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Peacemaker
A twelve-year-old Iroquois boy rethinks his calling after witnessing the arrival of a mystical figure with a message of peace in this historical novel based on the creation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Twelve-year-old Okwaho's life has suddenly changed. While out hunting with his best friend, his friend is kidnapped by marauders from a neighboring tribe. Okwaho barely escapes back to his village where everyone lives in fear of raids and killings: The five tribes of the Iroquois have been at war with each other for far too long, and no one can even remember what it was like to live in peace.
Okwaho seeks only revenge, which will just perpetuate the violence. But before he can retaliate, a visitor with a message of peace, as told in the lore of the of the Iroquois nation, comes to him in the woods. The Peacemaker - a vision in white buckskin with a calm demeanor and soothing words - tells the boy that he can convince even the most warlike leaders of the wisdom of peace. Okwaho joins the legions of others who believe, and is present when the great treaty creating the Iroquois Confederacy is enacted.
RUNNING TIME => 3hrs. and 30mins.
©2020 Joseph Bruchac (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing
Twelve-year-old Okwaho's life has suddenly changed. While out hunting with his best friend, his friend is kidnapped by marauders from a neighboring tribe. Okwaho barely escapes back to his village where everyone lives in fear of raids and killings: The five tribes of the Iroquois have been at war with each other for far too long, and no one can even remember what it was like to live in peace.
Okwaho seeks only revenge, which will just perpetuate the violence. But before he can retaliate, a visitor with a message of peace, as told in the lore of the of the Iroquois nation, comes to him in the woods. The Peacemaker - a vision in white buckskin with a calm demeanor and soothing words - tells the boy that he can convince even the most warlike leaders of the wisdom of peace. Okwaho joins the legions of others who believe, and is present when the great treaty creating the Iroquois Confederacy is enacted.
RUNNING TIME => 3hrs. and 30mins.
©2020 Joseph Bruchac (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing
Audible Audio
First published January 5, 2021
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About the author
Joseph Bruchac
279 books599 followersJoseph Bruchac lives with his wife, Carol, in the Adirondack mountain foothills town of Greenfield Center, New York, in the same house where his maternal grandparents raised him. Much of his writing draws on that land and his Abenaki ancestry. Although his American Indian heritage is only one part of an ethnic background that includes Slovak and English blood, those Native roots are the ones by which he has been most nourished. He, his younger sister Margaret, and his two grown sons, James and Jesse, continue to work extensively in projects involving the preservation of Abenaki culture, language and traditional Native skills, including performing traditional and contemporary Abenaki music with the Dawnland Singers.
He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing from Syracuse and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Union Institute of Ohio. His work as a educator includes eight years of directing a college program for Skidmore College inside a maximum security prison. With his wife, Carol, he is the founder and Co-Director of the Greenfield Review Literary Center and The Greenfield Review Press. He has edited a number of highly praised anthologies of contemporary poetry and fiction, including Songs from this Earth on Turtle's Back, Breaking Silence (winner of an American Book Award) and Returning the Gift. His poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from American Poetry Review, Cricket and Aboriginal Voices to National Geographic, Parabola and Smithsonian Magazine. He has authored more than 70 books for adults and children, including The First Strawberries, Keepers of the Earth (co-authored with Michael Caduto), Tell Me a Tale, When the Chenoo Howls (co-authored with his son, James), his autobiography Bowman's Store and such novels as Dawn Land, The Waters Between, Arrow Over the Door and The Heart of a Chief. Forthcoming titles include Squanto's Journey (Harcourt), a picture book, Sacajawea (Harcourt), an historical novel, Crazy Horse's Vision (Lee & Low), a picture book, and Pushing Up The Sky (Dial), a collection of plays for children. 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, the Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature and both the 1998 Writer of the Year Award and the 1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. In 1999, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas.
As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States from Florida to Hawaii and has been featured at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. He has been a storyteller-in-residence for Native American organizations and schools throughout the continent, including the Institute of Alaska Native Arts and the Onondaga Nation School. He discusses Native culture and his books and does storytelling programs at dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year as a visiting author.
