The Miramichi Reader

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.