Josh VanBrakle

Josh VanBrakle has worked in the outdoor field for more than fifteen years as a forester, educator, and recreation professional. He is also the award-winning author of more than ten books in a variety of genres. He has published environmental non-fiction titles such as Backyard Woodland and Attracting Wildlife to Your Backyard. He also authored several children's books including the Dragoon Saga, Kitsune and the Night Heron, and Journey to Chocolate.

His latest project is a series of nature and outdoor journals for kids called Young Explorers.

Born in Pennsylvania, Josh grew up in Hershey, Chocolatetown USA. He lived in the rural Catskill Mountains of upstate New York for about a decade before returning to Pennsylvania to live closer to family. He now lives in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania with his wife, daughter, and two ill-behaved cats.

Josh grew up with a passion for both reading and the outdoors. His parents claim he learned to read using dinosaur books, because all the dinosaur names had phonetic spellings after them. From an early age he was telling and writing stories.

In his spare time, Josh enjoys hiking, kayaking, nature photography, and generally being outdoors wherever and whenever possible. His motto is "have many adventures."