In the year 1890, from a remote village in the Pacific Northwest, three teen-aged boys undertake a challenge, a rite of passage, to find fifteen "keys" that will help them grow into responsible adults and enable them to return home to become leaders in their community. They face challenging terrain, untamed wilderness, hostile weather, and a host of odd characters, any of which might delay or defeat them in their quest. But each experience has a lesson to teach the boys—a key to their development as young men.

Meanwhile, their cousins, too young to join them on their journey, wait at home, caring for their livestock, learning lessons of their own, and hoping they will see their kindred again. Will the boys be able to surmount their obstacles and return home, or will the dangers they face get the better of them, forever separating them from their families and the community they hoped to serve?

Fifteen Keys is an action-adventure fantasy for middle grade and young teens.