife, created with the positive energy of life and love, from the forces of death and destruction. The character development is engaging, especially Sam’s transformation from feeling “inadequate and empty” to becoming a brave, determined team leader. The messages that “courage is not in the doing; it’s in the trying” and that compassion is a strength are both timely and timeless. The novel’s final twist suggests further adventures that readers will eagerly await.

An exciting adventure with memorable characters and a vivid natural setting.