Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Wall Kimmerer, Robin. Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. 2013. 341p. ISBN 9781571313355.

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and Indigenous wisdom. Drawing upon her dual perspectives as both a scientist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer explores the interconnectedness of all living beings. She argues that a deeper understanding of the natural world necessitates a respectful and reciprocal relationship with plants and animals, recognizing them as our teachers and acknowledging the profound gifts they offer.

Kimmerer emphasizes the importance of listening to the languages of other beings, whether through scientific observation or through the traditional knowledge passed down through generations. By cultivating a reciprocal relationship with the earth, she argues, we can move beyond a purely utilitarian view of nature and embrace a more sustainable and harmonious coexistence with the natural world. Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults is a powerful and insightful exploration of ecological awareness, offering a profound and inspiring vision for a more just and sustainable future.

The Way of the Gardener: Lost in the Weeds Along the Camino de Santiago

Penner, Lyndon. The Way of the Gardener: Lost in the Weeds Along the Camino de Santiago. 2021. 224p. ISBN 9780889777835.

One of the most famous walking trek in the world is the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James. Though made up of many different roads that all lead to the Cathedral of Santiago, the most famous path is the French Way, which starts in St. Jean, on the French side of the Pyrennes, and then cross into Spain on a 800 kilometer walk. Pilgrims from all over the world accomplish this walk for various reasons: as a test of faith, as a spiritual journey, or as a feat of endurance and strength. 

Penner, who is well known for his gardening chronicles on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, walked the entire length of the Camino with a friend, observing people and nature along the way. Focused on the plants he encountered, Penner describes the northern part of Spain in term of its ecology and the impact human activity had on plants such as olive groves and chestnut trees. Along the way, Penner encounters difficulties but meets wonderful people, eats good food, and enjoys nature. 

Those looking for a challenge or those who enjoy hiking will appreciate this of the beaten path memoir and will long to follow in Penner's footsteps and discover for themselves this amazing path.

Brian's Winter

 Paulsen, Gary. Brian's Winter. Book 3 of Brian's Saga. 1996. 144p. ISBN 9780440227199.

What if, in Hatchet, Brian had in fact not been rescued by the end of the summer? What if he had to spend the winter in the wilderness? In Brian's Winter, this is exactly what happens. As summer days slowly go by, Brian at first does not notice that the days are getting shorter and the temperature cooler. But one morning, when he wakes up shivering and able to see his breath, he suddenly realizes he will have to content with the unforgiving winter without any cold gear.

His first order of business is to make his shelter as weatherproof as possible. With too much of a draft, he will need significantly more firewood than if he uses mud to seal all the cracks. Then there's the question of clothing. His t-shirt, pants, and sneakers will not be enough to survive the drop in temperature. He will need to salvage furs, and sew his own clothing with rabbit and deer pelts to resist the below freezing weather. Finally, he will need food. Lots and lots of food. With the lake freezing, Brian is not able to fish, so he must quickly find a new source of food. Using his ingenuity and his creativity, Brian builds arrows and a better bow, able to take down bigger game. Which is a good thing, because the wolves are sniffing on the border of his land, and bears don't care about borders at all. 

With night getting longer, Brian abandons all hopes of rescue, and instead focuses on surviving a winter in the wilderness. Will the lessons learned during the summer in Hatchet be enough for him to make it through?

The Book of Eels

Svensson, Patrick. The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World. 2020. 241p. ISBN 978-0-06-296881-4. Available at 597 SVE.

Eels are some of the most mysterious creatures in the animal world. Born (we think) in the Sargasso Sea, they drift, translucent, at the mercy of currents that carry them all the way to North America and Europe, where they transform into glass eels, before moving out of the ocean into rivers and lakes. They then stay there for years, even decades, hunting, eating, and lurking in the depths and the mud. Eventually, something triggers them to transform once again, leave their home and return to the ocean, to then travel back to the Sargasso Sea to breed and die. At least that's what we think happens, as we've never caught a live eel or see them breed. 

In this philosophical discussion about eels and transformation, Svensson weaves the story of his family with the story of the knowledge we have about eels, from Aristotle to the most recent efforts in 2018 to determine the causes of the precipitous decline of the eel population. From transformation to mysteries, the eel remains as elusive today as it was thousands of years ago. This is a book that will make you think about life and some of the enduring secrets that remain to be discovered, provided that we have enough time to do so before we inflict the greatest mass extinction the world has ever known.

Look to the Mountain

 Cannon, LeGrand. Look to the Mountain. 2016. 496p. ISBN 978-1-58157-365-7. Available at FIC CAN on the library shelves.

Whit and Melissa live in Kettleford, New Hampshire, in the late 1760s. Although settled for many years, Kettleford retains the feel of a frontier town. Whit is the son of a local farmer who prefers the rum bottle to hard work. Melissa is the daughter of the local inn keeper, and one of the few eligible women in the village. Whit has had his eye on Melissa for a long time, but so has Joe the Portugese, a sailor from Europe who bought the smithy when its former proprietor retired.

A contest to see who could hay the most grass for the honor of courting Melissa is organized, and despite Joe's underhanded tactics and physical attack on Whit, the young man manages to hay the most. Desiring a better life for himself and for Melissa, Whit takes off not long after to explore settling possibilities in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He soon locates a good spot in the new township of Tamworth, builds a lean-to, and after having made friends with residents of Sandwich, the township next to Tamworth, he returns to Kettleford.

Meanwhile, Melissa, who had been left behind, feels Whit's absence more with every passing day. Joe still lurks in the background, and her father decides to marry her to Joe while Whit is gone. Whit returns just in time, and the happy couple is united in marital bliss and leaves the next day to make the trek to their new land.

