Joseph Bruchac is an Abenaki poet and writer who often draws on his heritage in developing his stories and poems. Many of his writings and retellings are for children and teens.

Bruchac was born in 1942 and grew up in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in New York. As a young adult, he began to seek out Native American stories, which he has retold in collections such as Flying with the Eagle, Racing the Great Bear: Stories from Native North America, The Girl Who Married the Moon: Tales from Native North America, and Lasting Echoes, An Oral History of Native American People. Bruchac also enjoys storytelling and has traveled around the country to share Native American stories with many audiences.

Bruchac has also written poetry, such as in his collection No Borders, and novels, including Dawn Land and Heart of a Chief.