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Indigenous books

Books by and about Indigenous peoples — history, family, and living culture.

Indigenous kids deserve stories in the present tense: supper, dance, water, grandparents, an ordinary day. This hub is living culture. It is not a museum label, and it is not a November bin.

We look for Native families now. We skip legends with no living people attached. We skip books that only come off the shelf at Thanksgiving. Read these because they are good books.

A starter picture-book pile

The dedicated guide is Indigenous picture books for kids: Fry Bread, We Are Water Protectors, Jingle Dancer, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, All Around Us, and a board book for the lap, My Heart Fills With Happiness.

A question that keeps the story from turning into a lesson: who in this book is having an ordinary day? If the answer is nobody, the book may still be good, but it may be doing museum work. We try not to lead with museum work. Thanksgiving is not when these come off the shelf. They stay out with the trucks and the fairies.

Identity on the page

We do not use an Own Voices badge. If a listing mentions a creator's Nation or community, it comes from public self-identification or publisher materials they approved. If we cannot source it, we leave it out. Creator identity.

Related guides: Indigenous Picture Books for Kids

Audience

Age

95 books · Page 3 of 4

Cover of Dancing With the Cranes

Ages 3–8

Dancing With the Cranes

Jeannette Armstrong

Dancing With the Cranes by Jeannette Armstrong — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Missing Nimama

Ages 3–8

Missing Nimama

Melanie Florence

Missing Nimama by Melanie Florence — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Engines, Engines

Ages 3–8

Engines, Engines

Lisa Bruce

Engines, Engines by Lisa Bruce — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Niwechihaw =

Ages 3–8

Niwechihaw =

Unknown Author

This simple story in Cree and English explores a young child's relationship to his kôhkom, his grandmother, as they go for a walk in the bush to pick rosehips.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Which Way Should I Go

Ages 3–8

Which Way Should I Go

Sylvia Olsen

Which Way Should I Go by Sylvia Olsen — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Native American picture books of change

Ages 3–8

Native American picture books of change

Rebecca C. Benes

Native American picture books of change by Rebecca C. Benes — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Hidden Buffalo (Northern Lights Books for Children)

Ages 3–8

Hidden Buffalo (Northern Lights Books for Children)

Rudy Henry Wiebe

Steeped in aboriginal myth and lore, Hidden Buffalo is also the tale of how a whole tribe can turn its gaze from the horizon to see to the wisdom of a child.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Tumaas ekwa li Michif sharey

Ages 3–8

Tumaas ekwa li Michif sharey

Bonnie Murray

"Thomas needs to make a wheeled vehicle for science class. When his father helps him build a Red River Cart, Thomas learns another fascinating aspect of his Metis history."--Jacket.

$17.99$19.99
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Cover of Wild eggs

Ages 3–8

Wild eggs

Suzie Napayok

Akuluk is not excited about visiting her grandparents in Nunavut, until she sees all the animals that the tundra has to offer, and learns about hunting for wild eggs.

$17.99$19.99
Cover of Malu Kangaroo

Ages 3–8

Malu Kangaroo

Judith Morecroft

Malu Kangaroo by Judith Morecroft — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

$17.99$19.99
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Little You

Ages 0–3

Little You

Richard Van Camp

A board-book love song to a new baby, with Julie Flett’s art. Short lines meant to be read in a lap.

$10.95$12.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of We Sang You Home

Ages 0–3

We Sang You Home

Richard Van Camp

Parents tell a baby how they sang that child into the family. Van Camp and Flett again, this time about arrival and belonging.

$10.95$12.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Shanyaak'utlaax: Salmon Boy

Ages 3–8

Shanyaak'utlaax: Salmon Boy

Johnny Marks, Hans Chester, David Katzeek, and Nora Dauenhauer

A Tlingit story of a boy who learns respect for salmon, illustrated by Michaela Goade. Sealaska Heritage.

$16.95$18.95
Cover of All Around Us

Ages 3–8

All Around Us

Xelena González

A grandfather shows a child the circles in gardens, family, and time. Adriana M. Garcia’s art. American Indian Youth Literature Honor.

$17.95$19.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Welcome Song for Baby

Ages 0–3

Welcome Song for Baby

Richard Van Camp

A blessing for a newborn — community, land, and the child who just arrived. Orca board book.

$10.95$12.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Fishing with Grandma

Ages 3–8

Fishing with Grandma

Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula

Adventure begins when Grandma takes her two grandchildren out for a trip to the lake. After showing the kids how to prepare for a fishing trip, Grandma and the kids enjoy a day of jigging in the ice for fish. Grandma shows them everything they need to know to complete a successful fishing trip, from what clothes to wear, to how to drill and clear holes in the ice, to how to make a traditional Inuit jigging rod. By the end of the day, the kids have a yummy meal of Arctic char, and they have also learned everything they need to know to go out on the lake on their own.

$10.95$12.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Kamik Joins the Pack

Ages 3–8

Kamik Joins the Pack

Darryl Baker

Jake wants his puppy Kamik to grow into a sled dog. Uncle’s lessons, Qin Leng’s drawings. Inhabit Media.

$10.95$12.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Bowwow Powwow

Ages 3–8

Bowwow Powwow

Brenda J. Child

Windy Girl dozes at a powwow and dreams the dancers as dogs — funny, then back to the real drum. Ojibwe. Minnesota Historical Society Press.

$17.95$19.95
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Jingle Dancer

Ages 3–8

Jingle Dancer

Cynthia Leitich Smith

Jenna wants to jingle dance at the next powwow but her dress has no jingles. Neighbors and aunties help, one row at a time. Muscogee (Creek).

$9.99$11.99
Buy on Bookshop
Cover of Meet Lydia

Ages 3–8

Meet Lydia

Miranda Belarde-Lewis

A photo portrait of Lydia Mills, a Tlingit girl in Southeast Alaska, from the National Museum of the American Indian “Young Native Americans Today” series.

$15.95$17.95
Cover of Meet Mindy

Ages 3–8

Meet Mindy

Susan Secakuku

A photo portrait of Mindy, a Hopi girl, from the NMAI “Meet Native America” series.

$15.95$17.95