Status
Available
Call number
Call number
FIC ROB
Collection
Description
Fantasy. Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Mythology. HTML: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?… (more)
Series
Genres
Publication
Puffin Canada (2021), 240 pages
Original language
English
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member jwyss
I received a free copy of The Great Bear by David A. Robertson in exchange for an honest review.
This is book two of the Misewa Saga and it is not necessary to have the first one to follow the story. However, I now want to read the entire series.
If you enjoy time travel tales like The Lion, Witch,
In present day life, the two have little control over their lives. Both are foster children who are lonely and are now attending a new school where they feel powerless. In the older world, they find themselves. They discover their own personal strengths and insight to indigenous teachings.
Will this their new found strength help them cope with the very real struggles they face back in the contemporary world?
This is book two of the Misewa Saga and it is not necessary to have the first one to follow the story. However, I now want to read the entire series.
If you enjoy time travel tales like The Lion, Witch,
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and Wardrobe or the Whatever After books, this Canadian series is for you. The story has a good coupling of contemporary issues facing our two young indigenous leads with traditional times from the past where they are needed to help protect a village. In present day life, the two have little control over their lives. Both are foster children who are lonely and are now attending a new school where they feel powerless. In the older world, they find themselves. They discover their own personal strengths and insight to indigenous teachings.
Will this their new found strength help them cope with the very real struggles they face back in the contemporary world?
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LibraryThing member ZoharLaor
My kids enjoyed this book very much. I put it in our Little Free Library and it was snatched up within a day
LibraryThing member RooRue
Good Book.
LibraryThing member tellen81
I was sent this book to review. I really didn't care for it. Maybe if I read book one I might have enjoyed this better. The plot and theme are both good. It shows how the 2 worlds compare and how the kids are dealing with the same conflicts and solutions in both worlds at the same time.
LibraryThing member sawilson54
The Great Bear is the second book in the Misewa Saga yet satisfies as a stand-alone. Written by a Cree native it presents indigenous culture from a unique perspective. It explores issues of bullying, fear, identity, and coping with death and suffering, making it appropriate for higher elementary
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and middle school readers. The main characters are strong and tough and great role models for children struggling with difficult family or community dynamics. Show Less
LibraryThing member fionaanne
Robertson writes like a plotter (as opposed to a pantser) which means I'm not in love with his prose but he's done something very clever here and made me fall in love with his plotting. Bring on book three!
Also: I cannot understand why the DDSB banned this (briefly). There's just nothing
Also: I cannot understand why the DDSB banned this (briefly). There's just nothing
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objectionable or risqué in the tale (at least, not any more than other books for this target audience). Show Less
LibraryThing member EfEh
In exchange for a copy of the book, I am offering my honest review. This fantasy novel is a sequel and likely, because of its suspenseful ending, at least part of a trilogy. It is listed as Book Two of the Misewa Saga. The Great Bear is inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia and follows the
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adventures of two indigenous foster children (Eli and Morgan) who travel through a portal to another time. The plot includes sad details such as the bullying that Eli undergoes at school and the emotional turmoil that Morgan faces when given her birth mother's contact information. Are these sad details the motive for some in the Indigenous community of Durham District School Board to try to ban the book? Fortunately, the ban was overturned. A useful and much appreciated glossary/pronunciation guide helps the reader navigate the words written in Swampy Cree. A map helps any reader visualize the adventures that lay ahead as Eli and Morgan travel back to a time when a rampaging bear is young. Anthropomorphism also aids any reader to feel a kinship with the animal friends encountered. While the book is pitched at a young, YA crowd, (readers from grade 3 to 6) it can be appreciated throughout the elementary school grades. David A. Robertson who also wrote the children's book, "When We Were Alone" writes with devotion to make Indigenous children visible in the world of children's literature and for this reason alone I would highly recommend this book! It is a good read and thank goodness the book banning is over! *** Show Less
LibraryThing member chaiteachrepeat
This was an incredibly enjoyable book! I didn't win the first one, so I was a little confused in the beginning, but once the kids were in Misewa it really picked up. I love that this is from Native American children's points of view and the honesty about being the foster system. The main characters
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are lovable, courageous, and show grit in face of adversity. The ending leaves you begging for more. Show Less
LibraryThing member kenagurl
What a phenomenal read. It was a great story and I fell in love with the characters even though I hadn't read the first one yet. I recommend starting at the beginning so that you feel more of the emotion of certain aspects of this adventure and revisiting characters from the first book in this
I received a free copy for my review, but that didn't influence this perspective.
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series. It is probably best for older children or young teens, but I really appreciated it as an adult and was able to finish it quickly. This book is uniquely indigenous in its storytelling, and brings such a fun fantasy perspective to the children's real life experiences. It addresses bullying in a unique and brave way. I received a free copy for my review, but that didn't influence this perspective.
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ISBN
0735266131 / 9780735266131