A Seal. A Circle of Friends. A Special Kind of Magic.

Twelve-year-old Ellie Andrews didn’t plan on spending seventh grade in a tiny Maine fishing village. But when her parents’ marriage falls apart, she finds herself at her late grandmother’s coastal homestead in Whitneyport—where the lobster boats run at dawn, the tides tell time, and a mysterious harbor seal keeps turning up wherever she goes.

Gram was the town’s beloved teacher, a fierce environmentalist, and a woman with a few secrets. As Ellie finds her footing with a misfit circle of friends, navigates a teacher who refuses to believe in climate change, and tries to keep a promise to a grandmother she can still feel watching over her, she begins to understand what Gram was protecting—and why it matters more than ever.

The Secret of the Catapus is a coming-of-age story about grief, courage, and the meaning of carrying on someone’s legacy. It’s also about a seal named Catapus, who has his own ideas about where Ellie belongs.

For readers ages 10–14 who love the ocean, animals, and stories that stay with them. For fans of Hoot, The Last Bear, and Willa of the Wood.

Awards & recognition
Maine Literary Award, Young People’s Literature, 2026
Green Earth Book Award, Honor Book, 2026
Lupine Award, Shortlist, 2026

Robin Elsbeth Jenkins
Softcover: 978-1-961905-62-7 | $12.95
E-book: 978-1-961905-63-4 | $5.99
September 2025 | 202 pages | Ages 10-14 years

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“Beautifully written, with a vivid sense of place that will connect readers with nature and make the environmental crisis real and personal. Engaging characters and human warmth demonstrate that individuals can be part of creating solutions to the threats we all face. Accessible, readable adventure with a true green heart.”
—Nicola Davies, author of The Song That Sings Us
“Ellie is a young climate warrior with such a good heart! Descriptions of the Maine coast and its inhabitants, rich intergenerational backstory, and a touch of magical realism have strong literary qualities that enrich the narrative..”
—Kate Risse, author of Inland
“Full of good-hearted humor, compelling issues, lovable characters, friendship, and hope, The Secret of the Catapus will resonate long after the last page is read.“
—Kristine Bondeson, Echoes Magazine columnist
“Thank you for writing this book! I am so glad an author has finally published a story about environmental activism so true to the experience of a young person!“
—Thea, 15-year-old environmental activist and Citizen’s Climate Lobby volunteer
“The Secret of the Catapus is an extraordinary story of love: for the natural world, for standing up for what is right, and for carrying forward a grandparent’s legacy. Ellie is a force, and the town of Whitneyport hums with Down East traditions as it confronts our desperate need for greater ecological responsibility. You’ll have to listen to these whip-smart kids, and you won’t want to leave these waters.”
—Gregory Brown, author of The Lowering Days