Joseph Bruchac

Learn how to plan and prepare a garden site, celebrate the harvest, create traditional gardens, such as the "˜Three Sisters Garden" of corn, beans, and squash, and make Native American crafts such as gourd rattles and corn husk dolls, and use its many recipes to cook Native meals.

Additional Information
176 pages | 1.11" x 1.11"

Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.

But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.

Reviews
"Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find." —Booklist, starred review

"With its multicultural themes and well-told WWII history, this will appeal to a wide audience." —Kirkus Reviews starred review

"Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring..." —School Library Journal

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 12+

Recommended English First Peoples Resource for grades 10-12 in units on identity; steps toward reconciliation; and exploring text through local landscape.

Additional Information
240 pages | 5.38" x 8.19"

Jim Thorpe's amazing accomplishments as an Olympic medal winner as well as an outstanding professional football and baseball player brings his story to life. Focusing on his years at Pennsylvania's Carlisle Indian School, this title highlights his early athletic career, while also dispelling some myths about him and movingly depicting the Native American experience at the turn of the 20th century.

Ages 12-15

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.

The True Story of Sitting Bull from multi-award-winning author Joseph Bruchac.

Anxious to be given a name as strong and brave as that of his father, a proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood, acting with careful deliberation, determination, and bravery, which eventually earned him his proud new name: Sitting Bull.

Reviews
"Being named Slow and growing up in the shadow of a great warrior hardly dwarfed the prospects of this protagonist: he grew up to be Sitting Bull. Bruchac's sensitively told story of Sitting Bull's coming-of-age reassures young boys that success comes through effort, not birth." —Booklist

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.88" x 10.25"

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.

Reviews
“This fast-paced survival story is a great read for mystery fans, and it also addresses the delicate balance between humans and nature.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Bruchac spins a striking story, filled with interesting information about bears, chilling moments around the campfire, and life–or–death chase scenes. Readers will return again and again to this adventure tale.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Additional Information
240 pages | 5.12" x 7.62"

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?

Reviews
"An exciting story that also offers an in-depth look at Native American life centuries ago." —Kirkus Review

"Bruchac, who states in an afterword that his book is 'the result of a lifetime of learning from my Mohawk friends and neighbors,' eloquently conveys how democracy, respectand justice are integral components of the Native Americans' religion and government. Besides learning the origins of modern-day lacrosse and certain kinds of tool-making, readers will come away from this novel with a broadened awareness of a nearly vanished culture." — Publishers Weekly

Additional Information
176 pages | 5.13" x 7.75"

A contemporary middle grade chapter book 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? Joseph Bruchac explores courage in the face of racism.

Reviews
“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

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

Additional Information
96 pages | 5.13" x 7.81"

Flying with the Eagle, Racing the Great Bear is a continent-spanning collection of 16 thrilling tales in which young Native American men must face great enemies, find strength and endurance within themselves to succeed, and take their place by the side of their elders.

Additional Information
144 pages | 6.00" x 8.90"

In this retelling of a Native American pourquoi tale, Brown Squirrel challenges prideful Bear to keep the sun from rising.

Bear brags that he can do anything-even stop the sun from rising. Brown Squirrel doesn't believe him, so the two wait all night to see if the sun will rise. Sure enough, the sky reddens and the sun appears. Brown Squirrel is so happy to be right that he teases Bear. What happens when a little brown squirrel teases a big black bear? Brown Squirrel gets stripes and is called chipmunk from that day forward . . . Joseph and James Bruchac join forces to create this buoyant picture book, based on a Native American folktale.

Educator Information
Recommended Ages: 5-8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 10.00"

The first paperback edition of Keepers of Life from the incredibly popular Keepers series.

These bestselling books have been long-time favourites with educators for their innovative approach to teaching children about Native cultures and the environment. Each book, co-authored by Joseph Bruchac and Michael J. Caduto, combines Native legends with information and activities about the natural world.

Reviews
"This book is an excellent school resource for introducing children to Indigenous worldviews. It is comprised of 18 story packages which may be used as teaching tools in the classroom. The stories are divided by subject nature and include one introduction story, two stories about creation, one about celebration, thanksgiving and stewardship, eight about flowers and fruits, seeds and spores, five about survival, and one about healing our relations. Each traditional story acknowledges the Native North American cultures in which the story originated. An accompanying map helps readers situate where these different cultural groups traditionally resided. The stories are typically one to three pages long, making them ideal for sharing in the oral tradition. The stories are accompanied by beautiful black and white ink drawings, artistically representing the events and characters in each story. Following each story is a discussion prompt to help teachers explain the story’s context. The discussion prompts relate the story to Native North American traditional worldviews and emphasize mankind’s interconnection with the natural world." - Rachel Yaroshuk, CM Magazine

Educator & Series Information
Books in the Keepers series are recommended by educational journals across North America for children aged 5 to 12. 

