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You are here: Home / Mentor Texts / Best Native American Children’s Books

Best Native American Children’s Books

November 5, 2020

Check out some of the best Native American children’s books for kids! Rather than teach Columbus Day, teach more about the Indigenous people and their struggles, their triumphs, and their experience. Picture books are a great way to teach about almost any topic. These are excellent children’s books for Native American Heritage Month in November, Indigenous Peoples Day in October or just to learn about celebrate the cultures of indigenous peoples.

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Check out the books:

Rabbit’s Snow Dance by Joseph and James Bruchac

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Rabbit loves the winter. He knows a dance, using an Iroquois drum and song, to make it snow—even in summertime! When rabbit decides that it should snow early, he starts his dance and the snow begins to fall. The other forest animals are not happy and ask him to stop, but Rabbit doesn’t listen. How much snow is too much, and will Rabbit know when to stop?

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Encounter by Jane Yolen

Encounter
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When Christopher Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in 1492, what he discovered were the Taino Indians. Told from a young Taino boys point of view, this is a story of how the boy tried to warn his people against welcoming the strangers, who seemed more interested in golden ornaments than friendship. Years later the boy, now an old man, looks back at the destruction of his people and their culture by the colonizers. An excellent alternative book to read for Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day.

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Check out the Best Native American children's books and Indigenous Peoples Day Books for kids. Rather than teach with Columbus Day books for kids, teach about the indigenous people and their struggles and triumphs and celebrate their cultures.  Ideas for elementary school teachers to teach with books by Native American authors for November Native American Heritage Month or Indigenous Peoples Day for Kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade.

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

We Are Water Protectors
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Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

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At the Mountain’s Base by Traci Sorell

At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell
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At the mountain’s base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family — loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them through trials on the ground and in the sky, as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war.

With an author’s note that pays homage to the true history of Native American U.S. service members like WWII pilot Ola Mildred “Millie” Rexroat, this is a story that reveals the roots that ground us, the dreams that help us soar, and the people and traditions that hold us up. This is a beautiful story that makes it one of the best Native American children’s book as well as a favorite book for Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day!

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Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard

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This book won all of the awards and honors in 2019. Seriously, check the Amazon page for this book. If they put the medals on the cover, you wouldn’t see any of Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal’s illustrations. Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family about fry bread.

Lesson Plan and Activities
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We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell

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The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.

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Check out the Best Native American children's books and Indigenous Peoples Day Books for kids. Rather than teach with Columbus Day books for kids, teach about the indigenous people and their struggles and triumphs and celebrate their cultures.  Ideas for elementary school teachers to teach with books by Native American authors for November Native American Heritage Month or Indigenous Peoples Day for Kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade.

Bowwow Powwow by Brenda Child

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When Uncle and Windy Girl and Itchy Boy attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers in their jingle dresses and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Now Uncle’s stories inspire other visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs. In these magical scenes, Windy sees veterans in a Grand Entry, and a visiting drum group, and traditional dancers, grass dancers, and jingle-dress dancers–all with telltale ears and paws and tails. All celebrating in song and dance. All attesting to the wonder of the powwow.

Lesson Plan and Activities
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Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie

Thunder Boy Jr.
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Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name…one that’s all his own. Dad is known as Big Thunder, but little thunder doesn’t want to share a name. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he’s done like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder.

But just when Little Thunder thinks all hope is lost, dad picks the best name…Lightning! Their love will be loud and bright, and together they will light up the sky. Also an excellent book for Native American Heritage Month!

Lesson Plan and Activities
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Best Native American Children’s Books for Kids

Did I miss any great children’s books for Native American Heritage Month? I’m sure I have! There’s not nearly enough on the list. Let me know in the comments and I’ll add them! I’m always looking for new great picture books!

Check out the Best Native American children's books and Indigenous Peoples Day Books for kids. Rather than teach with Columbus Day books for kids, teach about the indigenous people and their struggles and triumphs and celebrate their cultures.  Ideas for elementary school teachers to teach with books by Native American authors for November Native American Heritage Month or Indigenous Peoples Day for Kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade.
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Filed Under: Mentor Texts, Picture Books, Read Alouds 8 Comments

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  1. Best Fairy Tale Books For Kids - Picture Book Brain says:
    November 25, 2020 at 2:29 pm

    […] This is a truly Native American fairytale as told by Indigenous author Penny Pollock based on a Zuni Cinderella story. The lesson in the story even follows Native American story structure. This book would also be excellent for November’s Native American Heritage Month! […]

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  2. The Best Mock Caldecott 2021 Competition Activities - Picture Book Brain says:
    December 3, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    […] Caldecott 2021 competitions and the Caldecott Medal in general. I put it right at the top of my list of favorite books for Native American Heritage Month especially with it being written by Native […]

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  3. 38 New and Noteworthy October Read Alouds For Kids - says:
    April 20, 2022 at 9:59 pm

    […] As we’ve evolved from teaching about Columbus Day, these are some great Indigenous People’s Day books for kids! I also have a much more comprehensive list of books for Native American heritage. […]

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  4. Ultimate List of the Best Children's Author Websites to Explore With Your Students Today says:
    May 8, 2022 at 7:24 am

    […] a multi-award-winning author of diverse books, look no further. Many of her books are perfect for Native American Heritage Month. Her website has links to videos of her talking about her books, interviews, and some books have […]

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  5. 20 New and Noteworthy November Read Alouds For Kids - says:
    May 28, 2022 at 9:05 pm

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    July 17, 2022 at 7:07 am

    […] As a young Navajo boy, Chester Nez had to leave the reservation and attend boarding school, where he was taught that his native language and culture were useless. But Chester refused to give up his heritage. Years later, during World War II, Chester―and other Navajo men like him―was recruited by the US Marines to use the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code. Suddenly the language he had been told to forget was needed to fight a war. This powerful picture book biography contains backmatter including a timeline and a portion of the Navajo code, and also depicts the life of an original Navajo code talker while capturing the importance of Native American heritage. […]

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    […] As a young Navajo boy, Chester Nez had to leave the reservation and attend boarding school, where he was taught that his native language and culture were useless. But Chester refused to give up his heritage. Years later, during World War II, Chester―and other Navajo men like him―was recruited by the US Marines to use the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code. Suddenly the language he had been told to forget was needed to fight a war. This powerful picture book biography contains backmatter including a timeline and a portion of the Navajo code, and also depicts the life of an original Navajo code talker while capturing the importance of Native American heritage. […]

    Reply

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