He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing from Syracuse and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Union Institute of Ohio. His work as a educator includes eight years of directing a college program for Skidmore College inside a maximum security prison. With his wife, Carol, he is the founder and Co-Director of the Greenfield Review Literary Center and The Greenfield Review Press. He has edited a number of highly praised anthologies of contemporary poetry and fiction, including Songs from this Earth on Turtle's Back, Breaking Silence (winner of an American Book Award) and Returning the Gift. His poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from American Poetry Review, Cricket and Aboriginal Voices to National Geographic, Parabola and Smithsonian Magazine. He has authored more than 70 books for adults and children, including The First Strawberries, Keepers of the Earth (co-authored with Michael Caduto), Tell Me a Tale, When the Chenoo Howls (co-authored with his son, James), his autobiography Bowman's Store and such novels as Dawn Land, The Waters Between, Arrow Over the Door and The Heart of a Chief. Forthcoming titles include Squanto's Journey (Harcourt), a picture book, Sacajawea (Harcourt), an historical novel, Crazy Horse's Vision (Lee & Low), a picture book, and Pushing Up The Sky (Dial), a collection of plays for children. 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, the Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature and both the 1998 Writer of the Year Award and the 1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. In 1999, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas.
As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States from Florida to Hawaii and has been featured at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. He has been a storyteller-in-residence for Native American organizations and schools throughout the continent, including the Institute of Alaska Native Arts and the Onondaga Nation School. He discusses Native culture and his books and does storytelling programs at dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year as a visiting author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
September 12, 2023
"Even though I carry a message of peace, I'm still traveling through a land of war."
How lucky are we, as readers, that we finally have writers like Joseph Bruchac?
Mr. Bruchac is a unique amalgamation of an ancient Native heritage and a modern American upbringing, and his work is able to grant us access to stories that feel authentic but also shed a new light on the way we see them.
This middle grades novel, peacemaker, explores the story of a man in history who once united The Five Nations of the Iroquois and brought peace to a people who had been long at war. “The result of his efforts was the formation of. . . the Great League or the League of the Iroquois. Admired by such Founding Fathers as Benjamin Franklin, it has been held up as one of the models for the U.S. Constitution and American democracy in general.”
Anyone interested in the lost years of Jesus Christ might be particularly interested in the parallels that can be easily drawn between the Iroquois Nation's “Peacemaker” and the Prince of Peace.
But, that is not the aim of this novel. Mr. Bruchac himself claims he was inspired to write this particular story to inspire young people in “these times of conflict,” but my daughter and I could not resist the temptation to dream about the possibilities here.
This is our first entry in our new mother-daughter American history reading project, and I am pleased to proclaim that we are off to a great start!
For me, there was no greater way to begin a yearlong history project with my daughter than by honoring those who made history long before the European colonists arrived.
How lucky are we, as readers, that we finally have writers like Joseph Bruchac?
Mr. Bruchac is a unique amalgamation of an ancient Native heritage and a modern American upbringing, and his work is able to grant us access to stories that feel authentic but also shed a new light on the way we see them.
This middle grades novel, peacemaker, explores the story of a man in history who once united The Five Nations of the Iroquois and brought peace to a people who had been long at war. “The result of his efforts was the formation of. . . the Great League or the League of the Iroquois. Admired by such Founding Fathers as Benjamin Franklin, it has been held up as one of the models for the U.S. Constitution and American democracy in general.”
Anyone interested in the lost years of Jesus Christ might be particularly interested in the parallels that can be easily drawn between the Iroquois Nation's “Peacemaker” and the Prince of Peace.
But, that is not the aim of this novel. Mr. Bruchac himself claims he was inspired to write this particular story to inspire young people in “these times of conflict,” but my daughter and I could not resist the temptation to dream about the possibilities here.
This is our first entry in our new mother-daughter American history reading project, and I am pleased to proclaim that we are off to a great start!
For me, there was no greater way to begin a yearlong history project with my daughter than by honoring those who made history long before the European colonists arrived.
September 14, 2021
Peacemaker is set in North America at some point prior to the arrival of European colonists, possibly in the early 1500s. Okwaho is a young Onondagan boy who left his village of Onontaka with his parents and fourteen other families. They turned their backs on the war-fighting life of Onontaka and wanted to live in peace. This earned the rage of their former chief, Atatarho, who wore snakes in his hair and routinely ordered murderous raids against other villages. But now Okwaho’s best friend has been captured by a raiding party, and the villagers wonder if they ever can truly escape wars. Then a stranger named Carries visits Okwaho’s village. Carries brings news of an amazing man, The Peacemaker, who will soon visit their territory. The village is excited at the prospect of peace, but Okwaho still harbors anger at the loss of his friend. Is peace possible?
I truly enjoyed this book and the many Iroquois legends it shares. The stories are fascinating, and I was captivated by the Peacemaker. The idea of a man called the Peacemaker, who cannot be destroyed, convincing five tribes, the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga, to turn to peace and unite as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) is inspiring. The author uses a fictional character, the young Okwaho, and intersperses his story with Iroquois legends to bring a true message of peace for all to this time. The story of Hiawatha is also part of this tale. I especially enjoyed the legend of the Twins and the story of the snake and the frog. This book is recommended for everyone, as the message of peace is universal.
