Indigenous Peoples Titles for Juvenile and Middle Grade

Updated October 23, 2025
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I am Osage : how Clarence Tinker became the first Native American major general
Rogers, Kim
Paper Book
This informative and inspiring picture book by acclaimed author Kim Rogers (Wichita), with striking artwork by debut illustrator Bobby Von Martin (Choctaw), celebrates the achievements of Clarence Tinker, a member of the Osage Nation who became the first Native American major...
Ancestor approved : intertribal stories for kids
Smith, Cynthia Leitich
Paper Book
Edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of intersecting stories by both new and veteran Native writers bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride. Native families from Nations across the...
The birchbark house
Erdrich, Louise
Paper Book
For use in schools and libraries only. Omakayas, a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
Boarding Schools
Bruegl, Heather
Paper Book
Learn how education and government policy impacted generations of Indigenous families. Readers will understand the legacy of boarding schools on Indigenous cultures and the resilience of those cultures today. The Racial Justice in America: Indigenous Peoples series explores the issues specific to...
Buffalo dreamer
Duncan, Violet
Paper Book
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST An illuminating novel about the importance of reclaiming the past, based on the author's family history Summer and her family always spend relaxed summers in Alberta, Canada, on the reservation where her mom's family lives. But this year...
Child of the flower-song people : Luz Jim?ez, daughter of the Nahua
Amescua, Gloria
Paper Book
She was Luz Jiménez, child of the flower-song people, the powerful Aztec, who called themselves Nahua- who lost their land but who did not disappear. As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to...
Christopher Columbus and the Taino people
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about Christopher Columbus, and learn all about the Taino people. Perfect for fans of the I Survived books and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed across the ocean and discovered America....
Contenders : two Native baseball players, one World Series
Sorell, Traci
Paper Book
The true story of John Meyers and Charles Bender, who in 1911 became the first two Native pro baseball players to face off in a World Series. This picture book teaches important lessons about resilience, doing what you love in the face of injustice, and the fight for Native American...
Deb Haaland
Goodluck, Laurel
Paper Book
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Deb Haaland! A 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Honor Book! ...
Eagle drums
Hopson, Nasug raq Rainey
Paper Book
**A NEWBERY HONOR BOOK** A magical middle grade adventure about a boy in the Arctic who faces a series of challenges presented to him by a family of eagle gods. Through this, he learns important lessons about respecting nature, building compassion, and bringing a community...
Healer of the water monster
Young, Brian
Paper Book
American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner: Best Middle Grade Book! Brian Young's powerful debut novel tells of a seemingly ordinary Navajo boy who must save the life of a Water Monster--and comes to realize he's a hero at heart. When Nathan goes to visit his grandma, Nali...
If you lived during the Plimoth Thanksgiving
Newell, Chris
Paper Book
What do you know about the thanksgiving feast at Plimoth? What if you lived in a different time and place? What would you wear? What would you eat? How would your daily life be different? Scholastic's If You Lived... series answers all of kids' most important questions about events...
Indian no more
McManis, Charlene Willing
Paper Book
American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner - American Indian Library Association When Regina's Umpqua tribe is legally terminated and her family must relocate from Oregon to Los Angeles, she goes on a quest to understand her identity as an Indian despite being so far from home.<...
Indigenous America
McDonald, Liam
Paper Book
"A comprehensive and accessible history of the Indigenous peoples of North America." - STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal Introducing a new nonfiction series that uncovers hidden histories of the United States. The true story of the United States' Indigenous...
Indigenous ingenuity : a celebration of traditional North American knowledge
Havrelock, Deidre
Paper Book
Celebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book--perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass.  Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded...
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Bode, Heather L.
Paper Book
Throughout US history, Indigenous people have lost their lives and land because of colonization. But today, people across the country celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day. They honor the cultures and contributions of Indigenous nations while raising awareness about current issues that American Indians...
Lei and the fire goddess
Maunakea, Malia
Paper Book
"Lei and the Fire Goddess blends preteen angst and beloved Hawaiian moʻolelo in a way that hasn't been done before." -Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and voice of Disney's Princess Moana Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part...
Lei and the fire goddess
Maunakea, Malia
Paper Book
"Lei and the Fire Goddess blends preteen angst and beloved Hawaiian moʻolelo in a way that hasn't been done before." -Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and voice of Disney's Princess Moana Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part...
