The Great Northern Reads
A free, community-wide virtual book club designed to engage our community in shared conversation
Read (and cook) along with us!
Our Winter 2026-27 selection is Happy Snacking: Don’t Die! by Alexis Nikole Nelson.
This season we’re trading the reading chair for the kitchen table. Part foraging guide, part plant-based cookbook, Alexis’s New York Times bestseller shows how to find food hiding in plain sight in backyards, parks, and trails, and turn it into something delicious in every season. Yes, even winter.
Follow along on our Instagram broadcast channel or sign up for our weekly book club newsletter as we read and discuss the book together in the lead-up to the festival, January 27-31, 2027.
And the best part: Alexis Nikole Nelson is coming to The Great Northern! Finish the book, then meet her in person.
As a member of the book club you’ll get special access to discussion prompts, curated reading lists, giveaways, and exclusive ticket opportunities delivered straight to you inbox.
How it works
Explore one season at a time
No cover-to-cover required. We’ll move through the book’s four seasons together, from spring to winter. Learn what to look for, flip through the recipes, and bookmark what you want to make.
Join the conversation
Discussion questions drop in our Instagram Broadcast Channel every Wednesday and Sunday — share you thoughts and connect with others!
Cook along
Each week we’ll feature one recipe to try. Share your kitchen experiments (and your finds) with #TGNReads.
Get the weekly recap
Each Sunday, Our book club newsletter includes:
- Weekly reading overview
- Prompts and discussion summaries
- Community highlights
Drop in whenever
Heard about the club a little late? No problem! You can join anytime. Explore past discussion prompts, browse the archives, or catch up at your own pace.
Why we picked Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!
Alexis Nikole Nelson, known to millions as Black Forager, invites us to get to know the plants, flowers, and fungi growing all around us: which ones belong, which ones are invasive, and how to harvest ethically so there’s plenty left for the ecosystem.
Our summer read, Sea of Grass, traced what we’ve lost on the prairie. This pick is about what’s still here, and how to build a relationship with it.
From Japanese knotweed granita (eating invasives!) to pine shortbread cookies and oyster mushroom chowdah, Happy Snacking, Don’t Die is a delicious reminder that winter in the north isn’t empty. It’s full of flavor, if you know where to look.
Happy foraging, don’t die
Always confirm a plant ID with a trusted guide or expert before eating anything you’ve foraged, and check local rules before harvesting on public land. Going to the grocery store? We won’t tell!
Meet Alexis at The Great Northern
Finish the book, then join us at The Great Northern to hear from Alexis Nikole Nelson in person at the festival.