I truly enjoyed this book and the many Iroquois legends it shares. The stories are fascinating, and I was captivated by the Peacemaker. The idea of a man called the Peacemaker, who cannot be destroyed, convincing five tribes, the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga, to turn to peace and unite as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) is inspiring. The author uses a fictional character, the young Okwaho, and intersperses his story with Iroquois legends to bring a true message of peace for all to this time. The story of Hiawatha is also part of this tale. I especially enjoyed the legend of the Twins and the story of the snake and the frog. This book is recommended for everyone, as the message of peace is universal.
October 7, 2021
Peacemaker is a middle grade historical fiction written by Joseph Bruchac. The narrative takes place at the dawn of the Iroquois Confederacy.
Okwaho's family is one of fourteen who leave the big village of Onontaka and the protection of Atatarho, a powerful warrior chief to avoid the conflict that never ended – fighting among the five Iroquois Nations. However, while trout fishing, Okwaho's best friend Tawis is kidnapped by members of the Oneida, which puts the boys' small community at risk of reentering the cycle of violence. When Carries, of the Ganiekehgaono Nation, arrives, he brings with him a message of peace that he hopes to circulate among the nations – one that also helps Okwaho navigate his own conflicts.
Peacemaker is written rather well. Basing his tale on the real-life story of the forming of the Iroquois Confederacy, as told to him by Haudenosaunee elders, Bruchac relates it through the eyes of Okwaho, interweaving the narrative with Haudenosaunee stories of the Peacemaker. The tales bring a depth and resonance to the life and history of the Iroquois Confederacy, as well as to Okwaho's understanding of the world.
All in all, Peacemaker is a wonderful narrative about the forming of the Iroquois Confederacy through the eyes of a twelve year old boy.
Okwaho's family is one of fourteen who leave the big village of Onontaka and the protection of Atatarho, a powerful warrior chief to avoid the conflict that never ended – fighting among the five Iroquois Nations. However, while trout fishing, Okwaho's best friend Tawis is kidnapped by members of the Oneida, which puts the boys' small community at risk of reentering the cycle of violence. When Carries, of the Ganiekehgaono Nation, arrives, he brings with him a message of peace that he hopes to circulate among the nations – one that also helps Okwaho navigate his own conflicts.
Peacemaker is written rather well. Basing his tale on the real-life story of the forming of the Iroquois Confederacy, as told to him by Haudenosaunee elders, Bruchac relates it through the eyes of Okwaho, interweaving the narrative with Haudenosaunee stories of the Peacemaker. The tales bring a depth and resonance to the life and history of the Iroquois Confederacy, as well as to Okwaho's understanding of the world.
All in all, Peacemaker is a wonderful narrative about the forming of the Iroquois Confederacy through the eyes of a twelve year old boy.
December 14, 2024
This is a good pre-Columbian story of the League of Nations. Told from a boys first hand perspective. It would be a great fit for the boys aside from one chapter.
The story has been endorsed by the “American Indian in Children’s books” group but not the author. I have a few more titles I hope to read and then choose the best!
The story has been endorsed by the “American Indian in Children’s books” group but not the author. I have a few more titles I hope to read and then choose the best!
August 30, 2022
An historical story of the great Peacemaker, an almost mythic person who brought a message of peace to the five warring nations of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee, or Iroquois, bringing them together to form the Iroquois Confederacy. It took place in North America before the time of mass European settlement, and interestingly the constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy provided some inspiration in the creation of the constitution of the Unites States. The story is told from the perspective of a young boy who gets caught up in those times, giving the tale a very personal feel. I’d read about the Iroquois Confederacy and its founding when in school and I’ve read some books and papers of the people and cultures of that time, so it was great to return to these stories as an adult and to experience them through the eyes of a youth. I absolutely loved this story, one whose messages of peace, family and friendship are so appropriate in these times. A story for all ages and all times.
December 6, 2020
This is an essential book for young readers who learn about the history of the land referred to today as the United States of America. This is the story of the formation of the League of the Iroquois. Before the Creator sent the messenger the Peacemaker, what would become the Haudenosaunee Nation were five Longhouse nations in a constant cycle of war that would eventually wipe out those nations if they didn't come together in peace. The Great League occurred almost a thousand years before European colonizers arrived, and this great peace became one of the models for the US Constitution and American democracy.