A man called Horse : John Horse and the Black Seminole Underground Railroad
Turner, Glennette Tilley
Paper Book
John Horse (c. 1812-1882, also known as Juan Caballo) was a famed chief, warrior, tactician, and diplomat who played a dominant role in Black Seminole affairs for half a century. His story is central to that of the Black Seminoles-descendants of Seminole Indians, free Blacks, and escaped slaves...
Powwow : a celebration through song and dance
Pheasant-Neganigwane, Karen
Paper Book
★ "Clearly organized and educational--an incredibly useful tool for both school and public libraries." --School Library Journal, starred review Powwowis a celebration of Indigenous song and dance. Journey through the history of powwow culture in North America, from its origins to the...
Red Bird danced
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
With lyrical verse and powerful emotion, Dawn Quigley (Ojibwe) tells the story of urban Native kids who find strength in connection with those who came before and in the hope that lets them take flight. Ariel and Tomah have lived in the city's intertribal housing complex all...
The sea in winter
Day, Christine
Paper Book
In this evocative and heartwarming novel for readers who loved The Thing About Jellyfish, the author of I Can Make This Promise tells the story of a Native American girl struggling to find her joy again. It's been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt...
The sea in winter
Day, Christine
Paper Book
In this evocative and heartwarming novel for readers who loved The Thing About Jellyfish, the author of I Can Make This Promise tells the story of a Native American girl struggling to find her joy again. It's been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt...
Sisters of the Neversea
Smith, Cynthia Leitich
Paper Book
Five starred reviews! In this beautifully reimagined story by NSK Neustadt Laureate and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), Native American Lily and English Wendy embark on a high-flying journey of magic, adventure, and courage to a fairy-tale...
Sisters of the Neversea
Smith, Cynthia Leitich
Paper Book
Five starred reviews! In this beautifully reimagined story by NSK Neustadt Laureate and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), Native American Lily and English Wendy embark on a high-flying journey of magic, adventure, and courage to a fairy-tale...
The storyteller
Hobson, Brandon
Paper Book
From National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson, a kaleidoscopic middle-grade adventure that mixes the anxieties, friendships, and wonders of a Cherokee boy's life with Cherokee history and lore. Ziggy has ANXIETY. Partly this is because of the way his mind works, and how overwhelmed he...
Together we march : 25 protest movements that marched into history
Henderson, Leah
Paper Book
March through history and discover twenty-five groundbreaking protest movements that have shaped the way we fight for equality and justice today in this stunningly illustrated and sweeping book! For generations, marches have been an invaluable tool for bringing about social...
Two tribes
Bowen Cohen, Emily
Paper Book
In her poignant debut graphic novel inspired by her own life, Emily Bowen Cohen embraces the complexity, meaning, and deep love that comes from being part of two vibrant tribes. Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish...
The used-to-be best friend
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
American Indian Youth Literature Award: Middle Grade Honor Book! Hello/Boozhoo--meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is. Jo Jo...
The used-to-be best friend
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
American Indian Youth Literature Award: Middle Grade Honor Book! Hello/Boozhoo--meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is. Jo Jo...
Voices of the people
Bruchac, Joseph
Paper Book
2024 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (NCSS & CBC)"Best Middle Grade Book of the Year" by Kirkus Reviews"Best Poetry Books of 2022" by School Library JournalJunior Library Guild Gold Standard AwardThrough poems that capture the essence of each person's life, acclaimed Native...
We still belong
Day, Christine
Paper Book
A thoughtful and heartfelt middle grade novel by American Indian Youth Literature Honor-winning author Christine Day (Upper Skagit), about a girl whose hopeful plans for Indigenous Peoples' Day (and plans to ask her crush to the school dance) go all wrong--until she finds herself...
Who was Jim Thorpe?
Buckley, James, Jr.
Paper Book
Learn about the incredible legacy of the first Native American athlete and Olympian to earn a gold medal for the United States in this exciting addition to the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series. While most athletes excel in just one sport, Jim Thorpe was different...
Who were the Navajo code talkers?
Buckley, James, Jr.
Paper Book
Learn how this heroic group of American Indian men created a secret, unbreakable code and helped the US win major battles during World War II in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series. By the time the United States joined the Second World War in 1941...

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