Those Who Run in the Sky

★ "A gem of an adventure novel grounded in Inuit myths and traditions...Lyrical writing, a suspenseful plot, and vivid illustrations make this a compelling read.Full of wisdom, earth knowledge, and spiritual depth, this novel captures the spirit of Indigenous leadership." - Kirkus, starred review

Winner of the Most Significant Work of Prose in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

Nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's Literature

A coming-of-age story that follows a young shaman named Pitu as he learns to use his powers and ultimately finds himself lost in the world of the spirits.

After a strange and violent blizzard leaves Pitu stranded on the sea ice, without his dog team or any weapons to defend himself, he soon realizes that he is no longer in the world that he once knew. The storm has carried him into the world of the spirits, a world populated with terrifying creatures—black wolves with red eyes, ravenous and constantly stalking him, and water-dwelling creatures that want nothing more than to snatch him and pull him into the frigid ocean through an ice crack—as well as beings less frightening, but equally as incredible, such as a lone giant who can carry Pitu in the palm of her hand and keeps caribou and polar bears as pets.

After stumbling upon a fellow shaman who has been trapped in the spirit world for many years, Pitu must master all of his shamanic powers to make his way back to the world of the living, to his family, and to the girl that he loves.

"Johnston’s descriptions are detailed and bring the various spirits to life. Throughout the book, there are black and white illustrations by Toma Feizo Gas which enhance the written descriptions and add depth and interest to the story." - CM Magazine

Aviaq Johnston is the author of the bestselling picture book What’s My Superpower?. For older children, teenagers, and grown-ups, she has written the award-winning novel Those Who Run in the Sky and its sequel, Those Who Dwell Below. She has also written the short stories “Tarnikuluk,” winner of the Aboriginal Arts and Stories Award, and “The Haunted Blizzard,” featured in Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories. She grew up in Igloolik, Nunavut, and now lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with her dog, Sunny.

From his early days of reading sci-fi and fantasy books, Toma Feizo Gas has been fascinated with the dramatic scenes portrayed on the covers of those books. There started his lifelong love affair with telling stories through pictures. Today, Toma’s key influence remains the people in these stories, the motives that drive us, and the decisions that shape us, propelling him to craft bold visual statements and contrast in his own art. As a career illustrator, his work can be found gracing the pages and covers of titles such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, the Star Wars and Mutant Chronicles role playing games, as well as several upcoming fantasy novel series.

• Foreword Indies Award for Young Adult FictionShort-listed 2017
• Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature — Indigenous LanguageShort-listed 2019
• Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's LiteratureShort-listed 2017
• Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis LiteratureRunner-up 2017
• Most Significant Work of Prose in English by an Emerging Indigenous WriterWinner 2018
• Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and TeensShort-listed 2017