This bibliography is drawn from books published between 1995 and 2020. While some award-winners and bestsellers are included, part of the goal is to feature underappreciated gems. SEE ALSO Ongoing Coverage of Native Books at Cynsations, Home and Classroom Teaching: Native American Children’s Teens’ Books & Resources, and Native American Children’s and Young Adult Book Bibliographies and Educator Resources.
APPLE: SKIN TO THE CORE by Eric Gansworth (Onondaga)(Levine Querido, 2020). From the promotional copy: “Eric Gansworth is telling his story in Apple (Skin to the Core). The story of his family, of Onondaga among Tuscaroras, of Native folks everywhere. From the horrible legacy of the government boarding schools, to a boy watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to a young man fighting to be an artist who balances multiple worlds. Gansworth shatters that slur and reclaims it in verse and prose and imagery that truly lives up to the word “heartbreaking.” Ages 12-up.
DREAMING IN INDIAN: CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN VOICES edited by Lisa Charleyboy (Tsilhqot’in) and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick Press, 2014). Divided into four sections, ‘Roots,’ ‘Battles,’ ‘Medicines,’ and ‘Dreamcatchers,’ this book offers readers a unique insight into a community often misunderstood and misrepresented by the mainstream media. Whether addressing the effects of residential schools, calling out bullies through personal manifestos, or simply citing hopes for the future, DREAMING IN INDIAN refuses to shy away from difficult topics. An innovative and captivating design enhances each contribution and makes for a truly unique reading experience. Ages 12-up. More on this title from Cynsations. Compiled from promotional materials.
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT INDIANS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK: YOUNG READERS EDITION by Anton Treuer (Ojibwe) (Levine Querido, 2021) Question and answer-style non-fiction book exploring a wide variety of topics for both Native and non-Native young readers. Ages 12-up.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE by Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo) and Jean Mendoza, adapted from Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (Beacon, 2019). A necessary, corrective and healing text with many curriculum opportunities for teachers. Ages 10-up. Don’t miss the tie-in lesson plan by Dr. Natalie Martinez. More on this title from Cynsations.
#NOTYOURPRINCESS: VOICES OF NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN by Lisa Charleyboy (Tsilhqot’in) and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick, 2017). In powerful voices that speak across the ages, Indigenous women offer poems, essays, interviews and art that reflect their experiences. Ages 12-up.
SIOUX CODE TALKERS OF WORLD WAR II by Andrea M. Page (Standing Rock Sioux)(Pelican, 2017). During World War II, code making and code breaking reached a feverish peak. The fabled Enigma cipher had been broken, and all sides were looking for a secure, reliable means of communication. Many have heard of the role of the Navajo Code Talkers, but less well known are the Sioux Code Talkers, who used the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota dialects. Told by the great-niece of John Bear King, who served in the First Cavalry as a Sioux Code Talker, this informative title explores not only the importance of the indigenous peoples to the war but also their culture and values. Follow the seven Sioux who put aside a long history of prejudice against their people and joined the fight against Japan. Ages 10-up. More on this title from Cynsations. Compiled from promotional materials.
Keepers
KEEPERS OF THE ANIMALS: NATIVE AMERICAN STORIES AND WILDLIFE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto (Fulcrum, 1991). SEE ALSO: KEEPERS OF THE ANIMALS TEACHER’S GUIDE by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto with illustrations by John Kahionhes Fadden.
KEEPERS OF THE EARTH: NATIVE AMERICAN STORIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto (Fulcrum, 1988). SEE ALSO: KEEPERS OF THE EARTH TEACHER’S GUIDE by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto with illustrations by John Kahionhes Fadden.
KEEPERS OF LIFE: DISCOVERING PLANTS THROUGH NATIVE AMERICAN STORIES AND EARTH ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto (Fulcrum, 1994). SEE ALSO: KEEPERS OF LIFE TEACHER’S GUIDE by Joseph Bruchac (Abenaki) and Michael J. Caduto with illustrations by John Kahionhes Fadden.