James Houston author page

James Houston biography

James Archibald Houston (1921–2005) was a Canadian artist, designer, filmmaker, and author whose children’s and young adult books draw on Arctic settings, traditions, and survival themes. Widely recognized for helping bring Inuit art to international attention, he also wrote and illustrated fiction and retellings for younger readers alongside historical and adventure novels for teens.

Houston’s children’s and YA titles include Tikta’liktak: An Eskimo Legend (1965), The White Archer: An Eskimo Legend (1967), Akavak: An Eskimo Journey (1968), River Runners: A Tale of Hardship and Bravery (1979), Long Claws: An Arctic Adventure (1981), Ice Swords: An Undersea Adventure (1985), The Falcon Bow: An Arctic Legend (1986), Whiteout (1991), and Drifting Snow: An Arctic Search (1992). For general audiences he wrote The White Dawn: An Eskimo Saga (1971), Ghost Fox (1977), Frozen Fire: A Tale of Courage (1977), and The Ice Master (1997), among others.

His work for young readers received major recognition. Tikta’liktak won the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award in 1966; The White Archer received the same award in 1968; and River Runners was honored in 1980. Drifting Snow was cited with a Governor General’s Literary Award in 1993. Houston also received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children’s Literature and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. His books remain part of Arctic-focused classroom reading, valued for clear storytelling, research-based detail, and accessible pacing for middle-grade and teen readers.