Included at the end of the book is a Glossary and Pronunciation Key to Native North American Words and Names.

Foreword by Marilou Awiakta.

Additional Information
288 pages | 8.17" x 10.73"

Part of the bestselling "Keepers" series, Keepers of the Animals encourages an early interest in wildlife and the environment through Native stories and legends and extensively tested activities for children aged 5 to 12.

Perfect for classroom and home use, this interdisciplinary book teaches children to appreciate Native cultures and heritage while learning about North American animals, insects, fish, reptiles, and birds.

From the Introduction: Keepers of the Animals continues the tradition established by its highly popular and critically acclaimed predecessor, Keepers of the Earth. Here each parent, teacher, naturalist and storyteller is given the tools to bring the wonder and magic of the stories and lessons into the lives of children by empowering them with knowledge, skills and enjoyment found in the activities. This book is about learning to understand, live with and care for the animals: A gathering of carefully selected Native North American animal stories and hands-on activities that promote an understanding of, appreciation for, empathy with and responsible stewardship toward all animals on Earth, including human beings.

Educator & Series Information
B.C. Science Supplementary Resouce Gr.4- Life Science.

This book is part of the Keepers series.

Foreword by Vine Deloria, Jr.

Additional Information
288 pages | 8.35" x 11.00"

Native American stories combine with related hands-on activities to inspire children with a deep respect and interest in the Earth and in Native cultures in this popular and critically acclaimed book. Keepers of the Earth uses an interdisciplinary approach to introduce environmental concepts to children, aged five through twelve. The activities include theatre, reading, writing, science, social studies, and mathematics, and are designed to engage all of the senses.

Reviews
"Keepers of the Earth is an excellent school resource introducing children to Aboriginal worldviews. The book is comprised of 21 story packages which may be used as teaching tools in the classroom. The stories are divided by subject nature and include three stories about creation, two about fire, one about the earth, one about wind and weather, three about water, two about sky, one about seasons, six about plants and animals, one about life, death, and spirits, and about the unity of earth.... Following each story is a discussion prompt to help teachers explain the story’s context. The discussion prompts relate the story to First Nations traditional worldviews and emphasize mankind’s interconnection with the natural world. Following the discussion prompts, there is a list of questions to encourage student reflection. Some of the questions are focussed more on story comprehension while others encourage children to reflect on the greater meaning of the story and how it relates to their daily life.... Keepers of the Earth offers suggestions for activities to solidify and expand the learning of the story. Activity suggestions include field trips, demonstrations, experimentationand further discussion. Each story is accompanied by at least one activity with recommendations as to which age group tocater the activityto. While most of the activities seem directed at grades 3-8, there are many activities that could suit the needs of older or younger children with little or no modification." - Rachel Yaroshuk, CM Magazine

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Keepers Series.

Foreword by N. Scott Momaday.

Additional Information
240 pages | 8.25" x 10.72"

Native lore, stories, and activities encourage children to explore the fascinating night world. By studying astronomy, Native beliefs, nighttime weather, and North American nocturnal plants and animals, children aged 5 to 12 learn to appreciate the importance of night in the natural cycle and overcome common fears about the nighttime world.

Educator & Series Information
B.C. Science Supplementary Resource: Gr.3-Earth and Life Science

B.C. Science Supplementary Resouce Gr.4- Life Science.

Filled with interdisciplinary activities, legends, and illustrations to inspire children and educators alike.

This book is part of the Keepers series.

Additional Information
146 pages | 9.75" x 6.75"

Native American Games and Stories, written by Joseph Bruchac, a well-known Native American writer and storyteller, and his son, James Bruchac, also a writer and storyteller, provides a look at some of the games played by different Native American peoples, along with related stories and legends. This combination of authors is excellent and has resulted in an extremely well-written and well put together book.

The book is broken into sections based on the type of games (ball games, games of chance, etc.). Each section gives a brief overview of that type of game, followed by one or more related stories. The final part of each section presents the instructions for two to five games. The structure of the book works well as it not only introduces the different types of games, but it also allows the reader to see how the games are presented in Native American stories and culture.

Each specific game is presented with well-written instructions. An overview of the game and how it is played are then followed by the suggested rules, how to score the game and any equipment that is needed. The sections are clearly indicated, which makes it easy to quickly look up information on that game. The only problem in the presentation of the games is a lack of any suggested ages for the players. Although some games, like Stickball, include a note about a modified version for younger players, there are no guidelines for what ages that could be playing the games. As a result, anyone wanting to play one of the games should read the instructions very carefully to ensure that the game is age-appropriate.

Native American Games and Stories is a great resource about some of the games played by different Native American tribes, as well as the role that these games have played in Native American culture. This book would be good for many different types of readers, including as a resource for teachers.