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Indigenous Peoples Day: Children’s Books Written by Indigenous Authors
Indigenous peoples have unique relationships with the land on which they have lived for generations. National Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrated on October 11, is a holiday that commemorates the original inhabitants of North America, instead of highlighting the land ripped away by Christopher Columbus.
If you were wondering how you and your family can celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, look no further! Now is a crucial time for everyone to be more aware of other cultures, and the best way to do that is by reading books with your children!
Esperanza Rising
Esperanza Rising joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!
Esperanza thought she’d always live a privileged life on her family’s ranch in Mexico. She’d always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn’t ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances because Mama’s life, and her own, depend on it.
The Sharing Circle: Stories About First Nations Culture (Indigenous Knowledge Series)
Matthew loves to play games with his friends and share his toys with them. But most of all he loves to share the special treasures that remind him of his First Nations culture. Perhaps his favorite treasure is the medicine pouch that his grandfather made especially for him. Matthew uses herbs to remind him to be grateful for everything that nature gives us. Another special gift is the eagle feather from his father. Matthew knows that the eagle is a symbol of the spiritual strength of his culture. But there is one other gift that has a special place in Matthew’s heart. It is the dream catcher that Matthew gave to his friend Dustin to help him not have bad dreams.
We Are Water Protectors
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.
Turtle Island: The Story of North America’s First People
Unlike most books that chronicle the history of Native peoples beginning with the arrival of Europeans in 1492, this book goes back to the Ice Age to give young readers a glimpse of what life was like pre-contact. The title, Turtle Island, refers to a Native myth that explains how North and Central America were formed on the back of a turtle. Based on archeological finds and scientific research, we now have a clearer picture of how the Indigenous people lived. Using that knowledge, the authors take the reader back as far as 14,000 years ago to imagine moments in time. A wide variety of topics are featured, from the animals that came and disappeared over time, to what people ate, how they expressed themselves through art, and how they adapted to their surroundings.
The Star People: A Lakota Story
Sister Girl and her brother Young Wolf wander away from their village and soon find themselves far out in the surrounding prairie. They sit down in the grass and watch the clouds passing above billow to form an eagle, horses, and other creatures. Suddenly, animals begin to race past the children on the ground—followed by a wall of fire! Fleeing along with the frightened beasts, Sister Girl and Young Wolf save themselves by tumbling into a shallow stream.
The fire leaves behind ash and a barren, forbidding landscape. The children realize that they are hopelessly lost. Night is coming—how will they get home to their parents? And why are the evening stars dancing so?
This Land Is My Land
In his own words and paintings, acclaimed Native American artist George Littlechild takes young readers back in time to the first meeting between his Plains Cree ancestors and the first European settlers in North America.
Through inspiring autobiographical stories accompanied by vivid, dramatic paintings, he recounts the history of his people and their relationship to the land, relating their struggles and triumphs with sensitivity, irony, and humor.
Littlechild expresses his wish to use his art to portray the wonders of his heritage and to heal the pain of his people’s history and offers hope and guidance from the Native American perspective.
The Very First Americans
Long before Columbus landed in America, hundreds of groups of people had already made their homes here. You may have heard of some of them—like the Sioux, Hopi, and Seminole. But where did they live? What did they eat? How did they have fun? And where are they today? From coast to coast, learn all about these very first Americans!
The Rough-Face Girl
From Algonquin Indian folklore comes a powerful, haunting rendition of Cinderella.
In a village by the shores of Lake Ontario lived an invisible being. All the young women wanted to marry him because he was rich, powerful, and supposedly very handsome.
But to marry the invisible being the women had to prove to his sister that they had seen him. And none had been able to get past the sister’s stern, all-knowing gaze.
Then came the Rough-Face girl, scarred from working by the fire. Could she succeed where her beautiful, cruel sisters had failed?
Sweetgrass
Can the whole tribe depend on her? Award-winning author Jan Hudson tells the enchanting story of a young Blackfoot girl caught up in the sweep of Western Canadian history.
Being the oldest unmarried girl in her Blackfoot tribe is misery for fifteen-year-old Sweetgrass, but her father feels she’s not ready for the hard work and responsibility that come with being an Indian wife. Then, during the cold prairie winter, a smallpox epidemic breaks out. With the men away at war, Sweetgrass is one of the few women left to fight for the survival of her tribe.
This is her chance to prove her maturity, but is she strong enough to fight the cold, hunger, and disease?
We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Color Protecting the Planet
Release date: April 12, 2022
Thirty young environmental activists share their dreams with voice of a generation Mya-Rose Craig.
Indigenous people and people of color are disproportionately affected by climate change. And yet they are underrepresented within the environmental movement. But not anymore.
Written by the extraordinary environmental and campaigner for equal rights Mya-Rose Craig, this book profiles 30 young environmental activists who are Indigenous people or people of color, from communities on the frontline of global climate change. Each speaks to the diverse set of issues they are fighting for, from water conservation to deforestation, to indigenous rights, and shares their dream:
A dream for climate justice.
A dream for a healthy planet.
A dream for a fairer world, for all.