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Book Lists

Book Lists

Indigenous Peoples of North America Juvenile Nonfiction

Biography and History nonfiction books for kids.

Nelson, S. D., author.
J BIO SITTING BULL
Sitting Bull was one of the greatest Lakota/Sioux warriors and chiefs who ever lived. From killing his first buffalo at age 10 to being named war chief to leading his people against the U.S. Army, "Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People" brings the story of the great chief to light.

Nelson, S. D.
J 978.4004 NEL
Traces the childhood, friendships and dangers experienced by Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Indian born in 1839, whose community along the Missouri River in the Dakotas transitioned from hunting to agriculture.

Jordan-Fenton, Christy.
J 371.829 JOR
This book chronicles the unbreakable spirit of an Inuit girl while attending an Arctic residential school.

Jordan-Fenton, Christy, author.
J BIO POKIAK-FENTON
This book chronicles the unbreakable spirit of an Inuit girl while attending an Arctic residential school.

Montileaux, Donald F., 1948-
J 978.004 MON
Curiosity leads a young warrior to track a new animal. It leads him far from home, but at last he finds a herd of the strange new creatures. They are horses that shimmer with color and run swift as the wind. The Lakota capture and tame them, and the people grow rich and powerful. They become filled with pride. With their newfound strength they rule over the plains. Then the Great Spirit, who gave the gift of the horse, takes it away.

Nelson, S. D, author.
J 978.004 NEL
A leader among the Lakota during the 1860s, Chief Red Cloud deeply opposed white expansion into Native American territory. He rejected treaties from the United States government and instead united the warriors of the Lakota and nearby tribes, becoming the only Native American to win a war against the U.S. Army. Despite his military successes, Red Cloud recognized that continued conflict would only bring destruction to his people. He made the controversial decision to make an agreement with the U.S. government, and moved his people to a reservation. The effects of his decision -- as well as the conflicts that arose from those who rejected the agreement and continued fighting against white expansion, such as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull -- shaped much of the history of Native American relations with the U.S. in years to come. Includes archival images as well as original illustrations.

J 810.8089 WAL
Collects poetry written by Lakota students at Red Cloud Indian School in South Dakota on such topics as the history of oral tradition, the struggles of everyday life, and their personal connections to the natural world.

J 970.0049 DO
Answers questions about Native Americans, including those related to identity, origins and history, animals and land, language and education, love and marriage, and culture.

Coulson, Art, 1961- author.
J BIO THORPE
In the autumn of 1912, the football team from Carlisle Indian Industrial School took the field at the U.S. Military Academy, home to the bigger, stronger, and better-equipped West Points Cadets. Sportswriters billed the game as a sort of rematch, pitting against each other the descendants of U.S. soldiers and American Indians who fought on the battlefield only 20 years earlier. But for lightning-fast Jim Thorpe and the other Carlisle players, that day's game was about skill, strategy, and determination. Known for unusual formations and innovative plays, the Carlisle squad was out to prove just one thing--that it was the best football team in all the land.

Ortiz, Simon J., 1941- author.
J 970.0049 ORT
"The People Shall Continue was originally published in 1977. It is a story of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, specifically in the U.S., as they endeavor to live on lands they have known to be their traditional homelands from time immemorial. Even though the prairies, mountains, valleys, deserts, river bottomlands, forests, coastal regions, swamps and other wetlands across the nation are not as vast as they used to be, all of the land is still considered to be the homeland of the people"--Foreword.

Huson, Brett D., author.
J 599.784 HUS
"An engaging look at how the animals, people, and seasons within an ecosystem are intertwined. 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 Mothers of Xsan series uses striking illustration and lyrical language to bring the poetry of the Xsan ecosystem to life."-- Provided by publisher.

McGinty, Alice B., 1963- author.
J BIO ARVISO
Cody is worried when his family on a New Mexico Navajo reservation runs out of water, but Darlene Arviso, called "The Water Lady," is on the way with her tanker truck. Includes glossary of Navajo terms and notes about Arviso and life on a reservation.

Davids, Sharice, 1980- author.
J BIO DAVIDS
This inspiring picture book autobiography tells the remarkable story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas.

Sorell, Traci, author.
J 975.0049 SOR

Turner, Glennette Tilley, author.
J 975.9004 TUR
John Horse was a famed chief, warrior, tactician, and diplomat who played a dominant role in Black Seminole affairs for half a century. A political and military leader of mixed Seminole and African heritage, Horse defended his people from the U.S. government, other tribes, and slave hunters by serving as a counselor of fellow Seminole leaders, an agent of the U.S. government, and a captain in the Mexican army.

Sorell, Traci, author.
J 973.0497 SOR
"A group of Native American kids from different tribes presents twelve historical and contemporary time periods, struggles, and victories to their classmates, each ending with a powerful refrain: we are still here"-- Provided by publisher.

García Esperón, María, author.
J 398.2097 GAR
Presents a collection of stories from nations and cultures across our two continents, the Sea-Ringed World, as the Aztecs called it, from the edge of Argentina all the way up to Alaska.

Thundercloud, Ria, author.
J BIO THUNDERCLOUD
"In her debut picture book, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage."-- Provided by publisher

Freeman, Anna Harber, author.
J BIO MARTINEZ
"The most renowned Native American Indian potter of her time, Maria Poveka Martinez learned pottery as a child under the guiding hands of her Ko-ōo, her aunt. She grew up to discover a new firing technique that turned her pots black and shiny, and made them--and Maria--famous. This inspiring story of family and creativity illuminates how Maria's belief in sharing her love of clay brought success and joy from her New Mexico Pueblo to people all across the country"-- Provided by publisher.

Havrelock, Deidre, author.
J 500.89 HAV
"Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Recorded history and folklore. Lifesaving disinfectant. Forest-fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these and countless other scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. From transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies to astronomy, and architecture to agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is an unforgettable introduction to STEM fields, featuring interactive activities, recipes, and science experiments. This groundbreaking book reframes many scientific discoveries through the lens of Indigenous knowledge and cultures. Readers of any age are invited to embrace the interconnectedness of all life and practice environmental responsibility."-- Front jacket flap.