Native American Heritage for kids

Updated January 27, 2024
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We are still here! : Native American truths everyone should know
Sorell, Traci
Paper Book
Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain- We are still here! An ideal nonfiction picture book for 7-10-year-old future activists and changemakers! An inspiring read by...
The porcupine year
Erdrich, Louise.
Paper Book
The third novel in the critically acclaimed Birchbark House series by New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich. Omakayas was a dreamer who did not yet know her limits. When Omakayas is twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowing journey in search of a new...
We are water protectors
Lindstrom, Carole
Paper Book
From author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade comes a New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal winning picture book that honors Indigenous-led movements across the world. Powerfully written and gorgeously illustrated, We Are Water Protectors,...
Berry song
Goade, Michaela
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Book! An Indie Bestseller! Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders. On...
Chickadee
Erdrich, Louise.
Paper Book
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, Chickadee is the first novel of a new arc in the critically acclaimed Birchbark House series by New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich. Twin brothers Chickadee and Makoons have done everything together since...
I sang you down from the stars
Spillett-Sumner, Tasha
Paper Book
This beloved New York Times bestseller pays tribute to the love that blossoms when expecting and welcoming a new baby, from celebrated Indigenous creators, author Tasha Spillett and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade.​ As she waits for the arrival of her...
Fry bread : a Native American family story
Maillard, Kevin Noble
Paper Book
Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal An American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner "A wonderful and sweet book . . . Lovely stuff." --The New York Times Book Review Told in lively and powerful verse by...
Mary and the Trail of Tears : a Cherokee removal survival story
Rogers, Andrea L.
Paper Book
Twelve-year-old Mary and her Cherokee family are forced out of their home in Georgia by U.S. soldiers in May 1838. From the beginning of the forced move, Mary and her family are separated from her father. Facing horrors such as internment, violence, disease, and harsh weather, Mary perseveres and...
Birdsong
Flett, Julie
Ebook
Johnny's pheasant
Minnema, Cheryl
Paper Book
An encounter with a pheasant (which may or may not be sleeping) takes a surprising turn in this sweetly serious and funny story of a Native American boy and his grandma   "Pull over, Grandma! Hurry!" Johnny says. Grandma does, and Johnny runs to show her what he...
Forever cousins
Goodluck, Laurel
Paper Book
In this Native American story, Kara and Amanda are best-friend cousins. Then Kara leaves the city to move back to the Rez. Will their friendship stay the same? Native creators Laurel Goodluck and Jonathan Nelson share a sweet picture book with the universal experience of family and...
Zoe and the fawn
Jameson, Catherine
Paper Book
Zoe and her father are delighted to come across a fawn in the forest. But the fawn is alone--where is its mother? Join Zoe on her quest for the deer, as she encounters animals and learns their Okanagan (syilx) names along the way. Repetition of phrased questions will enhance success for...
The birchbark house
Erdrich, Louise.
Paper Book
"[In this] story of a young Ojibwa girl, Omakayas, living on an island in Lake Superior around 1847, Louise Erdrich is reversing the narrative perspective used in most children's stories about nineteenth-century Native Americans. Instead of looking out at 'them' as dangers or curiosities, Erdrich,...
Forever our home = kâkikê kîkinaw
Simpson, Tonya
Paper Book
Key Selling Points Adapted from a lullaby the author wrote for her newborn son, this book is a love song to her child and all Indigenous children. Lyrical language conveys a powerful message of reconciliation and reclamation. Author Tonya Simpson is Scottish and...
The game of silence
Erdrich, Louise.
Paper Book
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, The Game of Silence is the second novel in the critically acclaimed Birchbark House series by New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich. Her name is Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop, and she lives on...
Keepunumuk : Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving story
Greendeer, Danielle
Paper Book
Written and illustrated by four Indigenous creators, this beautiful picture book honors both the history and tradition that surrounds the story of the first Thanksgiving. Discover the first Thanksgiving through Wampanoag eyes, as the Native Americans teach the Pilgrims to grow the...
Still this love goes on
Sainte-Marie, Buffy
Paper Book
Finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award A New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2022! NAMED A BEST PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR: Kirkus Reviews, Globe and Mail, and Chicago Public...
Sharice's big voice : a native kid becomes a congresswoman
Davids, Sharice
Paper Book
This acclaimed picture book autobiography tells the triumphant story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she'd be in Congress....
Finding my dance
Thundercloud, Ria
Paper Book
In her debut picture book, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage. At four years old, Ria Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the...
The song that called them home
Robertson, David
Paper Book
One summer day, Lauren and her little brother, James, go on a trip to the land with their Moshom (grandfather). After they've arrived, the children decide to fish for dinner while Moshom naps. They are in their canoe in the middle of the lake when the water around them begins to swirl and crash....
Wild berries = Pikaci-m¿nisa
Flett, Julie
Paper Book
Tch, tch, sh, sh, tup, tup. Spend the day picking wild blueberries with Clarence and his grandmother. Meet ant, spider, and fox in a beautiful woodland landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett. This book is written in both English and Cree, in particular the n...
Josie dances
Lajimodiere, Denise K.
Paper Book
Josie dreams of dancing at next summer's powwow. But first she needs many special things: a dress, a shawl, a cape, leggings, moccasins, and, perhaps most important of all, her spirit name. To gather all these essential pieces, she calls on her mom, her aunty, her kookum, and Grandma...
Just like grandma
Rogers, Kim
Paper Book
In this lyrical picture book by Kim Rogers (Wichita), with illustrations by Boston Globe-Horn Book Honoree Julie Flett (Cree-Métis), Becca watches her grandma create, play, and dance--and she knows that she wants to be just like Grandma. Becca loves spending time with Grandma...
Powwow day
Sorell, Traci
Ebook
River is recovering from illness and can't dance at the powwow this year. Will she ever dance again? A heartwarming and hopeful contemporary Native American picture book for ages 4-8-year-olds about traditions, community, music, and healing, written and illustrated by Indigenous...
The barren grounds
Robertson, David
Paper Book
Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home until they find a secret portal...
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...
I can make this promise
Day, Christine
Paper Book
In her debut middle grade novel--inspired by her family's history--Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family's secrets--and finds her own Native American identity. All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how...
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Phillips, Katrina M.
Paper Book
Indigenous Peoples' Day is about celebrating! The second Monday in October is a day to honor Native American people, their histories, and cultures. People mark the day with food, dancing, and songs. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all...
Makoons
Erdrich, Louise
Paper Book
In this award-winning sequel to Chickadee, acclaimed author Louise Erdrich continues her celebrated Birchbark House series with the story of an Ojibwe family in nineteenth-century America. Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, have...
Fancy pants
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
Filled with lots of glitter, raised pinkies, and humorous misunderstandings, this second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series--written by Dawn Quigley and illustrated by Tara Audibert--is filled with the joy of a young Ojibwe girl discovering her very own special shine from the inside out. ...
The sea in winter
Day, Christine
Paper Book
Extensive ARE mailings to key influencers Lead promotion and ARE distribution at major institutional conferences and preview events Advertising in key School & Library media Exclusive online content at harperstacks.com, the school & library marketing social media...
This is the feast
Shore, Diane ZuHone.
Paper Book
This is Thanksgiving, a time to remember the friendships and freedoms we all share together. When the Pilgrims embarked on their legendary Mayflower voyage in 1620, they couldn't predict what lay ahead of them. In search of religious freedom and a new life, the settlers faced hardships...
Who was Sacagawea?
Fradin, Dennis B.
Paper Book
A sixteen-year-old who made one of the most remarkable journeys in American history A woman who has mountains named after her The face on the new U.S. golden dollar coin All of the above! Find out more about the real Sacagawea in this fun and...
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...

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