Authentic, accurate Native historical books are vital because of the quality and resonance of those narratives and because they have the power to help correct centuries of misrepresentation and harm.

That said, Native people have a past, a present and a future. Be sure to embrace Native contemporary and futuristic stories as well as those by Native/First Nations authors and illustrators in your collections and curriculum.

The bibliographies herein are by no means comprehensive. They’re 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.