Books By Indigenous Authors

"Each person, human or no, is bound to every other in a reciprocal relationship. Just as all beings have a duty to me, I have a duty to them. If an animal gives its life to feed me, I am in turn bound to support its life. If I receive a stream's gift of pure water, then I am responsible for returning a gift in kind. An integral part of a human's education is to know those duties and how to perform them."

- Robin Wall Kimmerer

Having a carefully curated collection of books in your homeschool library is an essential part of the Montessori prepared environment. Every homeschooler needs books and every child has the capacity to fall in love with the right story. Today, we'd like to share with you our books by Indigenous authors.

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Books By Indigenous Authors

The books featured in this post reflect and honor the culture, history, and contemporary existence of American Indians and Indigenous peoples. Moreover, this collection showcases the works of Indigenous authors. Therefore, we hope it's a useful resource for families, as it contains selections for all ages.

We're always looking for ways to tie multiple subjects together in an interdisciplinary approach and this collection of books accomplishes that beautifully. In addition to being written by an Indigenous author, each book is applicable to more than one subject. As a result, you will find with each picture book, we include other applicable subjects. They are a useful guide for anyone looking to add these books to existing works or to build additional units around their subject matter.

You can find our complete collection of books by Indigenous authors at Happy Homeschool Adventures on Bookshop.org.

Picture Books By Indigenous Authors

• We All Play by Julie Flett

(Nature/Zoology/Cosmic Education) This is a beautiful book for young children with its soft, playful illustrations and simple text. Themes include children, animals, and the interconnectedness of all things. Also, this book includes Cree phrases and an English-Cree translation. As a result, it's also a lovely selection for language exposure.

• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

(Earth Science/Ecology/History) This book, with its breathtaking illustrations, not only touches upon the importance of safeguarding water as one of our precious natural resources. It also provides a historical perspective of the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and its protest by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The symbolism of the black snake is a great conversation starter for young storytellers and those interested in environmental stewardship. We found this helpful during our Montessori Second Great Lesson.

• Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard

(Sensorial/Practical Life/History/Geography) This book is a powerful addition to our library. It honors a family's cultural tradition and experiences of baking fry bread as members of the Mekusukey band of the Seminole Nation. I really appreciate that through the author's descriptions of what fry bread represents, you are getting a sensorial experience with each page, as well as both a historical and present-day representation of its significance. I also really enjoyed reading this interview with Mr. Maillard. He discussed all the ways he included his tribe and others throughout the story, from his tribe's patchwork patterns to the end papers listing U.S. tribal nations.

There's just so much in this book. We followed the fry bread recipe as part of our continent studies.

• Coyote and the Sky by Emmett "Shkeme" Garcia

(Cosmic Education/Creation Stories/Geography/History) This book tells the Tamaya Pueblo creation story and it's a big hit with our kids. As a result, we are incorporating it into our studies of the universe via our Montessori First Great Lesson. We are delighted to have an autographed copy of this book.

• Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child

(Music/Dance/Storytelling) This is such a neat and imaginative story about a little girl, cherished time with family, nature, and a summer night's dream about a powwow. Furthermore, it shares a present-day story filled with music, dance, vibrant illustrations, and includes Ojibwe translation.

• You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith

(Socio-Emotional Learning/History) This title is a great addition to our socio-emotional learning collection. It encourages the nurturing of relationships and empathy. Beautiful illustrations accompany the large text. In addition, a note from the author provides some background information about Indian Residential Schools and the experiences of the children who were forced to attend. This book was born from those experiences.

• Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

(Socio-Emotional Learning/History) Unspeakable tells the true story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. It is illustrated by the late Floyd Cooper of both Muscogee and Black heritage, whose grandfather was a survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Indigenous Authors: Anthology for Elementary

• Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

This book is a collection of stories and is suitable for Elementary students. Also, its topics cover several subject areas. Some of the Indigenous authors featured in this anthology have already been referenced above. As a result, we're excited to have additional works of theirs to include in our studies.

This book does not contain any pictures or illustrations. In fact, it's our daughter's first text-only book.

Indigenous Series - Mothers of Xsan

• The Sockeye Mother
• The Grizzly Mother
• The Eagle Mother
• The Frog Mother
• The Wolf Mother

The stories included in this Mothers of Xsan series by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, Brett D. Huson and illustrator Natasha Donovan will provide children with a deeper understanding of the natural world and the interconnectedness of all things. The illustrations are exciting and allow kids to explore a new animal story with each new release.

History Books By Indigenous Authors

• An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

This book provides an understanding of U.S. history told from the perspective of Native Americans.

• The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee provides a historical account of life for Native Americans since the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee Creek where more than 150 Lakota men, women, and children were brutally murdered by soldiers.

• Covered With Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America

If you're interested in true crime, this Pulitzer Prize winning book about the murder of a Seneca hunter by colonial fur traders and the events that followed.

• A Nation Rising: Hawaiian Movements for Life, Land, and Sovereignty

A Nation Rising chronicles the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement from the 1970's into the 21st century. While not a resource for learning about American Indians, this book provides an in-depth understanding of another Indigenous population, Native Hawaiians.

• An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People

This book, adapted by Jean Mendoza and Dr. Debbie Reese works well for the middle school years or educators who would like the additional insight and discussion notes that come with the young adult version.

• Teaching Critically About Lewis & Clark: Challenging Dominant Narratives in K-12 Curriculum
• Natural Curiosity, 2nd Edition: A Resource for Educators

Both of these resources are specifically aimed at educators and include lessons for various ages.

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This book is the perfect blend of Indigenous insight, cosmic education, botany, ecology, conservation, and nature studies. Interested in reconnecting with nature? Well, then this is the book for you.

• Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Monique Gray Smith, and Nicole Neidhardt includes a mix of captivating illustrations, black and white photography, and thought-provoking quotes displayed in beautiful frames of sweetgrass.

There are also questions for the reader, definitions, and translations throughout.

An Indigenous Novel

• The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

A multi-generational story that combines fiction and history, The Seed Keeper is a powerful piece with themes of love, loss, and resilience.

Native American Cookbooks

• New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian
• The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen

If you're interested in exploring the Indigenous roots of American cuisine, these are the cookbooks for you. The recipes, photos, and Indigenous insight will keep you coming back to learn more.

Free Recipe for Pre-Readers and Up

Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for North America.

In Summary

We hope you'll keep these books in mind as you plan your homeschool year. What do you think of our collection? Also, what are your favorite books by Indigenous authors?

Looking for additional resources? If you'd like to learn more about teaching Indigenous history, culture, and contemporary life, check out Native Ways of Knowing Professional Learning.

More Books By Indigenous Authors

• American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
• Social Justice Books
• Indigenous Educators - Resources
• Montessori Third Great Lesson
• Fourth Great Lesson
• Montessori Fifth Great Lesson

More Montessori Books By Subject

• Montessori Elementary Curriculum Resources
• Books for Africa Continent Studies
• Montessori Bilingual Spanish-English Books

Thanks for stopping by!

- Kristin