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.

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?

In 1955 Arthur Moffatt led an expedition consisting of young college students and recent graduates to the Inuit lands of Nunavut, Canada, to follow the path of the 1893 Tyrrell expedition and to film and photograph the group's progress. The expedition, a 900-mile epic journey across the Barren Lands of Arctic Canada, has stirred controversy and criticism for over fifty years. The trip has been variously described as "the pioneering venture in modern recreational canoe travel" and as "an excellent example of how not to conduct a canoe trip." Delays took their toll on the adventurers, exhausted by the seemingly endless paddling through unknown rivers and lakes, the trek across the windswept tundra, and torment by voracious insects. Threatened with diminishing food reserves and increasingly harsh weather, the members of the expedition were forced to travel with greater speed and less caution, and ultimately a fatal mistake was made. Two of the canoes capsized, dumping four men into the frigid waters. Moffatt, the leader, died of exposure. It took the survivors ten days of arduous travel with minimum food and equipment to reach the safety of theÊHudson's Bay Company post. Barren Grounds features passages from the journals of two young Moffatt party members and excerpts about the 1893 expedition of Joseph Burr Tyrrell, along with entries from the journal of Art Moffatt himself. Part cautionary tale, part nail-biting adventure, the book will appeal to outdoorsmen and armchair adventurers alike.

The calling card of the killer known as 'The Jeweller' is as elegant as it is gruesome: a pair of ring fingers, separated from their owners, encircled by a band of wire, and delivered directly to Senior Detective Joe Capello. When the Jeweller taunts Joe and his team into meeting him in the diseased grounds of Barren Park, the consequences of that evening will have permanent repercussions for everyone involved. And for Joe, it gets personal Two years later, Joe is off the force, but no less obsessed with the Jeweller and his horrific crimes. When a new parcel arrives at his home, Joe is invited back onto the task force and given the opportunity to redeem himself. But vindication relies on Joe finally capturing The Jeweller and now he has to decide if he's willing to do what it takes – whatever it takes – to finally bring this case to a close.

"Barren Ground" by using Ellen Glasgow is a poignant exploration of the human psyche and the societal expectations that form lives. Glasgow's novel delves into the complexities of circle of relatives, love, and the search for identity inside the rigid confines of early twentieth-century Southern subculture. The narrative unfolds in rural Virginia, that specialize in Dorinda Oakley, a girl trapped in a loveless marriage and burdened by way of societal expectations. As Dorinda grapples with the stifling norms of her surroundings, she undergoes a transformative journey of self-discovery. Glasgow skillfully portrays the tensions between subculture and person dreams, revealing the emotional and psychological toll on her characters. "Barren Ground" is a profound statement on the limitations imposed by using societal norms, specifically on girls, and the consequences of rise up against the ones constraints. Glasgow's narrative fashion is marked via its psychological depth and keen perception into the human situation. Through Dorinda's struggles, the unconventional addresses topics of societal expectancies, gender roles, and the pursuit of personal success. Ellen Glasgow's "Barren Ground" stands as a great painting in American literature, showcasing her capability to dissect the intricacies of human relationships at the same time as imparting a crucial exam of the cultural and societal norms that shape individuals.