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The Dream Keeper Saga #3
Lost in the Caverns
The Dream Keeper Saga, an Adventure Series for Middle-Grade Readers, Continues with Book 3
Twelve-year-old dream keeper Lily McKinley is grieving the death of Prince Pax when, in an instant, he appears by his tomb with a message for her: “Whomever you meet, tell them about what you have seen and heard in this valley. Tell them about what I gave for them, and won for them.” Though she feels her powers weakening, she must embark on a dangerous journey through the Desert of the Forgotten to regain her ability to dream and spread Pax’s message.
This exciting novel, the third book of the Dream Keeper Saga by Kathryn Butler, mixes fantasy with Christian themes, taking middle-grade readers on an adventure steeped in magic, mystery, and glimmers of hope.
Christian Themes: This exciting story invites readers into deep conversations about the gospel and theological issues including sacrifice, salvation, and evangelism
Ideal for Middle-Grade Readers and Families: Includes kids’ favorite fantasy and adventure elements with imaginative new characters and settings
Book 3 in the Dream Keeper Saga by Kathryn Butler
Twelve-year-old dream keeper Lily McKinley is grieving the death of Prince Pax when, in an instant, he appears by his tomb with a message for her: “Whomever you meet, tell them about what you have seen and heard in this valley. Tell them about what I gave for them, and won for them.” Though she feels her powers weakening, she must embark on a dangerous journey through the Desert of the Forgotten to regain her ability to dream and spread Pax’s message.
This exciting novel, the third book of the Dream Keeper Saga by Kathryn Butler, mixes fantasy with Christian themes, taking middle-grade readers on an adventure steeped in magic, mystery, and glimmers of hope.
Christian Themes: This exciting story invites readers into deep conversations about the gospel and theological issues including sacrifice, salvation, and evangelism
Ideal for Middle-Grade Readers and Families: Includes kids’ favorite fantasy and adventure elements with imaginative new characters and settings
Book 3 in the Dream Keeper Saga by Kathryn Butler
432 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2023
25 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Butler
17 books79 followersKathryn Butler (MD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons) is a trauma surgeon turned author and homeschooling mom. Her books Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide on End-of-Life Medical Care, and Glimmers of Grace: A Doctor's Reflections on Faith, Suffering, and the Goodness of God, reflect upon faith and medicine. She is also the author of The Dream Keeper Saga, a middle grade adventure series with Christian themes. She lives in the woods of Massachusetts, where she loves to read stories with her kids, explore the outdoors, and chase dragons from her kitchen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 21, 2024
Lost in the Caverns by Kathryn Butler - Book 3 in The Dreamkeeper Saga - 4 Stars
In this book we continue our adventure with 12 year old dream keeper Lily McKinley as she embarks on a dangerous journey through the Desert of the Forgotten to regain her ability to dream and spread Pax's message. This book continues the themes of fantasy, Christian themes and allegory with mystery throughout the series. The allegory shown relate to the Gospel of Jesus and other theological conversations surrounding sacrifice, salvation and evangelism. This was quite the adventure once again! I had so much fun being back in this world with our characters, as I have had quite the break since book 2.
I love the allegory message of the Gospel of Jesus in this story. We see characters who represent satan as well and the message of what the Lord has done for us is beautifully depicted in this series. If you like stories like Narnia, good versus evil and great Christian allegorical themes - pick this series up. So many great biblical messages where our characters learn from their mistakes, display courage and find the truth.
In this book we continue our adventure with 12 year old dream keeper Lily McKinley as she embarks on a dangerous journey through the Desert of the Forgotten to regain her ability to dream and spread Pax's message. This book continues the themes of fantasy, Christian themes and allegory with mystery throughout the series. The allegory shown relate to the Gospel of Jesus and other theological conversations surrounding sacrifice, salvation and evangelism. This was quite the adventure once again! I had so much fun being back in this world with our characters, as I have had quite the break since book 2.
I love the allegory message of the Gospel of Jesus in this story. We see characters who represent satan as well and the message of what the Lord has done for us is beautifully depicted in this series. If you like stories like Narnia, good versus evil and great Christian allegorical themes - pick this series up. So many great biblical messages where our characters learn from their mistakes, display courage and find the truth.
August 31, 2024
I like this series. Only one thing about it kind of annoys me- it seems like the author is trying too hard to push-no, not push, manifest the allegory. It’s similar to the Chronicles of Narnia, but not quite as good. Despite this, I think it is a good series.
