fEATURED POET/WRITER
Joseph Bruchac
Joseph Bruchac is a prolific author of over 120 books for children and adults, including picture books, YA and MG novels, traditional stories, and poetry. He is a proud Nulhegan Abenaki citizen and respected elder among his people. His bestselling Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children series, with its remarkable integration of science and folklore, continues to receive critical acclaim and to be used in classrooms throughout the country.
Bruchac’s poems, articles, and stories have appeared in hundreds of publications, including American Poetry Review, Cricket, Aboriginal Voices, Parabola, Akwesasne Notes, National Geographic, and Smithsonian Magazine.
As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States. He has presented at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee; and he has been a storyteller-in-residence for Native American organizations and schools throughout the continent, including the Institute of Alaska Native Arts and the Onondaga Nation School. He also does storytelling programs at dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year as a visiting author.
Among his fellowships and honors are:
a Rockefeller Humanities fellowship
a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship for Poetry
American Book Award for Breaking Silence
Horn Book honor for The Boy Who Lived with the Bears
Scientific American Children’s Book Award for The Story of the Milky Way
Cherokee Nation Prose Award
Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children’s Literature
2005 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award
2001 Parents Guide to Childrens' Media Award for Skeleton Man
2000 Parents Choice Gold Award for Crazy Horse's Vision
1999 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas
1999 Jane Addams Childrens Book Award for Heart of a Chief
1998 Writer of the Year Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas
1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas
1997 Paterson Award for Dog People
1996 Boston Globe Book Award for The Boy Who Lived with the Bears
1995 Knickerbocker Award
Latest Releases
Rez Dogs (Coming June 8, 2021)
A middle grade novel in verse set during the COVID-19 pandemic, about a Wabanaki girl’s quarantine on her grandparents’ reservation and the local dog that becomes her best friend.
A Peacemaker for Warring Nations: The Founding of the Iroquois League (April 1, 2021)
An educational book for teens. llustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden, a respected Mohawk artist whose work honors his deep indigenous roots.
Wolf Cub’s Song (February 28, 2021)
A picture book for kids about a wolf cub learning how to howl. Illustrated by Carlin Bear Don't Walk.
Peacemaker (January 5, 2021)
A middle grade historical novel about a twelve-year-old Iroquois boy searching for peace, based on the creation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
One Real American: The Life of Ely S. Parker, Seneca Sachem and Civil War General (October 27, 2020)
A historical story for kids about one of the most unique but little-known figures in the United States.
The Powwow Mystery Series
A children’s mystery series featuring twins Jamie and Marie Longbow, including The Powwow Thief (October 15, 2019), The Powwow Dog (October 1, 2020), and The Powwow Treasure (October 22, 2020). Illustrated by Dale DeForest.