Bears of the Ice #3: The Keepers of the Keys by Kathryn Lasky

My name is Froya, and I'm so thankful to have found Stellan, Jytte, and my brother Third. I never felt like part of a family until I met these polar bears, and I can't believe Third has forgiven me for my cruelty. We're determined to stop the Grand Patek and his followers. Their worship of The Clock is costing the lives of young cubs, and the violence has started to spread. We went to request help from the owls of Ga'Hoole, and they agreed, with a couple of conditions. We must venture across the dangerous lands and seek alliances with the diverse range of animals. Why would any leaders listen to the words of four young cubs, especially the mysterious, fearsome wolves of the Beyond? The quest seems impossible, but allowing innocent bears to die is not an option.

I was hoping this book would conclude the series, but no luck. It's been interesting and entertaining, but it's run its course with me. I liked how the first book was mostly "realistic", but the series has slowly diverged from that as the cubs meet other creatures. It's still a source of learning about the wildlife and nature. The cubs learn to use the sun and stars to navigate the lands, and they discover information about owls and wolves that will be useful. Third and Froya became companions along the way, and it's nice to see the author allowing them to make important contributions along the way. Third is able to see the future in his dreams, and he's provided sound advice to Stellan and Jytte. Froya memorizes the stars and helps with navigation. The team is joined by a tiny owlet named Rags, who didn't know how to fly, and even she performs critical deeds. The Grand Patek is the primary antagonist, but the author adds some other complications to the conflict. Secret motivations and alliances arise that will impede the bears' efforts. Overall, I'm enjoying the series and will probably end up reading the fourth book, when it's published.