Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults

This young adult adaptation of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s bestselling book Braiding Sweetgrass, adapted by Monique Gray Smith, blends Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge to explore our relationship with the natural world. Kimmerer, a botanist and Citizen Potawatomi Nation member, views plants and animals as our oldest teachers. Through stories rooted in her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, she shows how listening to beings like strawberries, water lilies, and lichen can teach us about the earth’s generosity and how we can offer our own gifts in return.

This edition for young readers includes informative sidebars, reflection questions, and illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt. It emphasizes that deeper ecological understanding comes from honoring our reciprocal relationship with the earth, ultimately helping us find a more complete sense of place and purpose.