Touching Grass

“A story readers are going to love. What a fun read.” —Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed and Beast

Winner of Middle Grade Book of the Year at the 2025 Northern Lights Book Awards | A Calgary Public Library Best Book of the Year | An Indigo Top Ten Kids’ Book of 2025

From the author of the Governor General’s Award–shortlisted, Silver Birch Award finalist Mortified, a funny, heartfelt middle-grade novel about a young gamer who is sent to “touch grass” at a Dene First Nation culture camp

Tristen would do anything to avoid going outside. The bugs sting, the snakes are poisonous, the heat will kill you if the cold doesn’t, and bodies of water? Forget it. Tristen likes it best indoors, deep in his online world where it’s safe, with his online friends. Something he has a hard time with IRL.

But Tristen is in trouble at school again, and the principal is threatening to kick him out of this third school in two years. His mom believes the answer is to get Tristen off the games and in touch with nature and his Dene roots. This means Tristen has to spend a week at a culture camp in the wilderness. It’s his worst nightmare!

And at first it is a nightmare—no internet, no phone reception, no Bepsi!—and Tristen has no idea how to do any of the skills the other kids seem to do easily. But soon, with some surprising new friends, a few patient teachers and a little help from technology, Tristen begins to think he might be able to hack this nature stuff after all.

“I think it’s so important for kids to see themselves in books, and our area isn’t often included. I think kids from the North who read this will feel included. I think they will laugh when they read it. I sure did.” —Ronelda Robillard, Hatchet Lake Denesųłiné First Nation, Treaty 10

“I am Dene, and I come from an Athabasca Dene community. I endorse Touching Grass. This book, with its themes of resilience, survival and the importance of community, resonates deeply with the Saskatchewan community. . . . We would love kids everywhere to read it!” —Rosalie Tsannie-Burseth, Hatchet Lake Denesųłiné First Nation, Treaty 10

KRISTY JACKSON is the author of the Governor General’s Award–shortlisted middle-grade novel Mortified. Her work draws inspiration from her Cree and German background and her long list of embarrassing moments. She is the mother of two boys and a communications professional who has spent many years working for Dene communities. Kristy runs a program that delivers books to children in seven remote Indigenous communities in Canada and volunteers for a non-profit dedicated to improving literacy in her community.