Best Selling Books by Joseph Bruchac

A collection of Native American tales and myths focusing on the relationship between man and nature.

Fatherless Cody LeBeau is an American Indian boy who is starting high school with the usual trepidation. He fits into none of the cliques at the new school, but somehow keeps being noticed anyway—and is often teased because of his tendency to stutter. Then his Uncle Pat, an accomplished martial arts sensei, moves into the town and becomes the one who shows Cody "the way" through the maze of adolescent doubt and into manhood.

A boy discovers his Native American heritage in this Depression-era tale of identity and friendship by the author of Code Talker. "Cal''s cleareyed first-person narration drives the novel. Meticulously honest, generous, autonomous and true, he sees things for what they are rather than what he''d like them to be. The result is one of Bruchac''s best books."—New York Times Book Review It''s 1932, and twelve-year-old Cal Black and his Pop have been riding the rails for years after losing their farm in the Great Depression. Cal likes being a "knight of the road" with Pop, even if they''re broke. But then Pop has to go to Washington, DC--some of his fellow veterans are marching for their government checks, and Pop wants to make sure he gets his due--and Cal can''t go with him. So Pop tells Cal something he never knew before: Pop is actually a Creek Indian, which means Cal is too. And Pop has decided to send Cal to a government boarding school for Native Americans in Oklahoma called the Challagi School. At school, the other Creek boys quickly take Cal under their wings. Even in the harsh, miserable conditions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, he begins to learn about his people''s history and heritage. He learns their language and customs. And most of all, he learns how to find strength in a group of friends who have nothing beyond each other.

When Ohkwa''ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa''ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber''s wrath? "An exciting story that also offers an in-depth look at Native American life centuries ago." —Kirkus Reviews

A teenage survival expert finds all his skills tested as he’s pursued through the Canadian wilderness by men determined to silence him. On his way to teach at Camp Seven Generations, a Native outdoor school, Nick witnesses a murder and then is thrown off a train. Remembering and using the teachings of his Abenaki elders will prove to be the difference between life and death for him. Although his pursuers have modern technology to help them, Nick has something even more useful. In addition to the skills he’s learned, he has an ally in the natural world around him. Found, like the famous story “The Most Dangerous Game,” is a tale that focuses on being hunted until a way can be found to become the hunter.

When twelve-year-old Jake Forrest''s mother gets a job in a new city, everything changes. He has to move away from the Iroquois reservation he''s lived on his entire life--away from his aunt and uncle, and away from the friends he plays lacrosse with. The lacrosse coach and players at his new school in Washington, D.C., believe that winning is everything, and they don''t know anything about the ways of his people. As Jake struggles to find a place where he truly belongs, tragedy strikes and he must find out who he really is. Can he find courage to face the warrior within--the warrior who values peace and leads other to more noble pursuits than outscoring the opposition?

For young Samuel Russell, the summer of 1777 is a time of fear. The British Army is approaching, and the Indians in the area seem ready to attack. To Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian scouting for King George, Americans are dangerous enemies who threaten his family and home. When Stands Straight''s party enters the Quaker Meetinghouse where Samuel worships, the two boys share an encounter that neither will ever forget. Told in alternating viewpoints, The Arrow over the Door is based on a true story. Illustrated by James Watling. "Thoughtful and eminently readable." (School Library Journal)

Renowned author Joseph Bruchac tells a powerful story of a girl who learns more about her Penacook heritage while sheltering in place with her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic. Malian loves spending time with her grandparents at their home on a Wabanaki reservation—she’s there for a visit when, suddenly, all travel shuts down. There’s a new virus making people sick, and Malian will have to stay with her grandparents for the duration. Everyone is worried about the pandemic, but Malian knows how to keep her family safe: She protects her grandparents, and they protect her. She doesn’t go out to play with friends, she helps her grandparents use video chat, and she listens to and learns from their stories. And when Malsum, one of the dogs living on the rez, shows up at their door, Malian’s family knows that he’ll protect them too. Told in verse inspired by oral storytelling, this novel about the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the ways in which Indigenous nations and communities cared for one another through plagues of the past, and how they keep caring for one another today. **Four starred reviews!** Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction & Poetry Honor NPR Books We Love Kirkus Reviews Best Books School Library Journal Best Books Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Younger Readers Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Finalist Nerdy Book Club Award—Best Poetry and Novels in Verse