September 9, 2022
What a neat book. As I read it, I couldn't help but think of the story of Jesus Christ visiting the Americas after he was resurrected. It's neat to see so many similarities in the stories- and knowing this book doesn't even mention The Book of Mormon or anything. I mean, is a children's book, find in a public library, simply telling stories of the Iroquois people from their history. I love how the description of the Peacemaker connects to the peace that Jesus Christ gives.
There were a few times I got a little tiny bit bored, so I would skim ahead, which is why I only have it four stars. But, I am now interested in reading other stories and histories about Hiawatha and the Iroquois people.
There were a few times I got a little tiny bit bored, so I would skim ahead, which is why I only have it four stars. But, I am now interested in reading other stories and histories about Hiawatha and the Iroquois people.
September 9, 2023
Wow. Completely intriguing historical fiction. Set in pre-colonial America among the warring Iroquois nations. The author says that the events and prominent figures in this story are soundly based on treasured lore and historical record. It is astounding, because everything about the Peacemaker and his message reminded me of the historical Jesus the Messiah and his message. Very beautiful and wonderful. I have so many questions about this.
August 7, 2025
Read aloud for school. It started off in a rather exciting manner with the kidnapping of an Indian. I thought we were going to get a plot driven book, but we soon took a left turn and got into the depths of the Peacemaker story and the lore surrounding it. (I would like to learn more about the Iroquois now!) Peacemaker was alright, but ultimately wasn’t the book I was expecting. My oldest son felt the same as me, but my daughter enjoyed it much more than we did.
September 8, 2025
2.5 stars.
Taught this book as part of our ELA curriculum for 7th graders. Very dense, but was able to bring the story alive to the point students were able to enjoy it.
Overall it’s historical fiction, but not incredibly engaging. The suspense isn’t capitalized on, nor is the climax truly present.
At least the conflict was strong
Taught this book as part of our ELA curriculum for 7th graders. Very dense, but was able to bring the story alive to the point students were able to enjoy it.
Overall it’s historical fiction, but not incredibly engaging. The suspense isn’t capitalized on, nor is the climax truly present.
At least the conflict was strong
September 20, 2022
I read this for school while I was studying the Native Americans and it really helped me a lot. It was very insightful and full of some great facts and stories. Not the most exciting read but it was very helpful for school.
January 30, 2021
I loved this beautiful book SO much.
April 12, 2021
Okwaho, a12-year-old who loves to make songs, offers a fresh point of view to this briskly told fictionalization of the beginning of the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois Confederacy).
May 1, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4
April 7, 2025
Listen.
June 23, 2020
A beautiful story about the Peacemaker who united the Iroquois people viewed through the eyes of a young boy gifted with a talent for singing.
Even though this is based on real people and events that happened hundreds of years ago, the message is 100% applicable to what is happening in our world today.
Even though this is based on real people and events that happened hundreds of years ago, the message is 100% applicable to what is happening in our world today.
August 11, 2024
Beautiful. Moved me to tears several times. Peace, unity, connection, spirituality, and more. I loved learning a bit about the Iroquois people.
December 2, 2021
My kids (8, 6, and 4) and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt that the storytelling was a bit complicated, as there were times when I was reading a story told to a character who was then re-telling it to another character... It could also get difficult for my kids to keep track of what was happening in the present moment and what had happened previously.
However, Joseph Bruchac tells a powerful tale about the Peacemaker who was able to unite the Iroquois Nations many years before the arrival of European settlers. My children were experiencing the feelings of the protagonist, Okwaho, right alongside of him, and they celebrated with shouts of relief at the novel's satisfying ending.
However, Joseph Bruchac tells a powerful tale about the Peacemaker who was able to unite the Iroquois Nations many years before the arrival of European settlers. My children were experiencing the feelings of the protagonist, Okwaho, right alongside of him, and they celebrated with shouts of relief at the novel's satisfying ending.
July 6, 2022
Very slow but interesting historical era covered. I'm not sure I would recommend this to individual kids but could see it being useful as a whole-class read with accompanying nonfiction sources about the formation of the Iroquois Great League of Peace. Emotional opening as main character evades a war party and loses best friend but the narrative drags rather significantly as the book continues.
https://twitter.com/towntaker/status/...
https://twitter.com/towntaker/status/...
November 19, 2022
As a Haudenosaunee, I grew up with learning about the origins of our culture through our oral histories. Joe used to visit the Onondaga Nation School where I attended and we all enjoyed his storytelling. This was an enjoyable book and a new way to experience a familiar cultural event that gave me a sense of what pre-colonial life might have been like for my ancestors. I enjoyed this and recommend it for middle school through adult!
December 14, 2025
Good book, a little boring at times though. Lots of grammatical errors. This book is probably meant for slightly younger readers (5th grade).
