Indigenous Chapter Books for KidsLike this list

21 items

• Liam and the Pigeon

  Stark, Andrew

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  Liam and his mother find an injured pigeon, but Liam isn't sure what to do. Aren't pigeons kind of pests? His mother suggests they take the bird to a nature center, and Liam begins to realize that every animal, no matter what kind, deserves care,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Used-to-be Best Friend

  Quigley, Dawn,

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  Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation.

• Coyote Tales

  King, Thomas, 1943-

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  Two tales, set in a time when animals and human beings still talked to each other.

• Aggie and Mudgy

  The Journey of Two Kaska Dena Children

  Proverbs, Wendy,

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  Based on the true story of the author's biological mother and aunt, this middle-grade novel traces the long and frightening journey of two Kaska Dena sisters as they are taken from their home to attend residential school.

• Autumn Bird & the Runaway

  Florence, Melanie

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  Told in alternating narratives, Autumn Bird & the Runaway is the story of two kids from different worlds who form an unexpected friendship. It is infused with themes of identity, belonging and compassion, and is a story that reminds us that we are…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Healer of the Water Monster

  Young, Brian (Brian Lee),

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  One night, while lost in the nearby desert, Nathan finds someone extraordinary: a Holy Being from the Navajo Creation Story -- a Water Monster -- in need of help. Now Nathan must summon all his courage to save his new friend.

• Makoons

  Erdrich, Louise

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  Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, have traveled with their family to the Great Plains of Dakota Territory. There they must learn to become buffalo hunters and once again help their people make a home in a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Case of Windy Lake

  Hutchinson, Michael, 1971-

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  Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee are four inseparable cousins growing up on the Windy Lake First Nation. Nicknamed the Mighty Muskrats for their habit of laughing, fighting, and exploring together, the cousins find that each new adventure adds to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Fatty Legs

  a True Story

  Jordan-Fenton, Christy

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  This book chronicles the unbreakable spirit of an Inuit girl while attending an Arctic residential school.

• Weird Rules to Follow

  Spencer, Kim

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  Mia and her best friend Lara have very different experiences growing up in a northern fishing community in the 1980s. Also available in eBook format.

• Ancestor Approved

  Intertribal Stories for Kids

  Smith, Cynthia Leitich

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  Edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of intersecting stories by both new and veteran Native writers bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride. Also available in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rez Dogs

  Bruchac, Joseph, 1942-

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  Twelve-year-old Malian lives with her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Told in verse inspired by oral storytelling, this novel about the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the ways Malian’s community has cared for one…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Sea in Winter

  Day, Christine, 1993-

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  After an injury sidelines her dreams of becoming a ballet star, Maisie is not excited for her blended family's midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up. Also available in audiobook and eBook formats.

• The Barren Grounds

  Robertson, David, 1977-

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  Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When they find a portal that opens to another reality, Askí, they are brought into frozen, barren…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Race to the Sun

  Roanhorse, Rebecca,

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  Guided by her Navajo ancestors, seventh-grader Nizhoni Begay discovers she is descended from a holy woman and destined to become a monsterslayer, starting with the evil businessman who kidnapped her father. Includes glossary of Navajo terms. Also…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Shamus the Urban Rez Dog, P.I

  Gentile, Leslie, 1959-

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  Shamus the rez dog and his humans set out to solve the mystery of who robbed a local jewellery store!

• Eagle Drums

  Hopson, Nasug̊raq Rainey,

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  Winter approaches, and there's much to do if Pina's family wants to be prepared: hunting, fishing, gathering, and more. Now, Pina must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping -- the same mountain where his two older brothers…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer

  Gentile, Leslie, 1959-

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  It's the summer of 1978 and most people think Elvis Presley has been dead for a year. But eleven-year-old Truly knows Elvis is alive and well and living in her trailer park.

• Stone River Crossing

  Tingle, Tim

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  For Martha Tom, crossing the river brings a surprise friendship with Lil Mo, a boy who is enslaved on the other side. Then Lil Mo discovers that his mother is about to be sold and the rest of his family left behind. But Martha Tom has the answer:…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Elatsoe

  Little Badger, Darcie, 1987-

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  Elatsoe must rely on her wits, skills, and friends to protect her family. Also available in eBook and audiobook formats