Native Voices in November: A Book List for Students, Parents & Educators
November is Native American Heritage month. It's a time to share and remember the history of the Native people who were the first people of this land and continue to be an essential and indelible part of the landscape. This land we walk on is Native land.
This booklist is not a Thanksgiving booklist.These titles highlight Native voices and stories that will evoke curiosity in young readers to explore and develop a better knowledge and understanding of Native peoples and communities.
Elementary
May We Have Enough to Share
by Richard Van Camp
Van Camp wrote this book to express his gratitude for all that surrounds him and his family—the strength of their connections, the nature that provides for them, the love that is endless.
A Day with Yayah
by Nicola I. Campbell; illustrated by Julie Flett
On an outing in Nicola Valley, British Columbia, a Native American family forages for herbs and mushrooms while the grandmother passes down her language and knowledge to her young grandchildren.
My Heart Fills with Happiness
by Monique Gray Smith; illustrated by Julie Flett
A dual-language book that celebrates happiness and invites children to reflect on the little things in life that bring them joy. In English and Anishinaabemowin.
Bowwow Powwow: Bagosenjige-niimi'idim
by Brenda J. Child; translated by Gordon Jourdain; illustrated by Jonathan Thunder
The best days of summer end at the powwow, but Windy Girl takes the revelry of the gathering one step farther, into a dreamworld where the dancers and singers are dogs.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
by Traci Sorell; illustrated by Frané Lessac
Follows a full year of Cherokee celebrations and experiences, describing how the Cherokee Nation expresses thanks and reflects on struggles all year long.
The Forever Sky
by Thomas D. Peacock; illustrated by Annette S. Lee
Two young Ojibwe brothers, Niigaanii and Bineshiinh, look to the stars and spin stories, some inspired by Uncle and some of their own making, as they remember their grandmother.
Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock
by Dallas Hunt; illustrated by Amanda Strong
During an unfortunate mishap, young Awâsis loses Kôhkum’s freshly baked world-famous bannock. Not knowing what to do, Awâsis seeks out a variety of other-than-human relatives willing to help. What adventures are in store for Awâsis?
We Are Water Protectors
by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade
When a black snake threatens to destroy the earth, one young water protector takes a stand to defend the planet's water, in a tale inspired by the many indigenous-led conservation movements across North America.
Middle Grade
I Can Make this Promise
by Christine Day
In a story based on the author’s real-life experiences, a girl uncovers a secret that connects her to her Native American heritage, throwing everything she believes about her family into question.
Gaawin gindaaswin ndaawsii = I Am Not a Number
by Jenny Kay Dupuis
An incredibly important book that explains how Indigenous children were removed from their homes and taken to residential schools. This book will help start discussions with children about residential schools and the reconciliation process.
Indian No More
by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell
When Regina's Umpqua tribe is legally terminated and her family must relocate from Oregon to Los Angeles, she goes on a quest to understand her identity as an Indian despite being so far from home.
The Grizzly Mother
by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson); illustrated by Natasha Donovan
To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the grizzly is an integral part of the natural landscape. Together, they share the land and forests that the Skeena River runs through, as well as the sockeye salmon within it. Follow mother bear as she teaches her cubs what they need to survive on their own.
The Case of Windy Lake
by Michael Hutchinson
Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee are four inseparable cousins growing up on the Windy Lake First Nation. Nicknamed the Mighty Muskrats for their habit of laughing, fighting, and exploring together, the cousins find that each new adventure adds to their reputation. When a visiting archeologist goes missing, the cousins decide to solve the mystery of his disappearance. In the midst of community conflict, family concerns, and environmental protests, the four get busy following every lead. From their base of operations in a fort made out of an old school bus, the Mighty Muskrats won’t let anything stop them from solving their case!
Spotted Tail
by David Heska Wanbli Weiden; illustrated by Jim Yellowhawk and Pat Kinsella
This biography of Spotted Tail traces the life of the famous Lakota leader who expertly guided his people through a pivotal and tumultuous time in their nation's history as they fought and then negotiated with the U.S. government.
Young Adult
This Place: 150 Years Retold Stories
by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm and others; illustrated by Tara Audibert and others
Explore the past 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in this groundbreaking graphic novel anthology. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through Indigenous wonderworks, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.
Give Me Some Truth: A Novel With Paintings
by Eric L. Gansworth
As the tension between those on the Tuscarora Reservation and the surrounding community grows, teens Carson Mastick and Maggi Bokoni dream of exploring their own artistic dreams beyond the reservation.
Apple in the Middle
by Dawn Quigley
After her rich dad kicks her out for the summer, Apple makes her way to her deceased mom's relatives on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation where she learns about, and comes into conflict with, her Native American culture.
Hearts Unbroken
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Breaking up with her first real boyfriend when he makes racist remarks about her Native American heritage, high school senior Louise Wolfe teams up with a fellow school newspaper editor to cover a multicultural casting of the school play and the racial hostilities it has exposed.
Surviving the City Vol. 1
by Tasha Spillet
Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up Indigenous in the city. However, when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick to care for her, the threat of a group home looms, and Dez disappears. Will Dez’s community find her before it’s too late? Will Miikwan be able to cope if they don’t?
A Girl Called Echo series
by Katherena Vermette; illustrated by Scott B. Henderson; colored by Donovan Yaciuk
A teenage girl travels through time to discover the history of the Métis people, as well as her own identity, in this young adult graphic novel.
Elatsoe
by Darice Little Badger; illustrations by Ravina Cai
Elatsoe lives in an alternate contemporary America shaped by the ancestral magics and knowledge of its Indigenous and immigrant groups. She can raise the spirits of dead animals—most importantly, her ghost dog Kirby. When her beloved cousin dies, all signs point to a car crash, but his ghost tells her otherwise: He was murdered.
NYPL Resources
- American Indian Experience—Full-text digital resource exploring the history and culture of American Indians. Ideal resource for middle school, high school, and undergraduate research on American Indian history. Fully searchable, or browsable by era, tribe, state, and region.
- Digital Collections—“Indians of North America”
- Native American Art found in Press Reader
External Additional Resources
- National Museum of the American Indian
- Natives Photographs—is a space to elevate the work of Indigenous visual journalists and bring balance to the way we tell stories about Indigenous people and spaces. Our mission is to support the media industry in hiring more Indigenous photographers to tell the stories of their communities and to reflect on how we tell these stories.