The Barren Grounds

This book is on the 21-22 Great Stone Face list.  It is a fantasy story set in a parallel universe named Misewa.  Two First Nation native children, being raised by white foster parents in Canada, discover a portal in the attic.  Through it they saw a frozen landscape and a creature - a walking fisher cat who looked menacing.  When Eli goes through the portal, Morgan has to go help him.  They are saved by the creature and told of the history of that world.  A human man also used the portal years ago to travel to that world and took all he could from the land.  He stole the Green Time and left them to deal with the White Time without food.  The children, longing to connect with their Native identities, decide to help Ochek find the man and restore the Green Time and save his world.  This is the first in the series - a great adventure story which highlights Native American culture and struggles. A moral about white man's raping of the Earth and native culture are obvious, as is the message to Natives to remember who they are. (FIC ROB)