May 20, 2022
This is a wonderful, wonderful book! It takes place in the land of the Iroquois, hundreds of years before the arrival of Europeans. It outlines the legend of the Peacemaker, who united all five of the Iroquois nations, all from the perspective of a young boy who was born in Onondaga.
I LOVED the themes of this book so much. Not only was the writing top-notch and flowed effortlessly (and there is a very good, very scary villain), but the content and themes gave me shivers.
- Anger and forgiveness. I found the descriptions of this little boy struggling with anger and fear one of the most thoughtful and accurate representations in junior fiction. Could highly recommend even just of the sake of how to think about and deal with anger.
- Storytelling: the power of music and how stories can transport people. The middle section of the book especially contained many stories-within-stories, which seems very typical of much of the Indigenous storytelling I am familiar with. It gives me a homey feeling, watching the characters become transported by stories themselves, just as I am being transported by this whole book.
- The value of women. In the story, it is only once the leaders stop listening to the women of the tribe that they descend into senseless and unstoppable conflict. Part of peace-bringing and the restoration of relationships is the re-establishment of women as people of powerful authority and wisdom. The Peacemaker's second-in-command is a great woman named Tsakonsase, and this is one of my favourite lines: "Tsakonsase stands for the women who are the mothers of all our future generations. From this day on, she and all the women of our nations will always be respected and heard" (147).
- And of course, the theme of peace itself. It made me tear up a few times, reading of the great dignity and beauty of peace. It was relevant a thousand years ago, and remains relevant today. Reading this book this week, amidst all the stories of the war in Ukraine and the shootings in the States, and all the miniature conflicts and violence happening in my very own community, well, it makes this message of peace hit home in a different way.
I will end with a description peace-bringing from the climax of the book, and let it speak for itself: "It seemed to Okwaho that he could feel the song gaining power from all those hundreds and hundreds of voices joined together, voices of the people of all five of their nations. They sang to bring an end to vengeance. They sang to bring an end to grief, of mothers weeping for the loss of their children. They sang to bring an end to such loss. They sang for the innocent children and those yet to be born. They sang for those children who would grow up surrounded by love and not anger and fear. They sang for the elders who were near the end of their journeys on this earth and deserved to enjoy their last seasons in peace, surrounded by those they loved. They sang for the end of warfare, of brother killing brother. As they continued to walk and sing, the presence of peace grew stronger and stronger around them, carrying them forward... The presence of so many people, the sound of so many voices joined together in praise of peace, was more awe-inspiring than any weapon.... although the singing ended, the powerful feeling brought by that song remained. It hovered like a great eagle with its wings spread over their heads. To Okwaho it felt as if the air were trembling around them. What was it that had descended upon them? It was as if a great wave were washing over them. But instead of drowning in that wave, they were sharing a strength, an energy unlike anything he'd ever felt before." (145-146)
I LOVED the themes of this book so much. Not only was the writing top-notch and flowed effortlessly (and there is a very good, very scary villain), but the content and themes gave me shivers.
- Anger and forgiveness. I found the descriptions of this little boy struggling with anger and fear one of the most thoughtful and accurate representations in junior fiction. Could highly recommend even just of the sake of how to think about and deal with anger.
- Storytelling: the power of music and how stories can transport people. The middle section of the book especially contained many stories-within-stories, which seems very typical of much of the Indigenous storytelling I am familiar with. It gives me a homey feeling, watching the characters become transported by stories themselves, just as I am being transported by this whole book.
- The value of women. In the story, it is only once the leaders stop listening to the women of the tribe that they descend into senseless and unstoppable conflict. Part of peace-bringing and the restoration of relationships is the re-establishment of women as people of powerful authority and wisdom. The Peacemaker's second-in-command is a great woman named Tsakonsase, and this is one of my favourite lines: "Tsakonsase stands for the women who are the mothers of all our future generations. From this day on, she and all the women of our nations will always be respected and heard" (147).
- And of course, the theme of peace itself. It made me tear up a few times, reading of the great dignity and beauty of peace. It was relevant a thousand years ago, and remains relevant today. Reading this book this week, amidst all the stories of the war in Ukraine and the shootings in the States, and all the miniature conflicts and violence happening in my very own community, well, it makes this message of peace hit home in a different way.