The fascinating story of the young woman who made the historic Lewis and Clark expedition possible

A work of historical fiction about Sequoyah and the creation of the Cherokee alphabet, from the acclaimed author of Code Talker Thirteen-year-old Uwohali has not seen his father, Sequoyah, for many years. So when Sequoyah returns to the village, Uwohali is eager to reconnect. But Sequoyah’s new obsession with making strange markings causes friends and neighbors in their tribe to wonder whether he is crazy, or worse—practicing witchcraft. What they don’t know, and what Uwohali discovers, is that Sequoyah is a genius and his strange markings are actually an alphabet representing the sounds of the Cherokee language. The story of one of the most important figures in Native American history is brought to life for middle grade readers. This text includes a note about the historical Sequoyah, the Cherokee syllabary, a glossary of Cherokee words, and suggestions for further reading in the back matter. * “Bruchac has crafted a tale of depth and universal humanity in this fictionalized account of Sequoyah, the creator of the Cherokee syllabary, and his son, Jesse." —School Library Journal, starred review “Although the particulars of the novel occur two hundred years ago, the universality of fitting into a blended family and looking for love and acceptance from a once-absent father feel strikingly contemporary." —Horn Book "A vivid retelling of a pivotal time for the Cherokee nation.” —Kirkus Reviews

The time is ten thousand years ago and the place is the shores of Lake Champlain, a land inhabited by Abenaki communities who hunt, gather, and follow the cycles of their unspoiled natural world in relative harmony. Joseph Bruchac, a nationally renowned storyteller and writer of Native American tales, uses this setting not just to spin a compelling adventure yarn but also to re-create with grace, fullness, and clarity the cultural, social, and spiritual systems of these pre-contact Native Americans. In this third novel of his trilogy about the "people of the dawnland," the lake they call Petonbowk -- "the waters between" Vermont''s Green Mountains and New York''s Adirondacks -- holds both sustenance and danger, and Young Hunter, the "young, broad-shouldered man whose heart was good for all the people," is called upon to confront a dual menace. A "deepseer" or shaman, he must use his full powers first to comprehend the threats and then to defeat them. The lake, it seems, holds a huge water-snake monster that makes it impossible to reap the waters'' bountiful harvest of fish and game. And, worse, a tortured outcast, Watches Darkness, has turned against his tribe and is using his deepseer''s knowledge to perpetrate horrible acts of senseless evil: he destroys whole villages out of sheer malevolence; he literally eats his victims'' hearts to absorb their powers; he kills his own grandmother without remorse. As the tension between hunter and hunted mounts, Bruchac seamlessly weaves stories within the story, the lore that connects the people to each other and to their heritage, so that the novel becomes not just an archetypal battle of good versus evil but a vivid depiction of traditional New England Indian culture in pre-Columbian times. Richly atmospheric, resonant with Native American spirituality, melodious with the rhythms of the Abenaki language, The Waters Between paints both an epic quest and a colorful portrait of "the lives of people living as human beings were told to live by the Talker. Never perfect, often failing, but always growing, always part of something larger than themselves, their varied heartbeats meshing together to make the one great, healthy heartbeat which was the Only People."

A contemporary middle grade story about confronting bullying and prejudice Danny Bigtree''s family has moved to Brooklyn, New York, and he just can''t seem to fit in at school. He''s homesick for the Mohawk reservation, and the kids in his class tease him about being an Indian—the thing that makes Danny most proud. Can he find the courage to stand up for himself? “A worthy, well-written novella.” —Kirkus Reviews “This appealing portrayal of a strong family offers an unromanticized view of Native American culture, and a history lesson about the Iroquois Confederacy; it also gives a subtle lesson in the meaning of daily courage.” —Publishers Weekly "With so many Native American stories set in the misty past, it''s great to read a children''s book about an Iroquois boy who lives in the city now. Bruchac weaves together the traditional and the realistic as Danny''s ironworker father tells stories of his people''s history and heroes, stories that give Danny courage to confront his schoolyard enemies and make friends with them.” —Booklist

Turtle lives in a beautiful little pond with everything a happy turtle needs. But one spring, Turtle awakes from hibernation to discover that her lovely home has been invaded! A pushy beaver takes over Turtle''s beloved pond and refuses to share. Instead, he challenges her to a race to determine who can stay. But how can a little turtle outswim a big, powerful beaver? This charming fable of brains versus brawn is a great read for all the young readers in the forest to share!

In 1607, when John Smith and his "Coatmen" arrive in Powhatan to begin settling the colony of Virginia, their relations with the village''s inhabitants are anything but warm. Pocahontas, the beloved daughter of the Powhatan chief, is just eleven, but this astute young girl plays a fateful, peaceful role in the destinies of two peoples. Drawing from the personal journals of John Smith, American Book Award winner Joseph Bruchac reveals an important chapter of history through the eyes of two legendary figures. Includes an afterword, a glossary, and other historical context.

A twelve-year-old Iroquois boy searches for peace in this historical novel based on the creation of the Iroquois Confederacy. Twelve-year-old Okwaho''s life has suddenly changed. While he and his best friend are out hunting, his friend is kidnapped by men from a neighboring tribal nation, and Okwaho barely escapes. Everyone in his village fears more raids and killings: The Five Nations of the Iroquois have been at war with one another for far too long, and no one can remember what it was like to live in peace. Okwaho is so angry that he wants to seek revenge for his friend, but before he can retaliate, a visitor with a message of peace comes to him in the woods. The Peacemaker shares his lesson tales—stories that make Okwaho believe that this man can convince the leaders of the five fighting nations to set down their weapons. So many others agree with him. Can all of them come together to form the Iroquois Great League of Peace?

From acclaimed Native American storyteller Joseph Bruchac comes a collection of seven lively plays for children to perform, each one adapted from a different traditional Native tale. Filled with heroes and tricksters, comedy and drama, these entertaining plays are a wonderful way to bring Native cultures to life for young people. Each play has multiple parts that can be adjusted to suit the size of a particular group and includes simple, informative suggestions for props, scenery, and costumes that children can help to create. Introductory notes and beautiful, detailed illustrations add to young readers'' understanding of the seven Native nations whose traditions have inspired the plays.

The true story of Sitting Bull.

"Full of history, danger, courage and raw survival, this compelling novel by acclaimed author Joseph Bruchac is certain to have readers on the edge of their seat, start to finish." —The Dallas Morning News Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It’s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people—Saxso’s people—by their side. Without enough warriors to defend their homes, Saxso’s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso’s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it’s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it’s too late. "Historical fiction doesn''t get much better than this. The narrative itself is thrilling." —Booklist, starred review "A heartbreaking but exciting story." —School Library Journal, starred review Winner of the Disney Adventures Best Historical Fiction Award An SLJ Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age

Viewed through the eyes of a 16-year-old Navajo youth, "Code Talker" is a fascinating slice of World War II history by a much-respected and acclaimed author.

From the multi-award-winning author of Code Talker comes a Native American perspective on the Civil War. Louis Nolette, a fifteen-year-old Abenaki Indian from Canada, is recruited to fight in the northern Irish Brigade in the Civil War. Though he is too young, and neither American nor Irish, he finds the promise of good wages and the fight to end slavery persuasive enough to join up. But war is never what you expect, and as Louis fights his way through battles, he encounters prejudice and acceptance, courage and cowardice, and strong and weak leadership in the most unexpected places. This paperback edition includes an author''s note, discussion guide, and selected bibliography for further reading. "A fine choice for readers who want war stories that include plenty of action, as well as reflection." —Booklist

In 1838, settlers moving west forced the great Cherokee Nation, and their chief John Ross, to leave their home land and travel 1,200 miles to Oklahoma. An epic story of friendship, war, hope, and betrayal.

Young Prince Rashko is frustrated with his family - no one does any thinking but him! The kingdom and castle seem to be in the hands of fools. So when Rashko''s parents mysteriously disappear and the evil Baron Temny parks his army outside the castle walls, it is up to the young prince to save the day. But there is more to this castle and its history than meets the eye, and Rashko will have to embrace his ancestry, harness a dragon, and use his sword-fighting skills to stop the baron and save the kingdom. Along the way, he realizes that his family is not quite as stupid as he always thought. Master storyteller Joseph Bruchac, known for his smart, gripping Native American books, here combines his signature action and adventure with a large dose of humor, which just brings this story to a whole new level.

"This production offers an engaging, original way for children to learn about a Native American hero. Renowned Abenaki author Bruchac has selected interesting facts that reveal how a young boy is transformed into brave Crazy Horse. ..." AudioFile Magazine

Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. He played professional football, Major League Baseball, and won Olympic gold medals in track & field. But his life wasn’t an easy one. Born on the Sac and Fox Reservation in 1887, he encountered much family tragedy, and was sent as a young boy to various Indian boarding schools—strict, cold institutions that didn’t allow their students to hold on to their Native American languages and traditions. Jim ran away from school many times, until he found his calling at Pennsylvania’s Carlisle Indian School. There, the now-legendary coach Pop Warner recognized Jim’s athletic excellence and welcomed him onto the football and track teams. Focusing on Jim Thorpe’s years at Carlisle, this book brings his early athletic career—and especially his college football days—to life, while also dispelling some myths about him and movingly depicting the Native American experience at the turn of the twentieth century. This is a book for history buffs as well as sports fans—an illuminating and lively read about a truly great American.

Award-winning author Joseph Bruchac delivers a charming and heart-warming story about fathers and sons. Perfect with other Father''s Day gems like Alison Ritchie''s Me and My Dad and Sam McBratney''s Guess How Much I Love You. In this tender tribute to dads everywhere, lyrical rhymes capture heartwarming moments shared between thirteen diverse father-and-son pairs. Everyday activities, like bike riding and raking leaves, become a reminder that life''s simple pleasures can offer the greatest rewards. "Celebrates the role fathers play in their sons'' lives and the many kinds of families who live in the U.S. Sons will find comfort on every page."—Publishers Weekly "A charming celebration of fathers, dads, pops, papas, and pas."—School Library Journal

Wabi was born an owl—a great horned owl who grew to become such a strong, confident creature that he was afraid of nothing. But now he is afraid. He fears that he might never win the heart of the girl he loves. Somehow, despite his own intentions, he has fallen in love with a girl—a beautiful, headstrong human girl. And so he begins the adventure of his life. He shape-shifts into human form in order to be with her. But before he can win her love, he must face an even greater challenge in a land he comes to think of as the Valley of Monsters. A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year * "Wabi''s inquisitive and endearing personality will charm readers." —School Library Journal, starred review

Purely fiction, these stories tell the tales of athletes in a variety of sports, including track, football, martial arts, Ping Pong, fishing, and dirt bike riding.

Chris lives on an Indian reservation where the issue of casino gambling has divided the people. When a school project on using Indian names for sports teams puts Chris in the spotlight, he finds himself taking his first steps toward leadership.

Jacob Neptune, a wise-cracking, two-fisted Penacook private investigator with a checkered past, lives in upstate New York—four hundred miles from his tribal community on Abenaki Island. Then one night the phone rings. “We . . . got . . . trouble,” Neptune’s cousin Dennis says from the other end. And trouble is where it all starts in this brilliant, often hilarious novel by acclaimed Abenaki storyteller Joseph Bruchac. Attacked by bikers before he can even board his plane, Neptune—“Podjo” to his friends—quickly begins to realize just how much trouble surrounds his people’s ancestral home. Guided by his sense of duty to his homeland, he agrees to help protect Dennis and other Penacooks as they stage a takeover of a state campground on land that should have reverted to their tribe. But encroaching developers, government operators, and even fellow Penacooks eager to build a casino each pose a threat to the Abenaki lands—and all have reasons to want Neptune out of the picture. Podjo greets each challenge with self-deprecating humor—but it’s difficult to shake his increasingly disturbing dreams, and an unsettled feeling when his return leads to a reunion with a long-ago love interest. As he and Dennis contend with hired guns, police, and security, a far greater threat appears: someone, or something, is brutally killing people in the woods. It will take all of Neptune’s skills as a martial artist and the wisdom gained from tribal elders to battle the forces that threaten the sacred land—and his and his people’s lives. Bruchac ratchets the tension from the first page to the last in this detective novel that pairs comedy and action with serious consideration of corporate greed, environmental destruction, cultural erosion, and other modern-day issues pressing Native peoples.

This environmental classic teaches children respect and stewardship for the Earth and for all living things. The Native American stories are accompanied by activities which encourage children to understand their influence on the Earth.

Publisher Description

Joseph Bruchac, the award-winning author of Skeleton Man, puts a contemporary spin on Native American lore to create a spine-tingling tale of monsters and darkness. What kind of sinister creature lurks in the dark pond in the forest? Armie can feel it calling to him . . . and he suspects the answer may lie in the legends of his Shawnee ancestors. “Although it’s steeped in Mohawk lore and tradition, Bruchac’s story is contemporary both in its setting and its celebration of the enduring strength and courage of Native American women.” (Booklist)

Perennial favourites with educators, the bestselling "Keepers" series presents environmental issues from a Native perspective. Look for a new cover on this re-release.

Flying With The Eagle, Racing the Great Bear is a continent-spanning collection of sixteen thrilling tales in which young men must face great enemies, find the strength and endurance within themselves to succedd, and take their place by the side of their elders.

A Junior Library Guild Selection April 2018 2018 Cybils Award Finalist, Elementary Non-Fiction BRLA 2018 Southwest Book Award 2019 Southwest Books of the Year: Kid Pick 2020 Grand Canyon Award, Nonfiction Nominee 2020-2021 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Master List STARRED REVIEW! "A perfect, well-rounded historical story that will engage readers of all ages. A perfect, well-rounded historical story that will engage readers of all ages."—Kirkus Reviews starred review Chester Nez was a boy told to give up his Navajo roots. He became a man who used his native language to help America win World War II. As a young Navajo boy, Chester Nez had to leave the reservation and attend boarding school, where he was taught that his native language and culture were useless. But Chester refused to give up his heritage. Years later, during World War II, Chester—and other Navajo men like him—was recruited by the US Marines to use the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code. Suddenly the language he had been told to forget was needed to fight a war.

Famous for their Native American folklore retellings, the Bruchacs have joined forces with the illustration team of Aruego and Dewey to present the tale of how a challenge between Brown Squirrel and Big Bear leads to a hard lesson learned. Full-color illustrations.

From Joseph Bruchac, the author of the award-winning middle-grade thrillfest Skeleton Man, comes another creepy tale inspired by the folklore of indigenous Americans. Baron has always been fascinated by bears—their gentle strength and untamed power. But the Bearwalker legend, passed down by his Mohawk ancestors, tells of a different kind of creature—a terrible mix of human and animal that looks like a bear but is really a bloodthirsty monster. The tale never seemed to be more than a scary story . . . until a class camping trip deep in the Adirondacks, when Baron comes face-to-face with an evil being that is all too real.

Poems of close observation and passionate feeling reflect the author''s Abenaki Indian heritage.