Board Books | Elementary | Middle School | High School
This list is by Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL). AICL provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. Visit the AICL website and subscribe to the AICL blog for many more recommendations, critical reviews, and current news. We also encourage you to read Tips for Teachers: Developing Instructional Materials about American Indians.
Most of the books on these lists are linked for more information or purchase to Powells, an independent, union labor bookstore. Titles with reviews on this site are noted with an asterisk(*).
Board Books
Little You
By Richard Van Camp, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Loving Me
By Debby Slier
My Heart Fills with Happiness*
By Monique Gray Smith
We Sang You Home*
By Richard Van Camp, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns
By Richard Van Camp
Buffalo Song
By Joseph Bruchac, Bill Farnsworth
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom
By Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges (Illustrator)
The Good Rainbow Road: A Native American Tale in Keres and English
By Simon J. Ortiz, Michael Lacapa (Illustrator)
Hungry Johnny
By Cheryl Kay Minnema, Wesley Ballinger (Illustrator)
Indian Shoes
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Jim Madsen (Illustrator)
Muskrat Will Be Swimming
By Cheryl Savageau, Robert Hynes (Illustrator)
Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story
By Sebastian Robertson, Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)
Shin-Chi's Canoe
By Nicola I. Campbell, Kim Lafave (Illustrator)
Skysisters
By Jan Bourdeau Waboose, Brian Deines (Illustrator)
Sweetest Kulu
By Celina Kalluk, Alexandria Neonakis (Illustrator)
Thanks to the Animals
By Allen Sockabasin, Rebekah Raye (Illustrator)
Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky
By Timothy P. McLaughlin (Editor), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Joseph Marshall (Foreword by)
When The Rain Sings Poems By Young Native Americans
By Lee Francis
When The Shadbush Blooms
By Carla Messinger
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People*
By Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Debbie Reese
As Long as the Rivers Flow
By Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden, Heather D. Holmlund (Illustrator)
The Birchbark House
By Louise Erdrich
Hidden Roots
By Joseph Bruchac
If I Ever Get Out of Here: A Novel with Paintings
By Eric L. Gansworth
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse*
By Joseph Marshall III
Makoons
By Louise Erdrich
Rain Is Not My Indian Name
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Lori Earley (Illustrator)
The Sea in Winter
By Christine Day
Son Who Returns
By Gary Robinson
This Place: 150 Years Retold
By Alicia Elliott (Foreword by), Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (Contribution by), Sonny Assu (Contribution by)
Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection
By Matt Dembicki (Editor)
Triple Threat
By Jacqueline Guest
Under the Mesquite
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky
By Timothy P. McLaughlin (Editor), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Joseph Marshall (Foreword by)
Who Will Tell My Brother
By Marlene Carvell
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People*
By Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Debbie Reese
Apple (Skin to the Core) *
By Eric Gansworth
Blue Horses Rush in
By Luci Tapahonso
Code Talker Stories
By Laura Tohe
Crazy Horse's Girlfriend
By Erika T. Wurth
Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices
By Lisa Charleyboy, Mary Beth Leatherdale (Editor)