I will end with a description peace-bringing from the climax of the book, and let it speak for itself: "It seemed to Okwaho that he could feel the song gaining power from all those hundreds and hundreds of voices joined together, voices of the people of all five of their nations. They sang to bring an end to vengeance. They sang to bring an end to grief, of mothers weeping for the loss of their children. They sang to bring an end to such loss. They sang for the innocent children and those yet to be born. They sang for those children who would grow up surrounded by love and not anger and fear. They sang for the elders who were near the end of their journeys on this earth and deserved to enjoy their last seasons in peace, surrounded by those they loved. They sang for the end of warfare, of brother killing brother. As they continued to walk and sing, the presence of peace grew stronger and stronger around them, carrying them forward... The presence of so many people, the sound of so many voices joined together in praise of peace, was more awe-inspiring than any weapon.... although the singing ended, the powerful feeling brought by that song remained. It hovered like a great eagle with its wings spread over their heads. To Okwaho it felt as if the air were trembling around them. What was it that had descended upon them? It was as if a great wave were washing over them. But instead of drowning in that wave, they were sharing a strength, an energy unlike anything he'd ever felt before." (145-146)
June 22, 2022
Peacemaker is a beautiful story-within-a-story.
Set in an undetermined time (pre-European colonialism?), it follows a young man named Okwaho. He, his family, and twelve other families left their infamous war chief to start a new village dedicated to peace.
However, violence manages to find Okwaho and the Onondagan people. On a fishing outing, Okwaho is tragically separated from his best friend, who is captured by a raiding tribe. As Okwaho mourns his loss of serenity, his friend, and his way of life, he finds that he is faced with a choice: does he embrace bitterness and anger (like the chief his family left)? Or does he choose the path of peace?
As Okwaho processes his grief, he listens to many stories shared by his family and visitors. Peacemaker highlights the universal and powerful truth that stories and songs shape our hearts in ways nothing else can. I highlighted this quote:
Eventually Okwaho is introduced to someone called The Peacemaker who is responsible for uniting the local warring tribes and villages into a new order of peace -- what is now called the Iroquois Confederacy. I was struck by the messianic nature of The Peacemaker: he was sent by The Creator, was thought to have walked on water/performed miracles, and he carries a message that is radically countercultural to his day.
Peacemaker ends on a happy and hopeful note (I won't spoil the ending). Overall I appreciate how the author includes so many accurate and precise details about Okwaho and his people. I truly felt like I was taken on a powerful journey.
Set in an undetermined time (pre-European colonialism?), it follows a young man named Okwaho. He, his family, and twelve other families left their infamous war chief to start a new village dedicated to peace.
However, violence manages to find Okwaho and the Onondagan people. On a fishing outing, Okwaho is tragically separated from his best friend, who is captured by a raiding tribe. As Okwaho mourns his loss of serenity, his friend, and his way of life, he finds that he is faced with a choice: does he embrace bitterness and anger (like the chief his family left)? Or does he choose the path of peace?
As Okwaho processes his grief, he listens to many stories shared by his family and visitors. Peacemaker highlights the universal and powerful truth that stories and songs shape our hearts in ways nothing else can. I highlighted this quote:
“Why are stories so strong? Why do your stories always take me somewhere?” “Ah,” Wolf Woman said. “You are finally asking me an easy question, Okwaho. Stories are strong because they are alive. A story is like someone you trust to take your hand, lead you on a journey, and then bring you home again.”
Eventually Okwaho is introduced to someone called The Peacemaker who is responsible for uniting the local warring tribes and villages into a new order of peace -- what is now called the Iroquois Confederacy. I was struck by the messianic nature of The Peacemaker: he was sent by The Creator, was thought to have walked on water/performed miracles, and he carries a message that is radically countercultural to his day.
Peacemaker ends on a happy and hopeful note (I won't spoil the ending). Overall I appreciate how the author includes so many accurate and precise details about Okwaho and his people. I truly felt like I was taken on a powerful journey.
December 30, 2022
🌄💦🛶Peacemaker🛶💦🌄
Okwaho grew up with his two best friends. One day on a hunting journey with his friend Tawis, he is kidnapped by men from another tribal nation. Okwaho flees, taking the opportunity to survive that his friend gave him. Fear overtakes him as well as the fear of the unknown-is Tawis still alive? When a person named Carries arrives and tells the stories of a man called the Peacemaker sent from the Creater. . . hope exists for peace between the nations.
"A story is like a person you trust to take your hand, lead you on a journey, and then bring you back home again."
Peacemaker is an inspiring and uplifting story about the journey to find peace.The story is told from a fictional character named Okwaho's perspective. The scattering of legends and stories was absolutely beautiful. Joseph Bruchac writes a book with an immersive and rich atmosphere. Okwaho and Tawis have a strong friendship, something apparent despite only being shown in very few scenes.
The names of the people, the tribes, and the stories were the epitome of the beautiful with a strong connection to nature and emotion. This book was unlike any I had ever read before. Later on, learning that this story is based off of true events on how the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga unite to create the Iroquois people to achieve peace between the tribes.
