Joseph

Bruchac
By Amanda Kronenberger

Joseph Bruchac is a
Native Writer and
storyteller. His stories
stem from his Abenaki
Indian heritage and
Native American
traditions.

Backround:
- Born on October 16, 1942 in Saratoga
Springs, New York
- Bruchac was raised in Greenfield Center,
New York, by his grandparents. Greenfield
is a town in the foothills of the Adirondack
Mountain
-He has written numerous works including
poetry, short stories, novels, anthologies,
and music
- Written over 120 books

Education
- Received his bachelors from Cornell
University

-Received his masters in literature
and creative writing from Syracuse University

-Received his Ph.D. in comparative literature
from the Union Institute of Ohio

-Spent eight years leading a college program
for Skidmore College inside a maximum
security prison
Currently
- Bruchac lives with his wife, Carol, in the
same home he was raised in by his
grandparents
- Him and his family work to
create projects that preserve
Abenaki culture, language and
traditional Native skills
- Bruchac also travels around the
US and Europe telling stories
professionally
- He tells traditional tales of the
Adirondacks and Native people of
the Northeast Woodlands

The First Strawberries
This books tells the story of an old
Cherokee Tale. A man grew angry
at his wife, driving her to leave
him. When he realized his wrong
doing, he caught up to her with
help from the sun and realized
the importance
of kindness and
respect.
















To this day, when the Cherokee people eat
strawberries they are reminded to always be
kind to each other; to remember that friendship
and respect are as sweet as the taste of ripe,
red berries.







Between Earth & Sky
A boy is taught of sacred places of
Native Americans all around the world.
He shares that there is a balance of
these sacred places places- the north,
south, east, west, above, below and
within.
Crazy Horses Vision
This books tells the story of a
young, brave, Native American
boy, named Curly, who goes
against tradition to seek a
vision when the Lakota Indians
were attacked by white
settlers.
All of these books are examples of high quality
literature because they accurately represent Native
American culture. These books are both informative
and entertaining for people of all ages. Bruchac
combines his Native American background and his
extensive research to create stories that accurately
depict his culture. The facial features of the
characters and the way they are dressed are an
example of his accuracy, in addition to being a
positive representation of Native Americans. Finally,
his books teach valuable lessons through the classic
Native American stories that are beneficial to students
of all cultures and backgrounds. Students learn
important lessons through Native American tales,
which is different from usual stories.
Awards
The Cherokee National
Prose Award

Hope S. Dean Award for
Notable Achievement in
Childrens Literature

1999: Lifetime
Achievement Award
from the Native Writers
of the Americas
Teaching Materials

Crazy Horses Vision

http://www.leeandlow.co
m/p/vision_tg.mhtml

The First Strawberries

http://www.witsprogram.
ca/pdfs/schools/books/
the-first-
strawberries/the-first-
strawberries.pdf






Journal Articles
Joseph Bruchac's "Dark" Novels: Confronting the
Terror of Adolescence.
Stewart M. Joseph Bruchac's "Dark" Novels:
Confronting the Terror of Adolescence. Studies In
The Novel [serial online]. Summer2010
2010;42(1/2):84-98. Available from: Academic
Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October
2, 2013.
Interview with Joseph Bruchac
Bruchac J. Interview With Joseph Bruchac.
Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy [serial
online]. February 2009;52(5):445-447. Available
from: Professional Development Collection,
Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 2, 2013.















Tips & Suggestions

- My own approach has always been to work with young people, to help
inculcate a love of poetry and a respect for their own abilities to
understand and even compose.

- The best teachers have showed me that things have to be done bit by
bit. Nothing that means anything happens quickly--we only think it
does.

- Strong words outlast the paper they are written upon.

- People are never too old or too young for poetry and for the sacred.

- I'd urge teachers to emphasize the fact that Native
Americans/American Indians are people, not cultural icons or clichs.
They are not just in the past, but in the present day. And I'd urge them
to read the work of contemporary Native Americans.

Sources

Bruchac, Joseph. The First Strawberries. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1993. Print.

Bruchac, Joseph. Between Earth and Sky. Singapore: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996. Print.

Bruchac, Joseph. Crazy Horses Vision. New York: Lee and Low Books Inc, 2000. Print

Bruchac, Joseph. "The First Strawberries Questions and Activities." Wits Program. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.witsprogram.ca/pdfs/schools/books/the-
first-strawberries/the-first-strawberries.pdf>.

Bruchac, Joseph. "Classroom Guid for Crazy Horse's Vision." Lee and Low. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.leeandlow.com/p/vision_tg.mhtml>.

Bruchac J. Interview With Joseph Bruchac. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy [serial online]. February 2009;52(5):445-447. Available from:
Professional Development Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 2, 2013.

"Joseph Bruchac Storyteller & Writer." Joseph Bruchac Biography. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.josephbruchac.com/bruchac_biography.html>.

"Joseph Bruchac Biography." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/joseph-bruchac>.

Mills, Carol, Elly Shottman, and Joseph Bruchac. The First Strawberries: Teacher's Resource. Logan, IA: Perfection Learning, 1999. Print.

Stewart M. Joseph Bruchac's "Dark" Novels: Confronting the Terror of Adolescence. Studies In The Novel [serial online]. Summer2010 2010;42(1/2):84-98.
Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 2, 2013.