At the age of three, Aaron Paquette was terrified and enchanted by his Mother’s impersonation of Gollum while reading The Hobbit. It was then that he knew he wanted to tell stories. As an artist, his work has gone around the world. As a speaker he is in great demand for his powerful messages. As a writer, Lightfinder is his first novel, and it won the 2015 Burt Award for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Literature. “Paquette’s world is firmly rooted in North American realities, the reality of Indigenous kids forced by history into adulthood before their teen years have begun, the reality of environmental devastation by faceless, unnamed forces, and the reality of vibrant and freshly alive Native spirituality and tradition”.

Lightfinder (Gr. 5+)

Written & illustrated by Aaron Paquette Lightfinder is a Young Adult fantasy novel about Aisling, a young Cree woman who sets out into the wilderness with her Kokum (grandmother), Aunty and two young men she barely knows. Together they must find and rescue her runaway younger brother, Eric. Along the way Aisling learns that the legends of her people might be real and that she has a growing power of her own. The story follows the paths of Aisling and Eric, siblings unwittingly thrust into a millennia old struggle for the future of life on earth. It deals with growing up, love and loss, and the choices life puts in our path. Love and confusion are in store, as are loss and pain. Things are not always what they seem and danger surrounds them at every turn. Will Raven’s mysterious purposes prevail? With darkness closing in how will they find the light to guide them? Will Aisling find Eric in time?

Set in the Alberta landscape with references to real-world challenges faced by youth today, Lightfinder has proven to be a hit with young adults and adults alike. Lightfinder spent over 60 days in Amazon’s Top 100 Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels in 2014, and a fourth printing was ordered within the first year of the book’s release due to popular demand. This book also includes 10 black and white images of Aaron’s depictions, and the cover boasts a captivating image of Aisling; a featured protagonist in the YA fantasy.

Aaron Paquette is available for in-school visits for classes K-12:

Other than his book, he can do the following types of presentation / story telling:

Grade K-12: “Greywolf: a Residential School Story”

This presentation can be tailored to any age group and tells the story of a young boy named Greywolf and his experience of going to Residential School. For younger groups, we keep it safe and focus on the experience of missing family. For older groups we can go into greater detail. Aaron will also bring a wood flute to play.

Grade K-6: “The White Deer”

Ideal for Div I and II, this presentation is a re-telling of the Cree legend detailing the journey of a hunter as he loses himself in the world of the Deer People, his return, and the lessons learned. Complete with illustrations. Aaron will also bring a wood flute to play.

Grade K-6: “Raven Wakes the World”

Ideal for Div I and II, this energetic presentation re-tells this much loved story sure to bring laughter, action and fun to any room.

Grade 7-12: “Your Words Create Worlds”

Ideal for Jr/Sr High School, this presentation unfolds like a stage drama detailing the journey of the author from troubled youth to awakening to the possibilities of a life lived with purpose.

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