Dawn Land -- Joseph Bruchac

About ten thousand years ago in the northeast, the Abenaki- People of the Dawn Land - created a thriving community in social and ecological balance with nature and with each other. One of the finest sons of the People is Young Hunter, who dedicates himself to becoming a pure hunter. But a shadow is crossing over this place, threatening his beloved homeland, and Young Hunter is called to its defense. The deep-seeing one of his village, Bear Talker, tells him that the change will be brought by beings of great power, with cold hearts and a terrible hunger, and Young Hunter has been chosen to fight them. "This young one will do things for the people," Bear Talker thought. "If he survives...if he survives." <p/> Not knowing what the threat is, Young Hunter embarks, with his faithful dogs, on a journey that will take him to new lands and test his resolve in unforeseen ways. Given a special weapon called the Long Thrower, he must learn the secret of its power by studying with the deep seer Medicine Plant. A woman apart, she is a fine example of the importance of women in Native society. <p/> More than an action-packed saga of a dangerous journey, <i>Dawn Land </i>is a dramatic illumination of the highly developed value system of these pre-contact native people. Its unforgettable story enriches the reader with a greater understanding of the lifeways of native peoples, lifeways that survive to this day because they are built on maintaining balance and harmony with nature. <br><br><br