A big thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group/Zest Books for the sample. I was disappointed that the sample was literally 7 pages. I don't feel that this is enough to leave a decent review. But, I am voluntarily leaving my thoughts. This seems like it will be a super interesting book. There are photos of the plants but they are in black and white. To me, they are not as effective. Why not in color? It makes identifying plants so much easier to seem in color. My disappointment overrode my interest for now. So for me, this is just 2 stars. I will see if I can get a copy of the entire book and hopefully change my rating.

This book is a must read. I'm going to recommend to everyone I know to be honest. The information is given in a way that is easy to understand. I did enjoy the regular version a bit more than the young adult version.

Having read the original it was refreshing to see this book's focus shift to a younger audience. I think this book should be required reading.

I am excited to see the full version of this! I only marked "no" for the answers because I haven't read the entire book yet. But I love the original Braiding Sweetgrass and I'm excited for the direction the YA edition is taking.

I thought this was a beautiful introduction to this book. I loved how much you could hear the authors voice while reading it. The way she approaches the subject matter is engaging and delightful, while shedding light on how science can still look at problems too narrowly. I thought it was beautifully written and engaging, and It felt like an read that I could easily learn from. I loved how she highlighted her culture and how it was interwoven into how she views science. I think it was well done and easy to follow and great to learn from!

“I was teaching the names of plants but ignoring their songs.”

The author invites us to relate to the natural world as more than objects of study, scores of data. Her experience of listening to native elders and reconnecting to her way of knowing prior to the demands of white colonizer academia extends an invitation to the reader to see, to know, to behold in new and rich ways.

This book is a beautiful adaptation to Robin Wall Kimmerer's book Braiding Sweetgrass. This review is focused only on the sample chapter which is still in the works but is already displaying what a beautiful idea this book will be. I absolutely love the illustrations, particularly the very first one that I assume is from the illustrator Nicole Niedhardt since it does not have a copy right over it, I can imagine these illustrations throughout the book bringing the words to life. The language in the main body of the chapter is at the right level for readers, and paints the story in Braiding Sweetgrass in a chronological way that helps to understand the process the author went through. I really liked the reflection questions throughout the chapter, this is something I would have loved to have as I read through the original Braiding Sweetgrass, it may be good to separate the questions even more and try to only ask one question at a time to allow that time for reflection.

I would like to also provide a couple of comments that could take the book from 4 stars to 5 in my opinion, again since this is a sample chapter I believe some of these changes may already be in the works and just haven't been included in this version yet. The first is to add color to the images, particularly the pictures of the different plants mentioned, so much of Robin's work is a visual creation and for young adults who have not seen these plants in real life having the colored, real images (or botanical illustrations spelling out the different parts of the plant) can help to draw them into this work more. In future chapters, colored images of real baskets and other descriptive objects that Robin mentions would be amazing. Finally, another improvement could be made in the definitions of terms, perhaps they could be expanded upon.

I would look forward to reading the final version of this adaptation. I have a feeling it will be a truly beautiful book given what I've seen in this sample chapter.

I would be very interested in reading the rest of this for it peek an interest in all the horrid things us as humans do to other humans.

What a beautifully engaging chapter! I love the "experiment" text on the side that encourages readers to experience what they're reading. The text is exceptionally well written and poses questions, and allows readers to think and ponder before going into an explanation or answer. I am eagerly anticipating the release of this book! I am also looking forward to the "generational" book studies that this release will allow and encourage around the country.

Not my typically genre but I am glad that I picked this one up, even if it is only a sample. Cannot wait to read the rest of the book.

This is my new favorite book. My heart. My soul. Beautiful. This teaches the young adult the awareness and how to be thankful for the beauty that surrounds us.

This was a sample chapter. The illustrations are clear and the instructions are great. I love the information on the plant. I am looking forward to the entire book. This would be great for a classroom activity.

What a wonderful treasure to have available to younger audiences. There are not enough young adult books of this nature on shelves today. In Addition to the language aimed at young adults, there are actionable questions, intent to help the young, inspired get engaged and interested in the topic. Though this was a NetGalley book with just one chapter presented, I look forward to reading this full book once published.

The original book has been on my to read list for quite some time so being able to read the first chapter of the Young Adult book was a blessing. I loved how the author was able to tie in their personal experiences with plants and carefully give a brief but powerful overview of their journey to connecting with nature. I love that the language is so accessible and that the literature lends itself perfectly to be utilized in academic settings. Will definitely make sure to check in around the release date to give the entire book a read!

From reading the chapter, I can see this being a book for inquisitive younger readers. It does give some great questions for the reader to consider and is laid out in a manner in which they will not feel overwhelmed by the text. It stays true to the original book but includes some great visuals. I think the color scheme works well here, also.

These first few pages immediately captured my attention. The way the author uses imagery fascinates me and makes me want to read more. It doesn’t feel like you are reading a nonfiction book. The margin questions are thought provoking and help readers see how this applies to areas beyond science and art, but real life. The definitions help readers understand words they might not know.

I definitely would love to be able to read more of this especially the parts about sweet grass!

This is a review of only the first chapter of Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. Thank you to NetGalley, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Monique Gray Smith and Zest Books for this advance reader's selection. I love the beauty and warmth of the author's writing when she is talking about plants. She obviously has a great love of the natural world as well as her Indigenous culture. She illustrates what our relationship with the natural world should be, which tragically it is not for most of us. This is a fascinating book for anyone and it is wonderful that the original is being adapted for young people. They will learn a great deal. My only trepidation regarding this book is the reference to the horrific way her grandfather was treated because he was an Indigenous person. I would not fault the author for writing a book about the many ways Indigenous people in our country were mistreated, which is a very mild word for what they have endured. However, I don't think there is a place for that narrative in this particular book. This is about "Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants" and I think it is best served by sticking to that specific theme. Beautiful chapter, though, and I am excited to see the entire book.

This brief teaser of a chapter does an excellent job laying out what the book is about and very much whets my appetite for more!

I’m so excited for this book to be published. I can think of many ways in which this adaption can be utilized for young adults. I know how much I enjoyed Braiding Sweetgrass and I love the adaption. The images are beautiful, clear, and compelling. The definitions are enough to clarify things for readers but are not visually distracting. I’m so excited to see the full version!

This was great! I love how this edition has all sorts of illustrations. I will definitely buy this for my library.