Cover Image: The Great Bear

The Great Bear

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Member Reviews

David A Roberts has done it again with The Great Bear. It was so wonderful to journey again with Morgan and Eli and I totally did not predict where this story went. What I loved was that we got to learn more about Morgan and Eli and make a stronger connection with these two. David has a wonderful way of adding elements of Indigenous/Cree teachings. This is what I loved about the first book and it was added in here and I cannot wait for the 3rd instalment. There is so much for the students to discuss and learn from. To me the power of a read aloud is that you take something away and ask questions. Canadian Author, Indigenous histories wrapped in an adventure for all. If you are a middle grade teacher or parent please put this series on your radar and share it with your kids and students!

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC!

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Eli and Morgan have returned home from their first trip to the Misewa, a world that they can only enter through a picture in their attic. They both have to face some tough situations in their real world lives. Eli is being bullied by kids at school for having long hair. Morgan has to decide if she wants to contact her birth mother. To get some help with their problems, they want to return to Misewa and see their friend, Ochek. However, since he died at the end of their last journey, they go back in time to see him again. They find that the world is facing a new threat, so they have to work together to protect their friends.

This was a really good sequel to The Barren Grounds. Since one of Eli’s and Morgan’s friend died at the end of the previous book, they had to travel back in time to see him again. Things weren’t the same in the world as what they remembered, so they had to be careful not to change the future.

Eli and Morgan are both Indigenous foster children. They have to deal with the trauma of their past and figure out how to still honor their heritage while fitting in at school. Eli wore his hair in a braid, but the other children called him a girl. They didn’t understand that it was important to Eli to honor his culture by braiding his hair. Morgan had to make the tough decision of whether to contact her birth mother or not. She has some memories of her from when she was a toddler, but she still feels abandoned. These aspects of the plot will introduce young readers to some of the real problems that Indigenous youth may face today.

The Great Bear was a great sequel! It ended on a cliffhanger that left me with so many questions. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Thank you Puffin Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I finished this a while ago, but misplaced my notes. I kept hoping they would show up, but renovation hell being what it is, I've abandoned that idea.
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the first in the series.
Eli and Morgan travel back to Misewa, only this time, back in time. The Great Bear is a bully who harasses the people there. As they learn how to deal with Bear, they develop skills and strategies for dealing with bullies at school.

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The second of the Misewa Saga picks up where the first one left off. As in the first novel, we are with Morgan and Eli in the earth world, where they are the victims of systemic racism at their school, but do have the support of a good friend, and supportive foster parents. We are also with them in a world that they enter through a portal, Misewa. In the second book their time in Misewa, ends up being a bit about the backstory of some of the events in the first book. Once Morgan and Eli head through the portal they find familiar characters and have to determine how best to help them. In doing so, they also find out how to help themselves as well. The conclusion sets up a third book.

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Although I really liked the plotline of the story, I was not a big fan of this sequel. I found the humour a little forced, the sudden switches of the character's mindsets frustrating, and there was something missing in the richness of the Cree heritage that I felt in the first book. That being said, the first book has been popular in my library so I will likely purchase this book as well.

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The Great Bear is the second book in David A. Robertson’s Misewa Saga. Inspired by Narnia & Cree storytelling, this series is a superb middle grade fantasy that touches on bullying, the foster care system, reconnection with one’s culture, and how to go about living the good life.

This book continues to follow foster siblings Morgan and Eli as they return to Misewa. When they return through the portal, they are transported into the past before the devastation of the White Time from book one, The Barren Grounds. The siblings must find a way to help new and old friends before their time runs out.

This series was a delight to return to and the personal conflicts of both main characters seemed to be written very realistically that I continued to feel emotionally invested in their storylines. There were many valuable teachings throughout the story, along with a ton of pop culture references, particularly Star Wars ones, so obviously, an all the stars in the galaxy rating from me. The ending was left on a cliffhanger and I will be waiting as patiently as I possibly can for the third book.

