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The Secret-Keeper
In the village of Maldinga, anyone troubled by a secret knows just where to take it—by following the winding path through the woods to Kalli's cottage. Tailors and farmers, marriage-makers and bakers—almost everyone comes to see Kalli, for she is the village secret-keeper, and over the years she has stored hundreds of secrets. But one long winter, Kalli falls ill, and the weight of the hidden secrets begins to catch up with her. Spring brings the curious villagers, who wonder what ails their secret-keeper. The time has come for them to help Kalli and for her to learn some unexpected secrets. Is it possible not all secrets are sad? And could someone have a secret that's just for Kalli?
An original fairy tale as beautifully illustrated as it is told, The Secret-Keeper is a book to share with everyone.
An original fairy tale as beautifully illustrated as it is told, The Secret-Keeper is a book to share with everyone.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2006
149 people want to read
About the author
Kate Coombs
35 books52 followersI was born in Spokane, Washington, but I spent most of my childhood in Camarillo, California, which is about an hour's drive north of Los Angeles. Whenever possible as a child, I read books—books, books, and more books. The rest of the time I rode my bike with my sister, Loni, or looked after my little brother and sister. Sometimes we went to the movies at an old theater we called "The Sticky Theater" because there was always soda spilled on the floor. I was already a fan of fairy tales and comedy, so it shouldn't surprise you to hear that my favorite movie when I was a child was Snow White and the Three Stooges.
I began writing stories, poems, and plays in grade school. For the plays, I would write myself parts like The Glorious Queen and my sister parts like The Quiet Servant Girl. She was a pretty good sport about it!
When I was a teenager, I played bells in the marching band and oboe in the concert band. For a while I wanted to be a concert oboist. I even learned to cut and tie my own double reeds, a tricky task. Next I dreamed of becoming an artist. But once I got to college and started studying art, my first love—books—came back and grabbed me, so I ended up majoring in English. I eventually worked as a college writing teacher, an editor of coffee table books and technical manuals, and a grade school teacher. I later worked as a home teacher, driving around Los Angeles to teach seriously ill students. I've been teaching on and off for years, instructing students in every single grade from K-13, kindergarten to college!
While I was teaching, I was also writing stories in my free time. I wrote a lot of stories, which gave me practice and helped me become a better writer. After a while I started sending my stories to publishers, asking to have them made into books for kids. It took a long time, but eventually my dreams came true—now I'm a published writer!
Six Fun Facts
My dad used to call me Kate the Great.
I was once attacked by a monkey.
When I see a dry leaf on the sidewalk, I go out of my way to step on it and hear the crunch.
I have six brothers and sisters. We're all adopted and from four different ethnic backgrounds.
I can flicker my nostrils really well.
My favorite color is the blue-green at the top of an ocean wave when it catches the light just before it falls.
I began writing stories, poems, and plays in grade school. For the plays, I would write myself parts like The Glorious Queen and my sister parts like The Quiet Servant Girl. She was a pretty good sport about it!
When I was a teenager, I played bells in the marching band and oboe in the concert band. For a while I wanted to be a concert oboist. I even learned to cut and tie my own double reeds, a tricky task. Next I dreamed of becoming an artist. But once I got to college and started studying art, my first love—books—came back and grabbed me, so I ended up majoring in English. I eventually worked as a college writing teacher, an editor of coffee table books and technical manuals, and a grade school teacher. I later worked as a home teacher, driving around Los Angeles to teach seriously ill students. I've been teaching on and off for years, instructing students in every single grade from K-13, kindergarten to college!
While I was teaching, I was also writing stories in my free time. I wrote a lot of stories, which gave me practice and helped me become a better writer. After a while I started sending my stories to publishers, asking to have them made into books for kids. It took a long time, but eventually my dreams came true—now I'm a published writer!
Six Fun Facts
My dad used to call me Kate the Great.
I was once attacked by a monkey.
When I see a dry leaf on the sidewalk, I go out of my way to step on it and hear the crunch.
I have six brothers and sisters. We're all adopted and from four different ethnic backgrounds.
I can flicker my nostrils really well.
My favorite color is the blue-green at the top of an ocean wave when it catches the light just before it falls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 26, 2013
Beautiful. I cried. It was only one little tear, but then again, I was at work. Who knows what would've happened if I'd been at home.
April 21, 2023
This book about a female, fairytale Frank Warren remains one of my favorite books in the world.
November 26, 2016
This original, haunting story features a woman who is charged with keeping the secrets of the inhabitants of her little village. How or why she has this task is not stated (and these questions haunted me a little because this is such a weird kind of burden. It smacks of a kind of witchcraft and I’ve seen the like of it in only one other kind of story.).