The Haudenosaunee stories of the Peacemaker added much more to the story. Okwaho was a fantastic protagonist who had a talent for singing. This is a quick read that manages to pack a lot of story, characters, and complexities within the pages!
☑️PLOT
☑️CHARACTERS
Okwaho grew up with his two best friends. One day on a hunting journey with his friend Tawis, he is kidnapped by men from another tribal nation. Okwaho flees, taking the opportunity to survive that his friend gave him. Fear overtakes him as well as the fear of the unknown-is Tawis still alive? When a person named Carries arrives and tells the stories of a man called the Peacemaker sent from the Creater. . . hope exists for peace between the nations.
"A story is like a person you trust to take your hand, lead you on a journey, and then bring you back home again."
Peacemaker is an inspiring and uplifting story about the journey to find peace.The story is told from a fictional character named Okwaho's perspective. The scattering of legends and stories was absolutely beautiful. Joseph Bruchac writes a book with an immersive and rich atmosphere. Okwaho and Tawis have a strong friendship, something apparent despite only being shown in very few scenes.
The names of the people, the tribes, and the stories were the epitome of the beautiful with a strong connection to nature and emotion. This book was unlike any I had ever read before. Later on, learning that this story is based off of true events on how the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca, and Onondaga unite to create the Iroquois people to achieve peace between the tribes.
The Haudenosaunee stories of the Peacemaker added much more to the story. Okwaho was a fantastic protagonist who had a talent for singing. This is a quick read that manages to pack a lot of story, characters, and complexities within the pages!
☑️PLOT
☑️CHARACTERS
September 28, 2020
Joseph Bruchac retells the story of Iroquois Confederacy’s creation in The Peacemaker. The author’s inclusion of numerous stories and folktales helps emphasize important themes and develop other literary elements. The telling is not overly dramatic or action-packed, but this natural ebb and flow is not a shortcoming. Instead, it immerses the reader in the time period. Told through the eyes of a young person, readers learn how feelings of anger and revenge fuel the vicious cycle of war. However, an alternative always exists. Through song, storytelling, or a messenger of hope, there are constant messages that peace is possible. The underlying idea about a person being able to choose to bring it about is powerful. Many a reader may find that The Peacemaker not only brings peace to the Iroquois people, but it may just bring some peace to them as well. It is an important tale; it is a real story; and it surely resonates today.
The Peacemaker would be an excellent novel to teach in conjunction with a nonfiction study of First Nations in North America prior to and after the arrival of Europeans. The Iroquois Confederacy’s accomplishments and the subsequent maltreatment of them by the European colonists would only serve to underscore those incredible accomplishments. It would also highlight not only the importance of peace but also its fragility. Such a cross-curricular experience would draw out important lessons and effectively put them in history’s broader context for students.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Dial Books, for an eARC of this book.
The Peacemaker would be an excellent novel to teach in conjunction with a nonfiction study of First Nations in North America prior to and after the arrival of Europeans. The Iroquois Confederacy’s accomplishments and the subsequent maltreatment of them by the European colonists would only serve to underscore those incredible accomplishments. It would also highlight not only the importance of peace but also its fragility. Such a cross-curricular experience would draw out important lessons and effectively put them in history’s broader context for students.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Dial Books, for an eARC of this book.
June 6, 2020
It seems that Joseph Bruchac's newest book, Peacemaker, comes to us just when we need it the most. Through the eyes of a young man, Okwaho, we learn how the five original Longhouse Nations are encouraged to form the peaceful Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy.
Okwaho, his family and a small group of other families have left Onontaka, a large community governed by warlike Chief Atatarho to avoid conflict. Even though their new small village is a quiet one, it is still impacted by by surrounding warlike groups. When Okwaho's best friend is kidnapped by a rival group, fear and uncertainty for the future dominate their lives.
Stories have always been important to Okwaho and his people. When he was very young, he asked his mother, "Why are they so strong? Why do your stories always take me somewhere?". His mother replied, "A story is like someone you trust to take your hand, lead you on a journey, and then bring you back home again".
In an afterward to his book, Bruchac explains the importance of the Peacemaker story, a tale told for a thousand years and which continues to this day. The author's exquisite language in telling Okwaho's journey is a beautiful way to share the heritage of the Haudenosaunee people with young readers.
I would like to thank Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Okwaho, his family and a small group of other families have left Onontaka, a large community governed by warlike Chief Atatarho to avoid conflict. Even though their new small village is a quiet one, it is still impacted by by surrounding warlike groups. When Okwaho's best friend is kidnapped by a rival group, fear and uncertainty for the future dominate their lives.
