The Barren Grounds

The Misewa Saga, Book One

Look inside
Hardcover
$17.99 US
5.82"W x 8.53"H x 0.95"D  
On sale Sep 08, 2020 | 256 Pages | 9780735266100
Grade 5 & Up
Reading Level: Lexile 680L | Fountas & Pinnell W
Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in an epic middle grade fantasy series from award-winning author David Robertson.

Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything -- including them.
© Amber Green
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including the two Governor General Literary Award—winning picture books On the Trapline and When We Were Alone, both illustrated by Julie Flett. He also wrote The Song That Called Them Home, a picture book illustrated by Maya McKibbin. His middle-grade fantasy series, The Misewa Saga, have received great acclaim and award attention. A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For more information, visit his website, www.darobertson.ca, and follow him on Twitter @DaveAlexRoberts. View titles by David A. Robertson
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Surrey Schools Book of the Year
  • LONGLIST | 2022
    First Nations Communities Read Award
  • SELECTION | 2022
    YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Rocky Mountain Book Award
  • AWARD | 2021
    Freedom to Read
  • HONOR | 2021
    USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Panda Book Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    National Chapter IODE Violet Downey Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
  • FINALIST | 2021
    Diamond Willow Award
  • SELECTION | 2021
    Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Silver Birch Award for Fiction
  • FINALIST | 2020
    Governor General’s Literary Award - Young People’s Literature - Text
A 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People's Literature Nominee
One of Quill & Quire's Best Books of 2020
Recommended by booksellers on NPR's Code Switch
One of CBC Books' Best Middle-Grade and Young Adult Books of 2020
One of Canadian Children's Book News’ Best Books of 2020
A CBC Books Bestseller

PRAISE FOR The Barren Grounds:

"This middle-grade fantasy deftly and compellingly centers Indigenous culture." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

“[T]he treatment of Cree culture resonates, and the engaging characters and folklore ensure readers will look forward to the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly

“This is a book that is rich in its characterization, evocative in its descriptions, and skillful in its weaving together of traditions of the past and life in the present.”CM Magazine

“Reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories, this fantasy is very much its own tale of ruptured Indigenous culture, of environmental reciprocity and care.” —Toronto Star

The Barren Grounds has a strong message about living with the earth and not taking more than you need.”Toronto Public Library

"David A. Robertson has written such a fine, beautiful novel. He manages to combine hard truths about our history with a Narnia-like fantasy, sweeping us into the world of the story while opening our hearts as well." —Susin Nielsen, author of We Are All Made of Molecules and No Fixed Address

About

Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in an epic middle grade fantasy series from award-winning author David Robertson.

Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything -- including them.

Author

© Amber Green
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including the two Governor General Literary Award—winning picture books On the Trapline and When We Were Alone, both illustrated by Julie Flett. He also wrote The Song That Called Them Home, a picture book illustrated by Maya McKibbin. His middle-grade fantasy series, The Misewa Saga, have received great acclaim and award attention. A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For more information, visit his website, www.darobertson.ca, and follow him on Twitter @DaveAlexRoberts. View titles by David A. Robertson

Awards

  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Surrey Schools Book of the Year
  • LONGLIST | 2022
    First Nations Communities Read Award
  • SELECTION | 2022
    YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Rocky Mountain Book Award
  • AWARD | 2021
    Freedom to Read
  • HONOR | 2021
    USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Panda Book Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    National Chapter IODE Violet Downey Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
  • FINALIST | 2021
    Diamond Willow Award
  • SELECTION | 2021
    Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2021
    Silver Birch Award for Fiction
  • FINALIST | 2020
    Governor General’s Literary Award - Young People’s Literature - Text

Praise

A 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People's Literature Nominee
One of Quill & Quire's Best Books of 2020
Recommended by booksellers on NPR's Code Switch
One of CBC Books' Best Middle-Grade and Young Adult Books of 2020
One of Canadian Children's Book News’ Best Books of 2020
A CBC Books Bestseller

PRAISE FOR The Barren Grounds:

"This middle-grade fantasy deftly and compellingly centers Indigenous culture." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

“[T]he treatment of Cree culture resonates, and the engaging characters and folklore ensure readers will look forward to the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly

“This is a book that is rich in its characterization, evocative in its descriptions, and skillful in its weaving together of traditions of the past and life in the present.”CM Magazine

“Reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories, this fantasy is very much its own tale of ruptured Indigenous culture, of environmental reciprocity and care.” —Toronto Star

The Barren Grounds has a strong message about living with the earth and not taking more than you need.”Toronto Public Library

"David A. Robertson has written such a fine, beautiful novel. He manages to combine hard truths about our history with a Narnia-like fantasy, sweeping us into the world of the story while opening our hearts as well." —Susin Nielsen, author of We Are All Made of Molecules and No Fixed Address

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more