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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 (including a list of best books), critical reviews, and current news. We also encourage you to read:
- Native Writers Sign Letter Submitted for US House Committee Hearing
Tips for Teachers: Developing Instructional Materials about American Indians- Creating a Library Atmosphere that Welcomes American Indians
- Milestones: Indigenous Peoples and Children's Literature
- Critical Indigenous Literacies: Selecting and Using Children’s Books about Indigenous Peoples
- Native American Literature in Your Classroom
- Worksheet for Selecting Native American Children’s Literature
- Heartdrum Educator Guide
- "Debbie, can you recommend some books about Thanksgiving?"
Most of the books on these lists are linked for more information or purchase to Bookshop (an indie bookstore platform) and / or Powells.com (an independent, unionized bookstore). A small percentage from book sales through these links goes to Teaching for Change.
Titles with reviews on this site are noted with an asterisk (*).
Button Up! Fall in Alaska*
By Angela Y. Gonzales
Bye-Bye Ice! Springtime in Alaska *
By Carla Snow
Little You
By Richard Van Camp, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Loving Me
By Debby Slier
Mittens and Mukluks! Winter in Alaska *
By Joni Spiess
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
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer *
By Traci Sorell and Natasha Donovan (Illustrator)
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom *
By Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges (Illustrator)
The First Blade of Sweetgrass
By Suzanne Greenlaw, Gabriel Frey, and Nancy Baker (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)
I Am Not a Number*
By Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer
I Sang You Down from the Stars*
By Tasha Spillett-Sumner and Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
In My Anaana's Amautik*
By Nadia Sammurtok and Lenny Lishchenko (Illustrator)
Indian Shoes
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Jim Madsen (Illustrator)
Johnny's Pheasant*
By Cheryl Minnema
Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-To-Be Best Friend
By Dawn Quigley and Tara Audibert (Illustrator)
Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!
By Art Coulson and Madelyn Goodnight (Illustrator)
Mothers of Xsan series
By Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)
Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story
By Sebastian Robertson, Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)
Sharice's Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman *
By Sharice Davids, Nancy K. Mays, and Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (Illustrator)
Shin-Chi's Canoe
By Nicola I. Campbell, Kim Lafave (Illustrator)
Skysisters
By Jan Bourdeau Waboose, Brian Deines (Illustrator)
Stand Like A Cedar
By Nicola I. Campbell and Carrielynn Victor (Illustrator)
Still This Love Goes On *
By Buffy Sainte-Marie and Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Sweetest Kulu
By Celina Kalluk, Alexandria Neonakis (Illustrator)
Tanna's Owl
By Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, and Yong Ling Kang (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)
We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
By Traci Sorell and Frane Lessac (Illustrator)
What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know about Horses? *
By Richard Van Camp and George Littlechild (Illustrator)
When The Rain Sings Poems By Young Native Americans
By Lee Francis
When The Shadbush Blooms
By Carla Messinger
As Long as the Rivers Flow
By Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden, Heather D. Holmlund (Illustrator)
The Barren Grounds: The Misewa Saga, Book One
By David A. Robertson
The Birchbark House *
By Louise Erdrich
The Case of the Burgled Bundle *
By Michael Hutchinson
The Case of the Windy Lake *
By Michael Hutchinson
Charles Albert Bender: National Hall of Fame Pitcher
By Kade Ferris
Deb Haaland: First Native American Cabinet Secretary *
By Matthew J. Martinez and Jill Doerfler
Do All Indians Live in Tipis?
By Smithsonian Books
Fatty Legs: A True Story
By Christy Jordan-Fenton, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Liz Amini-Holmes (Illustrator)
A Girl Called Echo *
By Katherena Vermette
The Great Bear: The Misewa Saga, Book 2 *
By David A. Robertson
Healer of the Water Monster *
By Brian Young and Shonto Begay (Illustrator)
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
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People*
By Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Debbie Reese
Makoons
By Louise Erdrich
The Reluctant Storyteller
By Art Coulson and Carlin Bear Don't Walk (Illustrator)
The Sea in Winter
By Christine Day
Son Who Returns
By Gary Robinson
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story
By David A. Robertson, Scott B. Henderson, (Illustrator), Donovan Yaciuk (Colourist)
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)
We Dream Medicine Dreams
By Lisa Boivin
Who Will Tell My Brother
By Marlene Carvell
The Wolf's Trail: An Ojibwe Story, Told by Wolves
By Thomas D. Peacock
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
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
By Monique Gray Smith, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Nicole Neidhardt (Illustrator)
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)
Fighter in Velvet Gloves: Alaska Civil Rights Hero Elizabeth Peratrovich
By Annie Boochever and Roy Peratrovich Jr
Indigenizing Education: Transformative Research, Theories, and Praxis
Edited by Jeremy Garcia, Valerie Shirley, and Hollie Anderson Kulago
Killer of Enemies
By Joseph Bruchac
The Lesser Blessed
By Richard Van Camp
The Marrow Thieves*
By Richard Van Camp
Mean Spirit
By Linda Hogan
Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today
By Lori Marie Carlson
The Night Wanderer: A Graphic Novel
By Drew Hayden Taylor
Night Flying Woman: An Ojibway Narrative
By Ignatia Broker
Notable Native People: 50 Indigenous Leaders, Dreamers, and Changemakers from Past and Present
By Adrienne Keene and Ciara Sana (Illustrator)
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women*
Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Red Nation Rising: From Bordertown Violence to Native Liberation
By Nick Estes, Melanie Yazzie, Jennifer Nez Denetdale, and David Correia
Rethinking Columbus
By Bill Bigelow (Editor), Bob Peterson (Editor)
Robopocalypse
By Daniel H. Wilson
Spíləx̣m: A Weaving of Recovery, Resilience, and Resurgence *
By Nicola I. Campbell
Team Spirits: The Native American Mascots Controversy
By C. Richard King (Editor), Charles Fruehling Springwood (Editor), Vine Deloria Jr (Foreword by)
When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry *
By Jennifer Elise Foerster, Leanne Howe, and Joy Harjo (Editor)