Stories have always been important to Okwaho and his people. When he was very young, he asked his mother, "Why are they so strong? Why do your stories always take me somewhere?". His mother replied, "A story is like someone you trust to take your hand, lead you on a journey, and then bring you back home again".
In an afterward to his book, Bruchac explains the importance of the Peacemaker story, a tale told for a thousand years and which continues to this day. The author's exquisite language in telling Okwaho's journey is a beautiful way to share the heritage of the Haudenosaunee people with young readers.
I would like to thank Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
July 27, 2021
Twelve-year-old Okwaho, an Iroquois boy, feels guilty and ponders revenge when his best friend Tawis is captured by three Oneidas. His people had left the larger tribe because they wanted to lead a more peaceful life, and Atatarho, the powerful leader, seemed bent on a cycle of war, revenge, and retribution. But after the kidnapping of Tawis, they wonder if they are safe where they are. Eventually, they decide there's no going back since when the group sends two representatives to Atatarho to see if he would let them return with no retribution, they find no forgiveness in his heart. A messenger from a man called the Peacemaker arrives in the village, and the villagers agree to join what will be known as the League of the Iroquois, which consists of several different tribes devoted to peaceful and not warlike ways. As is typical with books by Joseph Bruchac, his main narrative contains many shorter stories that give glimpses into a way of life that has lessons for modern times. The story is gently but effectively told, and some readers may be inspired by its telling to practice the way of peace themselves.
November 16, 2020
Twelve-year-old Okwaho’s life has never been peaceful. The village he lives in was built because the families wanted to separate themselves from the raid-hungry chief of their old tribe. When Okwaho’s best friend is kidnapped by a neighboring tribe, Okwaho’s mind is clouded by revenge. With all this fear and hate among the five Iroquis tribes, it is hard to imagine that there can come a time of peace. When The Peacemaker arrives, it is his mission to visit all five tribes and try to convince even the most warlike leaders that peace can be achieved.
This short novel tells the tale of how the Iroquois Confederacy was created. Bruchac creates a compelling tale that carries the reader through without involving action and bloodshed. Peacemaker is written with middle grade students in mind, however, I don’t see many students stopping to pick up this book as an independent read. A class read would be a better option for this novel as more meaningful discussions can then be had about the story and history behind it.
This short novel tells the tale of how the Iroquois Confederacy was created. Bruchac creates a compelling tale that carries the reader through without involving action and bloodshed. Peacemaker is written with middle grade students in mind, however, I don’t see many students stopping to pick up this book as an independent read. A class read would be a better option for this novel as more meaningful discussions can then be had about the story and history behind it.
January 16, 2021
This is a simple, yet beautiful, story of how the five warring nations of the Iroquois came together as one peaceful League. Through respecting the women of the nations and their part in leadership, as well as realizing the need to no longer give power to the desire for revenge, hatred, or malice, the divided nations were unified and strong through peace. Respected by men such as Benjamin Franklin, the League of the Iroquois served as one of the models for American democracy. Perhaps America needs to relook at the League's example again today.
Bruchac weaves stories and truths into a timeless tale told through the eyes of a young man, Okwaho, as his idyllic young adult life is changed when his best friend is captured by the men of a neighboring village, causing him to desire revenge. But when a strong, peaceful man comes to talk to the leaders of his village, he begins to realize the healing power of forgiveness and release of anger.
Great book for young readers and mature readers alike.
Bruchac weaves stories and truths into a timeless tale told through the eyes of a young man, Okwaho, as his idyllic young adult life is changed when his best friend is captured by the men of a neighboring village, causing him to desire revenge. But when a strong, peaceful man comes to talk to the leaders of his village, he begins to realize the healing power of forgiveness and release of anger.
Great book for young readers and mature readers alike.
April 21, 2021
I want to thank the author for sharing this story that is new to children's historical fiction (or at least very rare). Some time before the land that would become the United States was colonized by Europeans, the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca formed the Iroquois Confederacy or Five Nations. This book serves to show a fictionalized version of how this came to be, through the eyes of a young boy named Okwaho.
I think this would be great to read as part of a unit on the indigenous inhabitants of North America, or as a great example of historical fiction. I'm not necessarily convinced that the average middle grade reader would pick this up on their own or stick with it if they did (for a short book, the story is a bit slow), but hopefully I'm underestimating young people.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I think this would be great to read as part of a unit on the indigenous inhabitants of North America, or as a great example of historical fiction. I'm not necessarily convinced that the average middle grade reader would pick this up on their own or stick with it if they did (for a short book, the story is a bit slow), but hopefully I'm underestimating young people.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
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