Keeley, Book 3: Keeley and the Mountain

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Harvard,
Massachusetts.

The town of Frank, Alberta, is getting busier by the day as more people
come to it to work in the coal mine on Turtle Mountain. Keeley O’Brien
loves the bustle and action. She wants to be a newspaper reporter who
gets to follow all the exciting stories. But for now, she must be
content with going to school and editing the local paper on Saturdays.

On April 29, 1903, there is a major rockslide down the mountain, and in
just seconds, dozens of people and homes are buried under massive
boulders. Keeley’s curiosity draws her outside into the midst of the
danger and confusion. In the days after, she does what she can to assist
the rescue efforts. When the town is evacuated, she gets permission to
stay behind to look after the animals and to report on the situation.
When it becomes certain that Keeley’s father is one of the victims,
her grandmother comes to take her to Lethbridge. But, rather than face a
stifling life with her grandparents, Keeley devises a plot to catch a
train to Winnipeg so that she can follow her dream of becoming a
reporter.

This third book about 10-year-old Keeley in the Our Canadian Girl
series is an exciting episode. Though orphaned by the disaster, Keeley
keeps a positive outlook and refuses to blindly follow authority. Her
courage, independence, feisty spirit, and determination to pursue her
dream will inspire readers of this wonderful dramatic adventure. Highly
recommended.