Aviaq Johnston

Aviaq Johnston (born October 23, 1992) is a Canadian Inuk writer from Igloolik, based in Iqaluit, Nunavut.[1][2] [3]

Her mother is from Quaqtaq and her father is from Montreal.[3][4] She is a graduate of Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa and has a diploma in social work from Canadore College.[5][4][3]

Her debut young adult novel Those Who Run in the Sky won the inaugural Indigenous Voices Award for English Prose.[6] The novel was also a finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature at the 2017 Governor General's Awards,[7] and for the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature.[8]

She has also published the children's book What's My Superpower? (2017),[9] and received a Governor General's History Award in 2014 for her short story "Tarnikuluk".[10]

Johnston was listed as one of 18 writers to watch by in 2018 by CBC Books.[11]

In 2018, she was a writer for the third season of the children's program Anaana's Tent.[12] She is a writer and executive story editor for the comedy series North of North.[13]

Awards

Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref.
2014 "Tarnikuluk" Indigenous Arts & Stories Writing Winner [14]
Governor General's Awards History Award [10]
2017 Those Who Run in the Sky English-language children's literature Finalist [15]
Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature [16]
Foreword INDIES Young Adult Fiction [17]
2018 Indigenous Voices Awards English Prose Winner [6]
2021 Quel est mon superpouvoir? Prix des libraires du Québec Jeunesse 0-5 ans Hors Québec Finalist [18]

Works

Books

Novels

Children's books

  • What's My Superpower? (illustrated by Tim Mack, 2017)[23][24]
  • TJ's New Friend (illustrated by Charlene Chua, 2019)[25]
  • Celebrations in Nunavut (illustrated by Lenny Lishchenko, 2019)[26]
  • TJ and the Sleepover (illustrated by Jesus Lopez, 2020)[27]
  • Inuki's Birthday Party (illustrated by Ali Hinch, 2020)[28]
  • Showing You Care (illustrated by Amiel Sandland, 2020)[4]
  • Sometimes I Feel Shy (illustrated by Amiel Sandland, 2021)[29]
  • Saying What You Think (illustrated by Amiel Sandland, 2023)[4]

Short stories

  • "Tarnikuluk" (2014)[14]
  • "Iqsinaqtutalik Piqtuq: The Haunted Blizzard" in Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories (2019)[30]
  • "Maniittuq" in Taaqtumi Volume 2: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories (2025)[31]

References

  1. ↑ "Aviaq Johnston". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  2. ↑ Edgar, Courtney (April 11, 2017). "Magical realism comes alive in Inuk youth novel". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "AVIAQ JOHNSTON". Hinaani. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Johnston, Aviaq". Inuit Literatures ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᒍᓯᖏᑦ Littératures inuites. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Photo: NS alumni receives national writing award". Nunatsiaq News. July 8, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Patrick, Ryan B. (May 22, 2018). "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Aviaq Johnston among winners of 2018 Indigenous Voices Awards". CBC Books.
  7. ↑ Medley, Mark (October 4, 2017). "Kathleen Winter, Carol Off among finalists for Governor-General's Literary Awards". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  8. ↑ Robertson, Becky (September 25, 2017). "Currie, Johnston, Vermette named to Burt Award shortlist". Quill and Quire. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ Gilbert, Julia (September 11, 2017). "What's My Superpower?". Quill and Quire. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Young Iqaluit writer receives Governor-General's history award". Nunatsiaq News. November 4, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  11. ↑ "18 writers to watch in 2018". CBC Books. August 8, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Aviaq Johnston". IMDb. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  13. ↑ Bimal, Nehaa (January 16, 2026). "'North of North' sweeps comedy screenwriting nominations". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Tarnikuluk". Indigenous Arts & Stories. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  15. ↑ "GGBooks 2017 finalists revealed". Canada Council for the Arts. October 4, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  16. ↑ Carter, Sue (November 24, 2017). "Katherena Vermette wins CODE's 2017 Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature". Quill and Quire. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Those Who Run in the Sky (2017 Foreword INDIES Finalist)". Foreword Reviews. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Prix passés (archives)". Prix des libraires. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Those Who Run in the Sky". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Those Who Dwell Below". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Grandfather Bowhead, Tell Me A Story". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  22. ↑ James, David (January 9, 2026). "Book review: Steeped in Inuit culture, 'Leave Our Bones Where They Lay' offers a universal message". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  23. ↑ "What's My Superpower?". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Aviaq Johnston". CBC Books. June 26, 2018.
  25. ↑ "TJ's New Friend". Inhabit Education Books. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Celebrations in Nunavut - Nunavummi Reading Series". Strong Nations. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  27. ↑ "TJ and the Sleepover". Inhabit Education Books. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Inuki's Birthday Party". Inhabit Education Books. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Sometimes I Feel Shy". Inhabit Education Books. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Taaqtumi 2: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories". Inhabit Media. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
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