In any case, Kalli is young, beautiful and her face, rounded like a moon, beams with a kind of inner contentment…until the story takes a darker turn. The denouement is a tender surprise, proving that not all secrets are terrible ones.
Delicate watercolor illustrations illuminate this story, with occasional bursts of warm and cool colors. The villagers are a varied lot with plain, baggy clothing that does little to distinguish one from the other. (Even the rich farmer is no better dressed than any of the others.) But it’s a sweet child’s story, deserving to be read aloud, and may prompt its listeners to share their own secrets.
In any case, Kalli is young, beautiful and her face, rounded like a moon, beams with a kind of inner contentment…until the story takes a darker turn. The denouement is a tender surprise, proving that not all secrets are terrible ones.
Delicate watercolor illustrations illuminate this story, with occasional bursts of warm and cool colors. The villagers are a varied lot with plain, baggy clothing that does little to distinguish one from the other. (Even the rich farmer is no better dressed than any of the others.) But it’s a sweet child’s story, deserving to be read aloud, and may prompt its listeners to share their own secrets.
October 24, 2011
Kalli is the secret-keeper for her village. When someone wants to get something off their mind, they tell it to Kalli and the secret turns into a small object, which she keeps in her cottage. But she grows ill from the burden of so many dark secrets. Fortunately the villagers figure out a beautiful way to keep their secret-keeper in good health.
I really liked this book. Great story, beautiful pictures.
I really liked this book. Great story, beautiful pictures.
May 5, 2021
A nice selection for a secondary school picture book collection for literary analysis. Very sweet story about the need for interpersonal relationships and positivity. Loaded with figurative language and many other poetic devices.
March 16, 2021
This heartfelt picture book will want you to have more pages! The protagonist, Kalli, is known as the secret-keeper in a village called Maldinga. Kalli is burdened by keeping negative secrets, which eventually turns her ill from carrying such a burden. That is the climax of this story. Secrets are the only time most villagers cared to talk to Kalli, but not Taln. Kalli and Taln are the main characterization, but other villagers are included as they share their secrets to Kalli. When Kalli turns ill, the villagers decide to gather in the setting of her home. They shared happy secrets with Kalli, allowing her to feel better!
Such a happy ending and makes me feel for the main character, Kalli as oftentimes, humans put so much burden on themselves to help others, they forget about their own well-being. This book definitely teaches to look out for people you love!
Such a happy ending and makes me feel for the main character, Kalli as oftentimes, humans put so much burden on themselves to help others, they forget about their own well-being. This book definitely teaches to look out for people you love!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2019
This book is about the Kalli a secret keeper in the village of Maldinga. Kalli is the one that the villagers tell their bad secrets to and she keeps them stowed away. One day Kalli started to feel ill and the villagers started to get worried because they didn’t have anyone to tell their secrets to, so they went to find her. When they found her she was very ill and a little boy suggested that they tell her and the other villagers their good secrets. Kalli started to feel better and people of the village started to share secrets with each other and Kalli. This book is a very good story and has a message of not keeping your secrets to yourself, but instead to share them out no matter if it is good or bad. I would recommend this book to fourth and fifth graders.
December 20, 2017
Coombs, Kate The Secret-keeper, PICTURE BOOK Simon Schuster –
Kalli has been hearing and keeping the villagers’ secrets for years, but is made sick by the burden during one long winter. The villagers find a way to ease her heart and help her recover her spirit. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this picture book as a rip off of Sharon Shinn’s Safe-keeper’s Secret, though at the beginning the similarities are a bit irksome. Instead, enjoy this sweet little book that is so full of hope. Can anyone think of a way this would be useful in a secondary classroom?
EL – ADVISABLE
Kalli has been hearing and keeping the villagers’ secrets for years, but is made sick by the burden during one long winter. The villagers find a way to ease her heart and help her recover her spirit. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this picture book as a rip off of Sharon Shinn’s Safe-keeper’s Secret, though at the beginning the similarities are a bit irksome. Instead, enjoy this sweet little book that is so full of hope. Can anyone think of a way this would be useful in a secondary classroom?
EL – ADVISABLE
January 17, 2018
A very sweet little book with interesting illustrations. The main message seems to be that often in life we dwell on bad things, and it does us good to also celebrate positive things, however small. A “count your blessings” sort of message. But for me the deeper meaning was about learning consideration of others. Kalli, the titular character, does a service for her community, for which she is remunerated in goods and sometimes money. But the people she serves do not take her feelings and well-being into consideration until she is ailing and they realize they may lose her.
December 1, 2023
As an adult, I enjoyed this book. But I do not think any child was considered in the making of this book.
