In her novel, The Tale of the Secret Keeper, Michele Baxter transports readers to the world of Serendipus, a Narnia-like realm that is crumbling and in need of a hero. Enter fifteen year-old Susie who, along with her guide Shamlack, must find the strength within herself to finally step into her role as a hero.

Baxter creates a readable fantasy novel that does not get heavily bogged down in the description of the landscape. Instead, she chooses wisely to concentrate on the story. In most fantasy novels, the reader is sometimes left thinking that the characters are mere stage decorations, and that the main character here is the setting. Baxter cleverly conveys a fantasy realm while moving the characters to the forefront. Susie is a believable character for whom I found myself rooting the entire book. I can't wait for the second book in this series. Move over C.S. Lewis!