If you enjoyed the first book, you’ll love the sequel! An absolute must read & a series I will be sharing with my kids once they get closer to middle grade. For now, this series will be living on my bookshelves along with C.S. Lewis & Tolkien because that’s simply where it belongs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. And a standing ovation to Dave for writing a sequel that was even better than the first book. May the force be with you while writing the third book.

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Wow! The Great Bear by @DaveAlexRoberts is excellent! Basically read this is a 24 hr period as it was so hard to put down. I didn't know where this was going to go based on where the previous book ended and I sure couldn't have guessed this!

An amazing adventure for Morgan and Eli where it seems the reader gets to know them even better and care for them a little more. One of the elements I loved were the important Indigenous/Cree teachings. So much for kids to discuss! Loved the connections between home and Misewa. And the ending!!! How long do I have to wait for Book 3 now?!

I don't want to give too much of the actual story away, so I won't say too much about plot, but if you enjoyed the first, this is a must read.

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The Misewa Saga continues in book two as Morgan and Eli continue their adventures, travelling to and fro the portal through the Great Tree. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the e-galley via NetGalley. I was so excited about the sequel as The Barren Grounds is one of my favourite middle grade fantasy novels of 2020. David A. Robertson continues to weave his amazing storytelling in The Great Bear as we learn that Morgan and Eli now have a routine of returning to the Misewa every night. As the two contemplate their feelings of grief and regret, they make the decision to try to time travel to an earlier period of time in the Misewa timeline. While they find themselves successful, and also successfully reunited with an old (but younger) friend, they also promise themselves not to reveal anything that may disturb the timeline. Both Morgan and Eli will find themselves in a position to change and help the current situations, finding both courage and inner strength to do what’s right in the face of fear.

This is such an incredible series and while I am generally not a fan of blatant cliffhangers, I don’t mind the ones for this series. It is a promise of more books and stories to come and I, for one, cannot wait for more Misewa Saga books.

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As a sequel to The Barren Grounds, I have to say The Great Bear did not disappoint. As with The Barren Grounds, I was pulled right (back) into Morgan and Eli’s story, both on Aski and on Earth. Eli’s struggles with bullies at school was realistic and heart wrenching, especially in the scene where he impulsively cuts his braid off. I appreciated that this important storyline of his identity and being bullied was woven in throughout the story, as I feel it’s such an important element. Morgan and Eli had to deal with bullies of one kind of another both on Earth and on Aski. I enjoyed the hints to parts of The Barren Grounds and how links were made between the novels, yet weren’t presented in an obnoxious way. One example that comes to mind is the incident where Arik is learning about driver’s licenses - her knowledge of which was mentioned in The Barren Grounds and now makes more sense!
The development of Morgan and Eli’s characters made sense for the timeline between the two novels - Morgan still struggles with her anger, Eli is still holding on to his past - yet we see changes as they both learn to stand up for themselves and for others. The only part that bothered me was the scene where they are confronting Eli’s bullies close to the end. It read maybe a little too much like a movie trope for me (the crowd quietly gathering at their side, the bullies running away in defeat while the crowd cheers) but the lesson that bullies are cowards is important and the scene likely would be well-received by the younger targeted audience.
As promised, the novel ends with a massive cliffhanger - it will be difficult to wait to find out how their journey continues!
Again, as with The Barren Grounds, Robertson combines an intriguing and inviting storyline with important lessons. This time we learn about staying true to ourselves and not forgetting who we are, as well as standing up for ourselves and those we care about - powerful lessons for middle grade audiences to consider for sure.

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The Great Bear is the second in Robertson’s Misewa Saga series, which is an indigenous Chronicles of Narnia-esque adventure story (with a touch of time travel!). This story picks up where the first left off, with Eli and Morgan, two children that discover that their drawings open a portal from their foster parents’ attic to another world. The world is filled with talking animals that pass on wisdom of living off the land and being in community with each other.

I love all of the characters, and this series is a great alternative to the in-your-face biblical allegory of Narnia, with a world that feels only a moment away and is not dictated by kings and queens. The enemies are more nuanced, and the challenges in the kids’ real lives mirror those that they face in Misewa, while providing a welcome escape. This is a great series for younger readers that crave a cozy adventure and learn a little bit about indigenous practices and values.

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