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Parents' Guide to

The Barren Grounds: The Misewa Saga, Book 1

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Exciting, emotional quest of foster kids in fantasy world.

book cover The Barren Grounds, with children and animal beings in winter landscape

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David A. Robertson's lively fantasy steeped in Indigenous tradition, mythic struggle, and righting wrongs takes two Cree foster kids through a portal to a world where it's always winter. As they navigate The Barren Grounds with forest animal companions, Morgan and Eli form a strong bond and find new strength as they struggle to defeat a villain and restore nature's life-sustaining balance. There's tragedy along the way, and trauma, as characters -- nuanced, imperfect, and mostly doing their best -- recall their past. But the exciting, heart-filled first installment reaches a satisfying conclusion while leaving much to unfold in future books.

Book Details

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