Native Ways of Knowing Book List k-3

Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries

K-3 titles

Updated September 15, 2025
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At the mountain's base
Sorell, Traci
Paper Book
A family, separated by duty and distance, waits for a loved one to return home in this lyrical picture book celebrating the bonds of a Cherokee family and the bravery of history-making women pilots. At the mountain's base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin...
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...
Birdsong
Flett, Julie
Ebook
Bowwow powwow : bagosenjige-niimi'idim
Child, Brenda J.
Paper Book
Windy Girl is blessed with a vivid imagination. From Uncle she gathers stories of long-ago traditions, about dances and sharing and gratitude. Windy can tell such stories herself-about her dog, Itchy Boy, and the way he dances to request a treat and how he wriggles with joy in response to, well,...
Classified : the secret career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee aerospace engineer
Sorell, Traci
Paper Book
An American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Picture Book Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her...
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. ...
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. ...
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 First Blade of Sweetgrass : a first nations story
Greenlaw, Suzanne
Paper Book
Musquon must overcome her impatience while learning to distinguish sweetgrass from other salt marsh grasses, but slowly the spirit and peace of her surroundings speak to her, and she gathers sweetgrass as her ancestors have done for centuries, leaving the first blade she sees to grow for future...
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...
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...
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...
Indian shoes
Smith, Cynthia Leitich
Paper Book
The beloved chapter book by New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith about the love and adventures shared by a Cherokee-Seminole boy and his Grampa now has brand-new illustrations! A perfect pick for new readers. What do Indian shoes look like, anyway Like...
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...
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...
Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!
Coulson, Art
Paper Book
Celebrate diversity, math, and the power of storytelling! Bo wants to find the perfect container to show off his traditional marbles for the Cherokee national Holiday. It needs to be just the right size- big enough to fit all the marbles, but not too big to fit in his family's...
Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!
Coulson, Art
Paper Book
Celebrate diversity, math, and the power of storytelling! Bo wants to find the perfect container to show off his traditional marbles for the Cherokee national Holiday. It needs to be just the right size- big enough to fit all the marbles, but not too big to fit in his family's...
Maria Tallchief
Day, Christine
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 stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Maria Tallchief! In this chapter book biography by award-winning...
My heart fills with happiness
Gray Smith, Monique
Paper Book
★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and--yes--happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy."--The New York Times The sun on...
My heart fills with happiness
Gray Smith, Monique
Paper Book
★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and--yes--happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy."--The New York Times The sun on...
My heart fills with happiness / nijiikendam
Gray Smith, Monique
Paper Book
★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and--yes--happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy."--The New York Times The sun on...
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...
I sang you down from the stars
Spillett-Sumner, Tasha
Paper Book
As she waits for the arrival of her new baby, a mother-to-be gathers gifts to create a sacred bundle. A white feather, cedar and sage, a stone from the river... Each addition to the bundle will offer the new baby strength and connection to tradition, family, and community. As they...
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....
She persisted : Wilma Mankiller
Sorell, Traci
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 Wilma Mankiller! A 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Honor Book!
Spirit rangers
Valencia, Karissa
Paper Book
A beautifully illustrated hardcover storybook introducing kids to the characters of Netflix's preschool show Spirit Rangers! It's opening day at Xus National Park in Southern California, and Kodi, Summer, and Eddy Skycedar's first day as Junior Park Rangers! But when a...
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,...
We sang you home
Van Camp, Richard
Paper Book
Key Selling Points A lyrical celebration of newborn babies. Richard Van Camp is the award-winning and bestselling author of Little You, Welcome Song for Baby and May We Have Enough to Share. Illustrator Julie Flett received a BolognaRagazzi Special Mention (2019)...
We sang you home
Van Camp, Richard
Paper Book
Key Selling Points A lyrical celebration of newborn babies. Richard Van Camp is the award-winning and bestselling author of Little You, Welcome Song for Baby and May We Have Enough to Share. Illustrator Julie Flett received a BolognaRagazzi Special Mention (2019)...
We sang you home
Van Camp, Richard
Paper Book
Key Selling Points A lyrical celebration of newborn babies. Richard Van Camp is the award-winning and bestselling author of Little You, Welcome Song for Baby and May We Have Enough to Share. Illustrator Julie Flett received a BolognaRagazzi Special Mention (2019)...
We sang you home
Van Camp, Richard
Paper Book
Key Selling Points A lyrical celebration of newborn babies. Richard Van Camp is the award-winning and bestselling author of Little You, Welcome Song for Baby and May We Have Enough to Share. Illustrator Julie Flett received a BolognaRagazzi Special Mention (2019)...
What your ribbon skirt means to me : Deb Haaland's historic inauguration
Bunten, Alexis C.
Paper Book
This beautiful, informative, Indigenous picture book offers both an homage to Secretary Deb Haaland's achievements, and a celebration of urban Indigenous community through the eyes of a little girl.  Pia rushes over to the Indigenous community center after...
When We Are Kind
Monique Gray Smith
Paper Book
"Notably centering Indigenous families and characters of color in personal and communal activities--and encouraging readers to evaluate their actions toward others."--Publishers Weekly When We Are Kindcelebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they...
Jo Jo Makoons : the used-to-be best friend
Dawn Quigley
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...

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