In the book, two Indigenous foster children, Morgan and Eli, find a portal in an unfinished attic bedroom that leads them into another reality, Askí. There, they meet friends and foes, and learn traditional Indigenous modes of survival.
Reception
The Barren Grounds was a CBC Books number one bestseller for children's books for six nonconsecutive weeks,[2] and remained on the list for over a year following publication.[3]
The book was well received by critics, including a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, who highlighted how the novel "deftly and compellingly centers Indigenous culture".[4] Joanne Peters, writing for CM Magazine, "highly recommended" the novel and called it "an amazing book, pulling together diverse strands of ageless mythic traditions and contemporary stories of children who traverse portals in which other times and other worlds intersect." Peters further highlighted how the book "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."[5] According to Publishers Weekly, "the humans’ and animals’ voices are somewhat homogenous". Despite this, they found that "the treatment of Cree culture resonates, and the engaging characters and folklore ensure readers will look forward to the next installment."[6]
CBC Books and Quill & Quirenamed The Barren Grounds one of the best books for young people in 2020.[7][8]NPR's Code Switch team named it one of five underappreciated books published in 2020.[9]
^Peters, Joanne (May 22, 2021). "The Barren Grounds". CM: Canadian Review of Materials. 26 (36). Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
^Grisby Bates, Karen; Meraji, Shareen Marisol; Devarahan, Kumari; Donnela, Leah (December 30, 2020). "Code Switch: The Books That Got Away". NPR.org. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
