Book: Legend Keepers

The final book in Bruce Smith’s trilogy, Legend Keepers: The Promise (Hidden Shelf Publishing House, $15) concludes the story of two unlikely friends: Garson, an environmentally conscious 12-year-old, and Buddy, a young mountain goat entrusted with carrying the legend of Shining Mountain. As a result of the “great warming,” Buddy’s ancestral home can no longer support her shrinking band. Having learned of Buddy’s predicament while researching glaciers for the science fair, Garson promises to stop climate change and protect the forest. Determined to save his beloved “Painted Treeland”—which has been threatened by a backdoor logging agreement—Garson assembles a group of his peers and faces the issue head-on. Inspired by the results of the historic Held v. Montana case—when 16 young Montanans sued for their rights to a “clean and healthful environment”—Smith’s captivating and inspiring tale that reminds us that you’re never too young to make a difference.