Never underestimate the power of a carrot.
Rated PG for fantasy violence and action.
Never underestimate the power of a carrot.
Rated PG for fantasy violence and action.
September 16, 2024
I love love love Philippe! He is so cute. Also Rowen is amazing!
August 22, 2023
3.5⭐
If you're looking for a clean fantasy series your children, check out the Dreamkeeper Saga. It will keep you entertained with the characrers and action. The beginning was a little slow for me and sometimes felt almost too fast later on in the book. But I did enjoy the characters development and love the themes of faith throughout. My favorite characters in the story happened to be a rabbit and a bat.😍
If you're looking for a clean fantasy series your children, check out the Dreamkeeper Saga. It will keep you entertained with the characrers and action. The beginning was a little slow for me and sometimes felt almost too fast later on in the book. But I did enjoy the characters development and love the themes of faith throughout. My favorite characters in the story happened to be a rabbit and a bat.😍
March 25, 2024
4.75
I read all the DreamKeeper books (except the newest one) a while ago and they just kept getting better and better! Definitely recommend for kids/teens ages 11-15!
Such great redemption and salvation themes and is an amazing fantasy with Christian undertones.
I read all the DreamKeeper books (except the newest one) a while ago and they just kept getting better and better! Definitely recommend for kids/teens ages 11-15!
Such great redemption and salvation themes and is an amazing fantasy with Christian undertones.
March 4, 2025
Likes the characters and how things are described
June 8, 2023
While Adam and Keisha stay in the world they've grown up in, Lily decides she needs to return to the Realm and use her abilities to help fix things that were impacted by the Blight. However, when she gets there, Prince Pax tells her he wants her to do something else. She needs to share with others what she saw and how the Blight was really ended. Lily really would prefer to fix things. But when she agrees to help Isla by watching Rowan, he runs away and Lily is off on an adventure she never expected to parts of the Realm she's never seen before.
This was a harder read than the first two books. That is mostly because of the nature of the challenge Lily is facing. She has to learn to trust Pax even when she doesn't clearly understand where he's telling her to go or what she's supposed to do. So there's no clear cut purpose to the plot at the outset and readers are left to figure out with Lily the purpose of the adventures and where things are headed. It impacts the pacing and drive to read a bit, but the lesson is super relevant to Christian life and figuring out God's leading. So the allegorical bits are done well. Just give yourself more time to read this one. I also found myself rather annoyed by all the people saying "please, please no" whenever bad guys threatened (especially Lily). I get that as humans we have speech habits and in reality someone in a crisis moment would say the words they usually say, but she and others are in so many crises moments it started to grate on my nerves (that might also have been due to the way the audio book narrator said those lines as I listened to much of this). It's a little thing but it did impact my overall feeling for the book. I still think the series as a whole is one of the best allegorical fantasies I've seen enter the middle grade scene from a Christian author in quite a while.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are many perilous situations and some creatures are suffering. It is implied that bad guys are killing others. I don't remember any death on page, but there are battles. Magic is involved so some injuries can be magically fixed pretty quick.
This was a harder read than the first two books. That is mostly because of the nature of the challenge Lily is facing. She has to learn to trust Pax even when she doesn't clearly understand where he's telling her to go or what she's supposed to do. So there's no clear cut purpose to the plot at the outset and readers are left to figure out with Lily the purpose of the adventures and where things are headed. It impacts the pacing and drive to read a bit, but the lesson is super relevant to Christian life and figuring out God's leading. So the allegorical bits are done well. Just give yourself more time to read this one. I also found myself rather annoyed by all the people saying "please, please no" whenever bad guys threatened (especially Lily). I get that as humans we have speech habits and in reality someone in a crisis moment would say the words they usually say, but she and others are in so many crises moments it started to grate on my nerves (that might also have been due to the way the audio book narrator said those lines as I listened to much of this). It's a little thing but it did impact my overall feeling for the book. I still think the series as a whole is one of the best allegorical fantasies I've seen enter the middle grade scene from a Christian author in quite a while.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are many perilous situations and some creatures are suffering. It is implied that bad guys are killing others. I don't remember any death on page, but there are battles. Magic is involved so some injuries can be magically fixed pretty quick.
April 24, 2023
My daughter is helping out with this review as she has been reading the series! I plan to start this series this summer when we are on summer homeschool break! What is really interesting, fun bit of information, the author was a surgeon who left her career to homeschool and write!
