The history that Kimmerer wove into the original – including the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania where her grandfather was sent and forced to leave behind his language, culture, family, and the land – is another illuminating element Smith gave emphasis to. just put it out in another way where it’s really forefront.” “The social-emotional learning and intelligence has always been in the manuscript. “When the reader opens, it’s almost like they enter a graphic novel,” she says. Smith believes the illustration will prepare the reader’s heart to be engaged. This black-and-white illustration is one of many that appear throughout the book, each with hidden details for the discerning eye. “Instead, I kept saying, what we’re saving for people when they read the original manuscript.”īraiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (Zest Books, out now) combines parts from its predecessor with a number of new additions including quotes, definitions, reflection questions, calls to action, and an introductory section entitled “Meeting Sweetgrass” that features the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe story of Skywoman Falling, illustrated by Neidhardt. “I couldn’t say, I’m going to cut this and cut that, because that felt very disrespectful to Robin and her writing,” Smith says. Smith, an award-winning children’s author, had to strike the perfect balance between the three strands that make up the book – Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and teachings of the plants – using only a third of the word count of the original. publisher Milkweed Editions’ most popular book to date, was written by Kimmerer in “response to the longing in Indigenous communities that our philosophy and practices be recognized as guidance to get us back on the path of life.” With 132 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, its message of building a reciprocal relationship with all living beings has resonated deeply with readers. I was terrified, excited, and full of love to be able to illustrate it.”īraiding Sweetgrass, which has become U.S. “It’s a special, beautiful book that does such a good job sharing a lot of the commonalities in Indigenous knowledge, especially plant knowledge. Nicole Neidhardt, colleague, friend, and illustrator of the book, shared the sentiment. “What an immense responsibility to take what is a sacred text and be a bridge to make it available and accessible to young adults.” “What a blessing to work on this project,” recalls Smith. So, when Smith was asked to adapt Braiding Sweetgrass for young-adult readers, she was filled with tremendous gratitude. When Monique Gray Smith first read Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer in 2015, she could only read a couple pages at a time before having to put it down and “let everything find its rightful place.”
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