The Great Bear - (The Misewa Saga) by David A Robertson

About the Book

"In this second book in the Narnia-inspired Indigenous middle-grade fantasy series, Eli and Morgan travel back to Misewa, only to realize they've travelled back farther than expected. At school, Eli is being bullied, and while he tries to hide what's happening to him from Morgan, she knows something is wrong. Morgan herself is also in turmoil when she is given the phone number of her birth mother, and she struggles to know what to do with it. They turn to the place where they know they can learn the most, and make the journey back to the village to visit their anthropomorphic teachers. But things are different than they remember. It's summer, which is to be expected after what they accomplished on their last visit, but it's more than that. Then, they see Fisher as a boy, and realize that they've visited the past. What's more, the village is once again in peril."--

Book Synopsis

In this second book in the Narnia-inspired Indigenous middle-grade fantasy series, Eli and Morgan journey once more to Misewa, travelling back in time.

Back at home after their first adventure in the Barren Grounds, Eli and Morgan each struggle with personal issues: Eli is being bullied at school, and tries to hide it from Morgan, while Morgan has to make an important decision about her birth mother. They turn to the place where they know they can learn the most, and make the journey to Misewa to visit their animal friends. This time they travel back in time and meet a young fisher that might just be their lost friend. But they discover that the village is once again in peril, and they must dig deep within themselves to find the strength to protect their beloved friends. Can they carry this strength back home to face their own challenges?

Review Quotes

A Canadian Children's Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year 2021

"A cliffhanger ending compels a return to this absorbing Indigenous fantasy." --STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

". . . a fantastical feast." --Winnipeg Free Press

About the Author

DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including Governor General's Literary Award winners On the Trapline and When We Were Alone. The Barren Grounds, Book 1 of The Misewa Saga series, was a Kirkus, NPR, and Quill & Quire best middle-grade book of 2020, as well as a USBBY and Texas Lone Star selection. The third book in the series, The Stone Child, was a 2023 co-winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award (Older Category). Winner of the Writers' Union of Canada's Freedom to Read Award, as well as the 2021 Globe and Mail Children's Storyteller of the Year recipient, Dave is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg, Canada. For more information, visit his website: www.darobertson.ca and follow him on X: @DaveAlexRoberts.