It's a nice magical realism short story told using a mixture words and pictures. It belongs in the graphic novel section, but they didn't use paneling, so it got put in the kids' section. Not that there's anything "inappropriate" for kids. And some kids may enjoy it, just like I enjoyed Murder She Wrote when I was 5.
It's just not for kids, imo.
It's a nice magical realism short story told using a mixture words and pictures. It belongs in the graphic novel section, but they didn't use paneling, so it got put in the kids' section. Not that there's anything "inappropriate" for kids. And some kids may enjoy it, just like I enjoyed Murder She Wrote when I was 5.
It's just not for kids, imo.
December 20, 2021
Beautifully illustrated folk-like tale about a woman whose job is to accept secrets from people (which turn into little objects when told) and store them in tiny drawers all over her house.
But what happens when the Secret Keeper is overwhelmed with the winter blues and sickness?
But what happens when the Secret Keeper is overwhelmed with the winter blues and sickness?
March 25, 2018
A book I heavily enjoyed when reading to find a book for storytelling. A bit long for the reading requirement, but wished I could share it.
September 14, 2018
Picture book for older kids. Raises questions about good vs bad secrets & should you keep them?
November 10, 2019
There's more good out there than bad!
May 31, 2022
Stunning illustrations with a beautiful message
August 5, 2014
I loved this book, though I found the subject oddly adult for a children's book. I felt I wanted to share it with other adults rather than children (though my child did like it quite a bit). In this tale, a young woman serves as her village's Secret Keeper. People come and share their secrets with her; the secrets magically turn into objects (a stone, a tin heart) and she keeps them in special drawers. However, over time the isolation (as people are wary of being friends with someone who knows their secrets) and the heaviness of carrying other people's burdens begin to wear on her and she stays in her bed, sick. The village comes together to try and help her, and ultimately two things bring her back to health: one is that everyone shares their happy secrets (which turn into butterflies, rainbows...), and the other is that the potter confesses his love for her.
As a therapist, I felt this book was a wonderful metaphor for the burdens of the therapist role which can lead to burnout. In the end I felt mixed about the outcome: She still carries the weight of the uncomfortable secrets, but each year in the spring the villagers gather to share their happy secrets with her. I wondered whether the villagers could begin to help each other instead - more of a mutual aid model - but this didn't happen. Still, I liked that it brought out some of the important factors in staying energized and motivated to work with people: 1. having your own support network and 2. being able to see and give attention to the resiliency and hope and beauty within the people you work with.
As a therapist, I felt this book was a wonderful metaphor for the burdens of the therapist role which can lead to burnout. In the end I felt mixed about the outcome: She still carries the weight of the uncomfortable secrets, but each year in the spring the villagers gather to share their happy secrets with her. I wondered whether the villagers could begin to help each other instead - more of a mutual aid model - but this didn't happen. Still, I liked that it brought out some of the important factors in staying energized and motivated to work with people: 1. having your own support network and 2. being able to see and give attention to the resiliency and hope and beauty within the people you work with.
October 1, 2011
Kalli is the secret-keeper of her village. People come to her and pay her to keep their secrets. The marriage-maker tells her that she made a bad match. A rich farmer turned away a beggar. A small boy doesn't like his new sister. On and on it goes; day in, day out.
When Kalli fails to emerge from her cottage after winter, a young girl braves the secrets of Kalli's cottage to find her. Kalli is not well. The secrets she is keeping are making her soul hurt. She frets that there are no happy, joyous secrets to keep. The village has gathered and hears her woes. Finally, a young boy comes forward and tells her a happy secret: He's going to be a painter when he grows up. Each person shares a joyous secret until the potter's son is the only one to share a happy secret: He's in love with the secret-keeper.
And they all live happily ever after.
When Kalli fails to emerge from her cottage after winter, a young girl braves the secrets of Kalli's cottage to find her. Kalli is not well. The secrets she is keeping are making her soul hurt. She frets that there are no happy, joyous secrets to keep. The village has gathered and hears her woes. Finally, a young boy comes forward and tells her a happy secret: He's going to be a painter when he grows up. Each person shares a joyous secret until the potter's son is the only one to share a happy secret: He's in love with the secret-keeper.
And they all live happily ever after.
April 7, 2009
This book reminded me of "The Giver." I was a little uncomfortable with the first part of the book where people from the village came and left their dark (not horrible, just dishonesty etc.) secrets with the Secret Keeper. In her hand the secrets would turn into a stone or a tin heart and she would place them in one of the many, many small drawers in her house. After a while she became sick from all of the depressing thoughts she received and people avoided her (as might be expected because she knew the hidden parts of them). When they realize she is sick they all go to help and begin to share happy secrets which turn into beauty like a butterfly, a rainbow, a dragonfly. And, finally the best secret of all from one village member...
