Native American Heritage Month
Celebrating Native voices, stories, and wisdom through books
November is Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to honor the histories, cultures, languages, and storytelling traditions of Indigenous communities. At Literacy for Justice, we believe that the books we place in children’s hands shape how they see the world and themselves.
This month, let’s uplift authentic Indigenous voices by reading children’s books written by Native authors who share stories of identity, family, nature, resilience, and joy.
Here’s a list of culturally grounded children’s books to share in your classroom or with your family:
Picture Books for PreK–3rd
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom (Anishinaabe/Metis and Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) – https://amzn.to/3JIIKzn
• Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (Navajo) – https://amzn.to/4phesCT
• We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation) – https://amzn.to/3M8lXxt
• Berry Song by Michaela Goade (Tlingit & Haida) – https://amzn.to/4qXeYYe
• Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d’Alene) – https://amzn.to/47KBRXs
Books for Upper Elementary (3rd–5th)
• Jo Jo Makoons (series) by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) – https://amzn.to/47LJ09V
• Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young (Navajo Nation) – https://amzn.to/3JV95u8
• The Sea in Winter by Christine Day (Upper Skagit Nation) – https://amzn.to/3XA5ggV
• Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis (Umpqua) – https://amzn.to/4pi4DEO
These books provide representation, counter stereotypes, affirm cultural pride, and help all children build understanding through mirrors and windows, which is a core value of culturally responsive literacy.
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We want to hear from you! Which book are you most interested in reading?
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