The Barren Grounds is set in early November in Winnipeg and is about two Cree foster children--thirteen-year-old Morgan and twelve-year-old Eli.
The Barren Grounds
David A Robertson
an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers
2020
Morgan has been in a string of seven foster homes since she was about three-years-old. She remembers very little about her life before foster care.
'"All I know is that my mom didn't want me."' (p. 13)
And it has taken an emotional toll on her.
'What's there about me for anybody to like? What do I even like about myself?' (p. 34)
After giving Morgan a gift of moccasins to celebrate her fourth month anniversary of being in his care, her white foster father James tells her: '"We don't want you to feel disconnected from your culture."'
Morgan: '"I don't even know my culture."'
Eli: '"Who you are is still inside you."' (p. 52)
Eli has been living with Morgan, in foster care, for a week. Eli remembers his Cree culture; he still speaks the 'good words'--Swampy Cree. Can Eli lead Morgan back to her culture?
David A Robertson took inspiration from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in his exploration of the foster system. The result--an unputdownable book.
Difficult-to-love Morgan never-the-less wiggled her way into my heart from page one. She's a relatable character who grows through the course of the story.
Courageous Morgan and compassionate Eli's journey has just begun. The Barren Grounds is the first book in the series.
Author Pam Withers' interview with David A Robertson
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Dispatch, Hatch, Patch--2021 Manuscript Progress Report