When I received the third book, Lost in the Caverns – The Dream Keeper Saga, I was so excited since I started reading this series a few months ago. Book three was amazing! The author Kathryn Butler puts a Christian type of moral theme in the series. Pax as “God” and Eymah and his minions as “satan”. The children Lily and Rowan as the disciples. When I opened this book up, I loved how it started out at the tomb where Pax had risen and how there is a magical french rabbit that is always hungry coming up. We learn that Isla has a mission, and Lily is stuck with disobeying Rowan, a young boy that is 400 plus years old. Rowan disappears to get something special, but Lily doesn’t know and goes in a panic. They go on a journey through hardships and, in the end, become good friends. She also meets Mattie, Barth’s long-lost daughter. In the end, the good wins, and she goes home.
Kathryn provides a sneak peek about book four, which I can’t wait for! This series is probably among my top favorite series. If you like good verses evil, with a Christian emphasis, similar to Narnia, this series is for you!
When I received the third book, Lost in the Caverns – The Dream Keeper Saga, I was so excited since I started reading this series a few months ago. Book three was amazing! The author Kathryn Butler puts a Christian type of moral theme in the series. Pax as “God” and Eymah and his minions as “satan”. The children Lily and Rowan as the disciples. When I opened this book up, I loved how it started out at the tomb where Pax had risen and how there is a magical french rabbit that is always hungry coming up. We learn that Isla has a mission, and Lily is stuck with disobeying Rowan, a young boy that is 400 plus years old. Rowan disappears to get something special, but Lily doesn’t know and goes in a panic. They go on a journey through hardships and, in the end, become good friends. She also meets Mattie, Barth’s long-lost daughter. In the end, the good wins, and she goes home.
Kathryn provides a sneak peek about book four, which I can’t wait for! This series is probably among my top favorite series. If you like good verses evil, with a Christian emphasis, similar to Narnia, this series is for you!
May 22, 2023
Lost in the Caverns is a children’s Christian action and adventure novel by author Kathryn Butler. It is installment #3 in The Dream Keeper Saga.
Keisha and Adam have gone home, but Lily stayed in the Realm. The prince had fallen, but Lily was determined she would rebuild what the Blight had broken. But, the prince was not forever dead. Lily soon learned the reason she was in the Realm. She was to tell others about the prince and what she had seen.
If Lily McKinley would listen to the shroud it would give her what she wanted. But, should she trust the shroud or the prince?
Lost in the Caverns is a well-written allegory of evangelism, salvation, and sacrifice. I give Lost in the Caverns 5*/5*.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, the Libby app, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Keisha and Adam have gone home, but Lily stayed in the Realm. The prince had fallen, but Lily was determined she would rebuild what the Blight had broken. But, the prince was not forever dead. Lily soon learned the reason she was in the Realm. She was to tell others about the prince and what she had seen.
If Lily McKinley would listen to the shroud it would give her what she wanted. But, should she trust the shroud or the prince?
Lost in the Caverns is a well-written allegory of evangelism, salvation, and sacrifice. I give Lost in the Caverns 5*/5*.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, the Libby app, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
May 20, 2023
I was aware that it was a children's fantasy book before I picked it out. I had not read the two previous books and was bothered by Pax, who at times, was a unicorn, but feel uncomfortable because what Pax said was directly from the Bible. I have always loved Unicorns but it made me feel a little weird.
I did read all of it but I also got exhausted by the constant perils that were one after another. I needed some rest and deep contemplation after all those action scenes.
The characters were cleverly done, but I did crave a message more subtly told. It does not help when know exactly what Pax would say before he said it. The characters are fine, I just wanted them to have the same message but handled differently. I did like that Lily rode on the dragonfly and that when she saw a big ugly creature she waited before forming an immediate opinion and became emphatic.
I did read all of it but I also got exhausted by the constant perils that were one after another. I needed some rest and deep contemplation after all those action scenes.
The characters were cleverly done, but I did crave a message more subtly told. It does not help when know exactly what Pax would say before he said it. The characters are fine, I just wanted them to have the same message but handled differently. I did like that Lily rode on the dragonfly and that when she saw a big ugly creature she waited before forming an immediate opinion and became emphatic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2024
I got so lost in Lost in the Caverns that I found myself staying up until 3 am to finish it! I simply swallowed it up in a single day, so fun and exciting is Butler's adventure story!
