Idaho State University Bellon Visiting Author series March 5-7 features Joseph Bruchac, author of more than 120 books, master storyteller, musician

A visit by Joseph Bruchac, an Abenaki Indian who is the award-winning author of more than 120 books for children and adults, master storyteller and musician, will highlight the 26th annual Idaho State University Bellon Visiting Author Series scheduled March 5-7.

His performances and public appearances will include:

• Monday, March 5, 4 p.m., at Pocatello's Marshall Public Library, 113 S. Garfield Ave., Bruchac will perform stories and music for people of all ages. 

• Tuesday, March 6, 7 p.m. in the ISU College of Education Auditorium, 921 S. Eighth Ave., Bruchac will perform stories and music, preceded by a book signing at 6:15 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 7, 4 p.m. he will present at the Portneuf District Library, 5210 Stuart Ave. in Chubbuck at 4 p.m.

In addition to the above performances, Bruchac will visit several area elementary schools in Pocatello and Fort Hall, giving students the opportunity for a more personal experience with a published author.

Bruchac lives in the Adirondack mountain foothills town of Greenfield Center, N. Y., in the same house where his maternal grandparents raised him. Much of his writing draws on his Abenaki ancestry. He and his family have worked extensively in projects involving the preservation of Abenaki culture.

He has edited a number of highly praised anthologies of contemporary poetry and fiction, including "Songs from this Earth on Turtle's Back" and "Breaking Silence," winner of an American Book Award. His poems, articles and stories have appeared in more than 500 publications, from American Poetry Review to National Geographic. His books include "The First Strawberries," his autobiography "Bowman's Store" and such novels as "Dawn Land," and "The Waters Between." His published books also include "Squanto's Journey" and "Sacajawea."

His honors include a Rockefeller Humanities fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship for Poetry, the Cherokee Nation Prose Award, the Knickerbocker Award and the Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature.

As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, he has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, Master of Arts degree in literature and creative writing from Syracuse and a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the Union Institute of Ohio.

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the author at all locations.

For more information, contact Rebecca Hyde, 208-232-6452. For more information on Bruchac visit www.JosephBruchac.com.

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What is the ISU Bellon Visiting Author Series?

Dr. Beverly Klug, an ISU College of Education Professor, initiated the Visiting Author Conference, now known as the Bellon Visiting Author Series, over 20 years ago to bring nationally recognized, published authors of books for children to our community as an annual event.

As an educator Dr. Klug understands the importance of literacy in our lives and the impact exposure to and interaction with successfully published authors can have.  She also believes strongly in the importance of diversity and that positive experiences with authors/illustrators of books featuring various ethnicities and cultures can help people of all ages gain a better understanding and acceptance of the world and people that surround them.  The Bellon Visiting Author Series features authors of good quality, multicultural children’s literature and thereby promotes literacy and enhances the richness of cultural experiences in our community.