Populated with remarkable characters, Look to the Mountain nevertheless manages to throw most of its focus on Whit and Melissa's struggle to survive at the base of Mount Chocorua as they pioneer the opening of the Tamworth township. Encompassing part of the early history of New Hampshire and of the nascent United States, the book is short on dialog (as if people were of few words back in those days) but rather filled with description of the environment in which Whit and Melissa live. Slowly over the course of years they manage to tame and conquer their small corner of the world, building a life for them, their children, and their friends.

Fans of historical fiction will appreciate the details that craft an amazing tale first told in 1942 and republished many times since.

Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance

Drake, Jane and Ann Love. Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance. 2017. 88p. ISBN 978-1-55451-961-3. Available at 639.9 DRA on the library shelves.

Humans have not been a boon to the environment. During our history we have caused mass extinction and wrought hectic climate changes. Animals that used to roam freely in expansive plains or dwell in forests larger than many countries now find themselves concentrated in small preserves, stuck in zoos, or endangered due to the lost of habitat. Plants that used to dot the landscape are plowed under or destroyed by human activity. Belatedly, we realized that along with causing this destruction, we could attempt to engineer our way out by rewilding both areas and animals.

The concept of rewilding is simple. It involves recreating habitats to their optimum natural state so that the animals and plants that live there have a fighting chance at remaining wild and live their lives. Throughout the world, there are several important efforts at rewilding areas, not only out in the wilderness, but even in cities. Success stories, such as the resurgent eagle population and the growing wolf presence in Yellowstone suggest that more could be done to help endangered species. Rewilding can help humans prevent more animals and plants going extinct and preserve the biodiversity that ultimately keep us and our planet alive.

Night Wings

Bruchac, Joseph. Night Wings. 2009. 194p. ISBN 978-0-06-112318-4. Available at FIC BRU on the library shelves.

When thirteen-year-old Paul’s mother, a U.S. army soldier, ships out to Iraq to join her military husband, Paul has to go live with his Abenaki grandfather, Peter. Once a Marine himself, Peter is steeped in the ways of the Abenaki and knows the White Mountains of New Hampshire like the back of his hands. A man of few words, grandpa Peter has taught Paul how to respect and survive the forest, and how to live the ways his ancestors did.

Shortly after his arrival in the White Mountains, Paul is surprised to receive the visit of two goons. One of them introduces himself as Darby Field the fourth, creator and spokesperson for the Forbidden Mysteries series on television. He asks Peter if he has changed his mind about leading him on an expedition in the mountains to discover Pmola’s treasure. An Abenaki legend, Pmola appears as a large black bird with eyes that resemble very bright red lights that protects the mountains. Peter replies that he in fact did not. Field departs the property, but returns in the night and kidnaps Peter.

Paul, who was under the house at the time, looking for a piece of plywood, escaped but is captured by Field and his crew of three. The party then heads deep inside the White Mountains and hide the van before beginning the long trek to Pmola’s lair. With their lives very much at risk, Paul must follow grandpa Peter’s advice learned over many years to survive a powerful enemy and prevent Field from acquiring Pmola’s treasure. Will the way of the ancients be enough to help him?

Set in New Hampshire, this book combines local legends and history with a character very much in touch with nature, himself, and his cultural heritage. A short read, fans of action will enjoy the fast-pace of Night Wings.

Every Hidden Thing

Oppel, Kenneth. Every Hidden Thing. 2016. 361p. ISBN 978-1-48146416-1. Available at FIC OPP on the library shelves.

At the end of the 19th century, the world has just discovered that large reptiles dwelled on the land and in the water millions of years ago. Paleontology is a growing science, and prospectors are scouring the globe for the best specimens of dinosaur fossils. Samuel Bolt’s father is a self-made paleontologist who has already discovered a few species, but he’s always looking for the next big thing. Rachel Cartland’s father is chair of the new paleontology department at Yale, and he also has discovered new species. The two professors positively hate each other, and they are in fierce competition with one another.

When Professor Bolt receives a tooth in the mail the size of a human foot, he knows that it belongs to the largest carnivorous dinosaur ever seen. This tooth represents a financial windfall for whomever finds the body first. Samuel and his father are willing to do anything to be the first ones to dig the fossils of the rex, the king of dinosaur, out of the ground of the Badlands out west.

Unfortunately, Professor Cartland has also heard of this find, and he comes well equipped with an army escort, several students from Yale, and all of the provisions in the closest small town. Samuel and his father only have a few dollars left, no team, and little hope. For Professor Bolt, the rex will cement his legacy as one of the greatest fossils hunter. For Professor Cartland, the rex will provide more funding to his new department. For Samuel, the rex is freedom from his father’s life and making a name for himself. For Rachel, it’s attending university and hunting her own fossils.

As the two fathers scour the hills trying to find the rex, Samuel and Rachel fall in love with each other and decide that they will strike on their own and find it first. But with Sioux warriors ready for a fight, will the rivalry between the two groups keep Rachel and Samuel apart or will they be able to find the rex before their fathers do?

A great love story set among a fierce rivalry in the badlands, fans of historical novels and of dinosaur hunters will enjoy Samuel and Rachel’s tale of searching for the dinosaur that will eventually be named Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Incredible Mollusks

Townsend, John. Incredible Mollusks. 2005. 56p. ISBN 9781410917096. Available at 594 TOW on the library shelves.

Looking for alien lifeforms? Look no further. The second largest type of animals in the world after insects, mollusks can be found in every type of environment, from the jungles of Africa to the deepest reaches of the Pacific. Members of the mollusk family include snails and slugs, sea cucumbers, octopus, and clams. Weird feeding and mating habits are explored, and facts are presented about their defenses and amazing bodies.