As with the previous two books, Butler weaves in many positive and biblical messages. The characters, between mistakes, learn selflessness, courage, a love for truth, and faith in a Prince whose plan is different than theirs. The beautiful and subtle incorporations of Christian messages is one of my favorite aspects of the book, and adds so much depth and meaning.
Overall, this is so far my favorite Dream Keeper book. It is exciting and surprising, full of relatable characters navigating a broken yet beautiful world. I highly recommend this book, and eagerly await the fourth!
As with the previous two books, Butler weaves in many positive and biblical messages. The characters, between mistakes, learn selflessness, courage, a love for truth, and faith in a Prince whose plan is different than theirs. The beautiful and subtle incorporations of Christian messages is one of my favorite aspects of the book, and adds so much depth and meaning.
Overall, this is so far my favorite Dream Keeper book. It is exciting and surprising, full of relatable characters navigating a broken yet beautiful world. I highly recommend this book, and eagerly await the fourth!
October 6, 2025
Wish I could give 3.5, but I'm rounding down on this one. I enjoyed the first 2 books of the series, but this one was difficult for me to find the motivation to finish, I guess I wasn't as interested. It felt like the story dragged out a bit more and took longer to accomplish the storyline. I do enjoy the biblical parallels, but sometimes I wish there was either more of an actual storyline with Pax instead of him showing up at the beginning or end of the story. Regardless, still a good series and I plan on reading the 4th book.
April 24, 2024
My least favourite of the series so far. It felt disjointed and like it was trying to go too many directions in one book... Also, maybe it's the reader, but Lily's voice is grating—she whines a lot, asks for help in the heat of the moment but does her own thing the rest of the time, etc. (Hmm, now that I think of it, that sounds like someone I know all too well...)
I may read the fourth book, but not right now. I have too many other interesting books on my plate.
I may read the fourth book, but not right now. I have too many other interesting books on my plate.
December 18, 2024
I am thoroughly enjoying this series! It has become part of my nightly routine before bed, and when this series is over I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. The characters have been so magical. Lilly is the ride or die everyone needs in their life! There are new characters introduced in every book with their own full back story, and when it ends, you wish you could move on with some of the side characters as well! We are gonna need more from this world! PLEASE!
October 12, 2025
It turns out the point is that Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose from the grave and we should tell others that message. At least that’s what Kathryn Butler believes. I think she’s right.
So much could be said about this series. With allegories that make the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe look subtle, the beauty of the series is found in the truth of these allegories.
I always question these books in the beginning, but Butler always seems to bring me back at the end.
So much could be said about this series. With allegories that make the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe look subtle, the beauty of the series is found in the truth of these allegories.
I always question these books in the beginning, but Butler always seems to bring me back at the end.
September 11, 2024
My girls are enjoying these. I’d give this one 3.5 stars. Stronger ending than beginning. Too heavy on the allegory at times. But the character development is getting better.
It’s a heart warming story of young girl learning to trust.
It’s a heart warming story of young girl learning to trust.
December 8, 2025
I think this book was my favorite in the series so far. This is a great series for younger kids who like fantasy And it's also great for parents who want to relate things to biblical principles as they read with their kids.
August 12, 2023
Loved the first two! Took a little longer for me to get into this one, but I did enjoy it!
October 24, 2023
3.5
Read it with Elsa. We enjoyed the story and its sweet gospel themes. At times I found it needlessly wordy yet it was still good fun!
Read it with Elsa. We enjoyed the story and its sweet gospel themes. At times I found it needlessly wordy yet it was still good fun!
December 23, 2023
Great read aloud. Can't wait for the next one!
January 9, 2024
Now that the world is built, the series keeps getting better. Although they did spend a lot of time underground
February 12, 2024
All three of these books have a point about halfway that tempt me to put them down...but now I know the ending makes it all worth it. A fun series.
July 15, 2024
The silver chair of the series (iykyk)
Want to read
March 11, 2025A
April 22, 2025
Now both my girls are caught up and we all read the last chapter together. WOW. So much adventure in this series! We love it!
May 17, 2025
Great!
November 21, 2025
Loved every second, a lot of twists and turns that we're unexpected. I wasn't sure when I he villains were going to show up at one moment or who they were the next. Exceptional writing!
December 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 14, 2025
It was wonderful! I love this series! The books keep getting better and better! 😃 😁😃
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews