November is Native American Heritage Month. Immerse yourself in their stories of joy and cultural pride through these colorful and inspiring books for every age group.
“Bowwow Powwow” by Brenda J. Child
- Best for ages: 3-7
Windy Girl dreams of attending a special powwow where the participants are dogs. In this magical dream, she sees a visiting drum group, traditional dancers, grass dancers and jingle-dress dancers.
“Children of the Longhouse” by Joseph Bruchac
- Best for ages: 10-12
Follow the story of twin 11-year-old Mohawk children who must find the path to peace with neighboring tribes.
“Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two” by Joseph Bruchac
- Best for ages: 13-plus
After being taught in a boarding school that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become Code Talkers, sending messages during World War II in their native tongue.
“First Laugh – Welcome Baby!” by Rose Ann Tahe, Nancy Bo Flood and Jonathan Nelson
- Best for ages: 2-5
The First Laugh Ceremony is a celebration held to welcome a new member of the community. As everyone tries to elicit the joyous sound from Baby, readers are introduced to details about Navajo life.
“Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story” by Kevin Noble Maillard
- Best for ages: 2-5
Learn about the Native American tradition of making fry bread.
“If I Ever Get Out of Here” by Eric Bansworth
- Best for ages: 13-plus
Seventh-grader Lewis “Shoe” Blake from the Tuscarora Reservation has a new friend, George Haddonfield, but in 1975 upstate New York, there is a lot of tension and hatred between Native Americans and whites.
“Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman” by Nancy K. Mays
- Best for ages: 4-10
This picture book is an autobiography about Sharice Davids. She was the first Native American women elected to Congress and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas.
“Sweetest Kulu” by Celina Kalluk
- Best for ages: 0-2
This beautiful bedtime poem describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic. It is told by a mother speaking to her own little “Kulu,” an Inuktitut term of endearment.
“The Sign of the Beaver” by Elizabeth George Speare
- Best for ages: 10-12
In this Newbery Honor book, a 13-year-old boy struggles to survive on his own in the wilderness of 18th-century Maine. Soon he meets Attean, a boy from the Beaver tribe.
“Taíno Tales: The Secret of the Hummingbird” by Vicky Weber
- Best for ages: 3-7
Alida, the daughter of a Taíno chief, lives in paradise and meets a boy from the opposing tribe. A retelling of the Taíno legend of how the hummingbird came to be, this story brings an ancient culture and a young love to life.
“We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know” by Traci Sorell
- Best for ages: 7-10
In this book, Native American children discuss the policies, contemporary and historical laws, struggles and victories in Native American life.
“We Are Water Protectors” by Carole Lindstrom
- Best for ages: 3-7
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.
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