Native American Heritage Month - Children

Created on November 13, 2021, 7:42 pm

Last Updated March 27, 2025, 2:47 pm

During November, National Native American Heritage Month, we honor the history, celebrate the rich and diverse cultures and traditions, and acknowledge the many sacrifices, achievements, and vast contributions of Native peoples. For more information about the month, see https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov. For the American Indian Youth Literature Award, see https://ailanet.org/literature_awards. For information about and critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in youth books, see https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com.

1) The gift of the great buffalo

Author

Lindstrom, Carole

Description

Rose is a young Metis-Ojibwe girl who has traveled far with her family for the biannual buffalo hunt made up of hundreds of other Metis families. The ritual of the hunt has been practiced for generations, and each hunt must see the community through the next six months. But in recent years, the buffalo population has dwindled, and after days on the hunt, there are no buffalo to be found. Can Rose help her family find the herd that will enable them...

2) Pilgrim codex

Author

Mansour, Vivian

Description

"For fans of Duncan Tonatiuh and Yuyi Morales' Dreamers, a one-of- a-kind picture book about one immigrant family's journey north, illustrated in the vein of an ancient codex and drawing upon Mesoamerican mythology."--Provided by publisher.

3) Dad, I miss you

Author

Sammurtok, Nadia

Description

"Based on the author's family history of residential school separation, this book provides a unique perspective on the difficult cycle of loss, reconnection, and regaining hope for the future."--Provided by publisher.

4) To walk the sky: how Iroquois steelworkers helped build towering cities

Author

Buckley, Patricia Morris

Description

"Mohawk author Patricia Morris Buckley tells the story of the brave skywalkers--Native men who work as high steelworkers, building bridges and skyscrapers no matter the dangers."-- Provided by publisher.

5) Tana cooks to say thanks

Author

Series

Formats:

Easy Readers, eBook

Description

After distributing thank-you treats to teachers at school, Tana realizes she overlooked some school staff, so with the assistance of a new student, she devises a plan to ensure everyone feels appreciated. Includes recipes for mini pizzas and lemon cupcakes.

6) Raven's ribbons

Author

Spillett, Tasha

Description

"A boy shares his dream of wearing a traditional ribbon skirt to the community's round dance with his grandmother"-- Provided by publisher.

7) Stitches of tradition: gashkigwaaso tradition

Author

Rendon, Marcie R

Description

"As she grows up, Tatiana, a young Ojibwe girl, celebrates the big events of her life by wearing the beautiful ribbon skirts she creates with her nookomis (grandmother), a tradition connecting her to generations of her family"-- Provided by publisher.

8) I am Osage: how Clarence Tinker became the first Native American general

Author

Description

"A biographical picture book about Clarence Tinker, a member of the Osage Nation, who endured abuse growing up at the hands of a boarding school and went on to serve in the United States Air Force in World War II"-- Provided by publisher.

9) An Anishinaabe Christmas

Author

Description

"Picture book about an Anishinaabe family heading to the reservation to visit the baby's grandparents for Christmas. A story about combining Western and Indigenous celebrations, this book is shared in the hopes of bringing people together to understand and feel good about the Anishinaabe way, however you choose to live it."-- Provided by publisher.

10) The hawk shadow

Author

Bourdeau Waboose, Jan

Description

"Serenity and her brother Big Ed are making their way through the bush to go fishing at Hawk River. Along the path, Big Ed explains that it's called Hawk River because the Hawks, Gekek, are the Keepers of the river and their Protectors. "They see things far off in the distance, things we can't," he tells Serenity. When they arrive at the river and Big Ed finds himself in danger, Serenity must follow the Hawk and listen to her own intuition to come...

11) Coming home: a Hopi resistance story = Tutuqaykingaqw nima : hopisino pahan tutqayiwuy ep yorhomti

Author

Honyouti, Mavasta

Description

"When Mavasta Honyouti was a boy he would go with his grandfather to their cornfield, watching him nurture every plant. During breaks, his grandfather would take out a piece of paako root and use his pocketknife to whittle away. He made beautiful carvings that Mavasta would later learn to do himself. But Mavasta would often wonder: what was his kwa'a like when he was a boy? And one day, he heard the story. Mavasta's grandfather, like many Native American...

12) On powwow day

Author

Description

"On powwow day, there's so much to see, count, and hear"-- Provided by publisher.

13) Chooch helped

Author

Rogers, Andrea L

Formats:

Book, eBook, Kindle, eAudiobook

Description

"A Cherokee girl introduces her younger brother to their family's traditions - begrudgingly! Sissy's younger brother, Chooch, isn't a baby anymore. They just celebrated his second birthday, after all. But no matter what Chooch does - even if he's messing something up! Which is basically all the time! - their parents say he's just "helping." Sissy feels that Chooch can get away with anything! When Elisi paints a mural, Chooch helps. When Edutsi makes...

14) It's powwow time!

Author

Description

Bineshii learns to dance at his first powwow.

15) It bears repeating

Author

Description

"Counting book about counting bears in English and Inukuktitut."-- Provided by publisher.

Author

Posey, Alexander Lawrence

Series

Description

"Autumn depicts a dreamy fall day full of jaybird songs and scarlet leaves dancing through the air. In this poem, Muscogee poet Alexander Posey celebrates the changing of the seasons as the golden sun sets on summer and the world prepares for a time of rest. With stunning illustrations from Salish artist Paige Pettibon and interactive back matter that encourages young readers to create their own poetry, this accessible picture book is a joy for young...

17) Berry magic

Author

Formats:

Description

Long ago, the only berries on the tundra were hard, tasteless, little crowberries. As Anana watches the ladies complain bitterly while picking berries for the Fall Festival, she decides to use her magic to help. 'Atsa-ii-yaa (Berry), Atsa-ii-yaa (Berry), Atsaukina!' (Be a berry!), Anana sings under the full moon, turning four dolls into little girls that run and tumble over the tundra, creating patches of fat, juicy berries: blueberries, cranberries,...

18) This land is a lullaby

Author

Formats:

Description

"In this gentle picture-book lullaby, the sounds of the land soothe an Indigenous child to sleep on a stormy summer night on the Prairies."-- Provided by publisher.

19) This land: the history of the land we're on

Author

Fairbanks, Ashley

Series

Race to the truth

Description

"Before my family lived in this house, a different family did, and before them, another family, and another before them. And before that, the family who lived here lived not in a house, but a wigwam. Who lived where you are before you got there?"--Provided by publisher

20) The good game

Author

David, Arihhonni

Series

Description

A grandfather shares with his grandson the story of Mouse and Squirrel, who are eager to join the lacrosse game between four-legged and winged animals.