June 18, 2010
This is a sweet story about a woman who magically keeps the secrets for the town nearby, turning them into symbolic objects.
Of course, the people gradually become wary of this woman who knows so much about them, and during the winter do not visit at all while she falls badly ill inside her own cottage.
Touchingly, the cure for her disease is to share with her (and everybody else) good secrets, which turn into butterflies and rainbows.
This story is, apparently, on a 4th grade reading level, so it's probably appropriate for the young child who reads well above their grade.
Of course, the people gradually become wary of this woman who knows so much about them, and during the winter do not visit at all while she falls badly ill inside her own cottage.
Touchingly, the cure for her disease is to share with her (and everybody else) good secrets, which turn into butterflies and rainbows.
This story is, apparently, on a 4th grade reading level, so it's probably appropriate for the young child who reads well above their grade.
March 1, 2016
A young woman who lives deep in the woods outside a village is the official secret-keeper. Everyone comes and unloads their deepest, darkest failings and she turns them into little physical objects that she files away. But one winter, the weight of all these secrets is just too much for her and falls very ill.
The one man who hasn't told her a secret comes to her aid and gets all the townsfolk to tell her their happy secrets. The secret-keeper becomes well again, and the tradition of one day in spring bringing all happy secrets to her is born.
Lovely illustrations.
The one man who hasn't told her a secret comes to her aid and gets all the townsfolk to tell her their happy secrets. The secret-keeper becomes well again, and the tradition of one day in spring bringing all happy secrets to her is born.
Lovely illustrations.
January 14, 2010
What a lovely, wonderful story!!! Finding this story was serendipity. I wondered what to share with my students around Valentine's Day and, this afternoon, this book was waiting for me on the floor of the E Section of the library. I plan to use this story much as I did with using the Bottle House story for Earth Day, reading it then asking the students to brainstorm why I chose this story for this holiday. I'll be very curious to see their answers,
May 3, 2007
I've recently begun tearing through a lot of children's picture books, and this one caught my eye. I really liked the central idea, namely that a woman could physically keep the secrets of a village, and the resolution to the inevitable problem. It was an interesting concept, and the pictures were different and gorgeous.
August 4, 2008
This is a beautiful story about how we can't let the negative things in life weigh us down. We also have to focus on the good and beautiful, too, to keep our spirits and bodies healthy and happy. It also shows that we need help from others sometimes, too. This is one of my new favorite children books.
February 5, 2009
This was a wonderful story with lovely illustrations. It tells of a girl chosen or volunteering or somehow assigned to be the village secret-keeper. The people are so grateful for her, as a depository to unload their burdened hearts, but avoid her as the symbol of their guilty doings. the ending is delightful and a great reminder of how our secrets should be good ones, not deep & dark.
December 3, 2009
This fantasy story focuses on a woman who keeps the secrets for residents of a nearby village. The negative secrets become a burden and the townsfolk must figure out a solution to lighten the load for the troubled secret-keeper. Subtleties of the theme may be best understood by developmentally-advanced young readers, but the plot offers messages on several levels.
July 26, 2012
This is a beautiful fairy tale about Kalli, who keeps the secrets of all the villagers. When the weight of all those confessions makes Kalli ill, the villagers come together to help her--and she learns that not all secrets are bad. Some are joyful--and shouldn't be kept secret at all! A lovely love story with wonderful poetic language.
September 7, 2013
this is such a good book. Callie is an amazing character. especially in this book. and keeping secrets, the fact that she got sick because everyone's secrets were not good secrets surprised me. but sence I went over it in my class I understood it more. the end of the book was very surprising, but it was good.
August 25, 2014
God it was almost so good. Cool story, terrible illustrations (seriously, so boring and generic Fantasy), worse ending. So much solid worldbuilding in such a small space wasted on an uninspired happily ever after. I'm not opposed to happily ever afters and this story totally demands one! But the execution was so clumsy that I was almost offended by how bland and boring it was.
December 18, 2015
What a magnificent look at humanity; it's goodness and it's realities. My co-worker, who's an amazing woman herself, recommended this book to me. Wow! Tears of joy by the end of this book, how can you help but fall in love with the story.
As my other co-worker said, it kind of has a "The Giver" (by Louis Lowry) feel to it but a much happier ending.
As my other co-worker said, it kind of has a "The Giver" (by Louis Lowry) feel to it but a much happier ending.
April 30, 2016
This book is almost ... almost a folktale, almost a beautiful story, almost fitting illustrations ... but it falls short in too many ways. Granted, I still need to share this with a child before I give a final rating. I wish the faces weren't so distracting. I always appreciate when people aren't all beautiful, but these faces are awkward.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews