New Releases by Joseph Bruchac

A chorus of essays from a variety of voices, backgrounds, and experiences, exploring what it means to be human and true to yourself. What does it mean to be yourself? To be born here or somewhere else? To be from one family instead of another? What does it mean to be human? Collected by Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, A Path to the World showcases essays by a vast variety of luminaries—from Gary Soto to Nawal Nasrallah to Ying Ying Yu, from chefs to artists to teens to philosophers to politicians (keep your eyes peeled for a surprise appearance by George Washington)—all of which speak to the common thread of humanity, the desire to be your truest self, and to belong. Contributors include: Lori Marie Carlson-Hijuelos, Joseph Bruchac, Jacinto Jesús Cardona, William Sloane Coffin, Pat Conroy, Mario Cuomo, Timothy Egan, Alan Ehrenhalt, Shadi Feddin, Ralph Fletcher, Valerie Gribben, Alexandre Hollan, Molly Ivins, Geeta Kothari, Jeremy Lee, Yuyi Li, Emily Lisker, Kamaal Majeed, Madge McKeithen, Nawal Nasrallah, Scott Pitoniak, Anna Quindlen, Michael J. Sandel, Raquel Sentíes, David E. Skaggs, Gary Soto, Alexandra Stoddard, KellyNoel Waldorf, George Washington, and Ying Ying Yu.

“There's a fresh coating of snow on the ground outside our cabin as I look to see who's coming to the fourteen feeders, we keep filled with black oil sunflower seeds year-round.” So begins A Year of Moons: Stories from the Adirondack Foothills, a collection of essays by award winning author Joeseph Bruchac. The collection is a reflection on the rhythms of the land, the lunar cycles of the year, the plants and animals that surround us, and the connections that link humans, animals and the land. With one foot rooted firmly in the inheritance of nature essays, and another rooted firmly in Bruchac's Abenaki heritage, the collection is an artifact of a beautiful landscape and the changes it encounters throughout the year. In his thoughtful and perceptive way, Bruchac contemplates the changing of the seasons, his relationship with the creatures and plant life that share his home, and a vision of stewardship. Bruchac's curiosity and reverence for the earth shines through on every page as he looks at the place he calls home with new eyes, reflected by the changing of each season's moon.

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 League of the Iroquois was a true representational democracy—so much so that the United States Constitution is said to have been modeled on some of its tenets. But how, perhaps a thousand years before the time of Columbus, did the Five Iroquois Nations (the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca) come to end the bitter eye-for-eye warfare among them? What brought them together in an alliance based on the Great Law of Peace? And how was it that a system of Clan Mothers was instituted in which women are seen as the center of the nation and still today choose the 50 royaners, or peace chiefs, who speak for their respective communities in meetings of the League? In A Peacemaker for Warring Nations, renowned Native author Joseph Bruchac draws from the teachings of both contemporary and past Iroquois tradition bearersin telling the inspiring story of how “the Peacemaker,” a divine messenger sent by the Creator, helped to bring reconciliation to warring nations. The book is beautifully and accurately illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden, a respected Mohawk artist whose work honors his deep indigenous roots.

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?

Children's book icon Joseph Bruchac tells the fascinating story of a Seneca (Iroquois) Civil War officer in One Real American: The Life of Ely S. Parker, Seneca Sachem and Civil War General. Ely S. Parker (1828–1895) is one of the most unique but little-known figures in US history. A member of the Seneca (Iroquois) Nation, Parker was an attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat. Raised on a reservation but schooled at a Catholic institution, he learned English at a young age and became an interpreter for his people. During the American Civil War, he was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel and was the primary draftsman of the terms of the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. He eventually became President Grant's Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first Native American to hold that post. Award-winning children's book author and Native American scholar Joseph Bruchac provides an expertly researched, intimate look at a man who achieved great success in two worlds yet was caught between them. Includes archival photos, maps, endnotes, bibliography, and timeline. "Acclaimed Abenaki author Joseph Bruchac relies on Ely Parker's own writings, a biography by Parker's grand-nephew, and the historical knowledge of Native elders to create this complex account of power and people that should be essential reading in middle- and high-school classrooms." — Booklist (Starred Review) Includes black-and-white images

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.

Ein packendes literarisches Länderporträt Spannende Geschichten herausragender Autor/innen Ein abenteuerlicher Roadtrip quer durch die USA »Eine bessere Kurzgeschichtensammlung ist schwer zu finden – egal in welchem Genre.« Publishers Weekly Von Küste zu Küste: 14 herausragende Autorinnen und Autoren – von den Superstars der Szene bis zu literarischen Geheimtipps – nehmen Sie mit auf eine abenteuerliche Reise quer durch die USA. Vom brodelnden New York und den dicht besiedelten Städten der Ostküste über die Berge und Städte des Landesinneren bis zu den mythendurchdrungenen und hitzeflimmernden Metropolen der Westküste. Starke Literatur, die berührend und spannend von den Schattenseiten des amerikanischen Traums erzählt. Von einer bunt schillernden Gegenwart voller ungewöhnlicher Milieus abseits der üblichen Touristenpfade. Von Tagträumern, Zockern, Kriegsveteranen, Aussteigern, Billigjobbern, korrupten Polizisten, Trickbetrügern, Drogenhändlern, Privatdetektiven und ganz normalen Menschen, die in Situationen geraten, die sie nicht mehr kontrollieren können. 14 kraftvolle, dichte Geschichten mit ungewöhnlichen Settings und Figuren – so abwechslungsreich und aufregend wie die USA selbst. Die Reihe: »USA Noir« ist nach »Berlin Noir« und »Paris Noir« der dritte Teil einer Reihe internationaler Noir-Anthologien mit exklusiv geschriebenen Originalgeschichten. Jede Story spielt in einem anderen Viertel einer Stadt oder einer anderen Gegend eines Landes. Es sind packende literarische Städte- und Länderporträts mit ungewöhnlichen, breit gefächerten Einblicken. Weitere Teile sind geplant. »Das Konzept der Noir-Reihe überzeugt.« TIPP Berlin

Among the towering fir trees of the Pacific Northwest, a famously elusive creature is in serious trouble. All Elliot wants is a nice, normal day at school. All Uchenna wants is an adventure. Guess whose wish comes true? Professor Fauna whisks the kids—and Jersey, of course—off to the Muckleshoot territory in Washington, where film crews have suddenly descended en masse to expose Bigfoot to the world, and the Schmoke logging company is bringing in some awfully large machinery. Can the Unicorn Rescue Society escape the blades of the Schmokes’ chain saws? Outsmart a cable news team? And are those big, hairy creatures running through the forest really Bigfoot?

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.

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.

"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

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

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 captivating and historical story of two young men on opposing sides of war. In 1874, the U.S. Army sent troops to subdue and move the Native Americans of the southern plains to reservations. Brothers of the Buffalo follows Private Washington Vance Jr., an African-American calvaryman, and Wolf, a Cheyenne warrior, during the brief and brutal war that followed. Filled with action and suspense from both sides of the battle, this is a tale of conflict and unlikely friendship in the Wild West.

Cody LeBeau is the new kid at school and the new target for the bullies. He''s Abenaki, like most of the school, but still doesn''t fit in. Things begin to change when his uncle comes to town for a martial arts competition and he and Cody begin training together.

After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.

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?

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.

An interesting alternative for children who love horror stories. These 12 tales from the Northeast Woodland Native American nations are based on legends and mythical creatures from eight tribes. The authors use their own styles to tell about a wide variety of monsters while remaining as close as possible to the traditions of their ancestors. They have set the stories from "the very distant past to very recent times." Now as in the past, these legends offer entertainment and instruction. In many of them, bravery, clear thinking, and goodness allow the hero or heroine to overwhelm a monster and come to a happy ending. Several cautionary tales are also included, showing the end that can befall disobedient or willful youngsters who fail to mend their ways. Intriguing drawings help to bring the fearsome creatures to life. Each story is accompanied by a brief note of explanation and list of sources. A helpful pronunciation guide is appended. A good addition to any folktale collection, for both individual reading and storytelling sessions.

In this sequel to the middle grade modern horror classic Skeleton Man, Joseph Bruchac revisits his most terrifying villain yet. "Will surely keep readers turning pages," proclaimed Publishers Weekly. Molly thought she’d put her traumatic past behind her when she escaped from Skeleton Man last year. She rescued her parents and tried to get her life back to normal. She thought her family would finally be able to live happily ever after. She thought wrong. Skeleton Man is back for revenge—but this time Molly is ready. Don't miss The Legend of Skeleton Man: a spine-tingling collection of The Return of Skeleton Man and the original Skeleton Man story! ?Perfect for Halloween Reading Ideal for fans of the supernatural Features light scares

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. Perfect for Halloween Reading Ideal for fans of the supernatural Features light scares

Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. He played professional football and Major League baseball, and won Olympic gold medals in track and field. But his life wasn?t easy. Born on a reservation, he endured family tragedy and was sent to various Native American boarding schools. Jim ran away from school many times, until he found his calling under the now-legendary coach Pop Warner. This is a book for history buffs as well as sports fans?an illuminating and lively read about a truly great American by award-winning author Joseph Bruchac. "The novel is a superb blend of fiction and nonfiction, rooted in the author's usual careful research."—Kirkus Reviews

A collection of Native American stories of girls becoming women. These are stories from a broad array of tribes and tradtions.

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.

"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

As soon as he arrives at the North Mountains School, Armie senses something strange about the dark pond in the forest. An eerie presence haunts his dreams and calls to Armie, begging him to come out and play. But Armie knows this is no game. Whatever lives in the dark pond plays for keeps. In the past, Armie has always turned to the tales of his Shawnee ancestors for help, and this time is no different. He does his research, and when spring break arrives Armie knows this is his chance to discover what lives deep in the still, black waters of the dark pond. But this time, he may need to call upon more than his wits to help him survive ...

Illustrations and brief text introduce activities of various Native American people in each month of the year. Written by an acclaimed Native American storyteller, this book is a stunningly illustrated celebration of the Native American year. From Maliseet hunters following moose tracks in the snow to Cherokee people gathering berries in May, this is a hauntingly lyrical tribute to the circle of the seasons. Full color.