Native American Booklist
To mark the 13th anniversary of Native American Heritage Month (November), NEA has released a recommended reading list that includes titles ranging from such pre-K classics as Mama, Do You Love Me to Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn Series that has been thrilling young (and older) adults for more than a decade.
The following titles are listed by grade level and include fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Grades K-4
- Baby Rattlesnake by Te Ata. Illustrated by Lynn Moroney. Children's Press (1991).
- A Boy Called Slow: The True Story of Sitting Bull by Joseph Bruchac. Putnam (1994)
- Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac. Illustrated by S.D. Nelson. Lee and Low Books (2000)
- The Boy Who Dreamed of an Acorn by Leigh Casler. Illustrated by Shonto Begay. Putnam Books (1994).
- Drumbeat?Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow by Susan Braine. Lerner Publications (1995).
- Earth Daughter: Alicia of Acoma Pueblo by George Ancona. Macmillan (1995).
- Enduring Wisdom by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneave. Illustrated by Synthia St. James. Holiday House (2003).
- Full Moon Stories by Eagle Walking Turtle. Hyperion (1997).
- The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble. Bradbury (1978).
- Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Jake Swamp and Erwin Printup. Lee and Low Books (1995).
- The Good Luck Cat by Joy Harjo. Illustrated by Paul Lee. Harcourt (2000).
- Grandmother's Dreamcatcher by Becky Ray McCain. Albert Whitman and Company (1998).
- Grandmother's Pigeon by Louise Erdrich. Hyperion Books (1996).
- Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Illustrated by Cornelius Wright. HarperCollins (2000).
- Knots on a Counting Rope by John Archambault. Illustrated by Ted Rand. Owlet (1997).
- The Legend of the White Buffalo Woman by Paul Goble. Illustrated by Paul Goble. National Geographic (1998).
- Less Than Half, More Than Whole by Kathleen LaCapa. Illustrated by Michael LaCapa. Northland Press (1994).
- The Magic Hummingbird translated by Ekkehart Malotki, narrated by Michael Lomatuway'Ma. Illustrated by Michael Lacapa. Kiva (1996).
- Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joose. Illustrated by Barbara LaVallee. Chronicle Books (1998).
- A Man Called Raven by Richard Van Camp. Illustrated by George Littlechild. Children's Book Press (1997).
- Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native America by Joseph Bruchac. Illustrated by Robert F. Goetzi. Northland Publishers (1996).
- My Arctic 1,2,3 by Michael Kusagak. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. Annick Press (1996).
- Powwow by George Ancona. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1993).
- Return of the Buffaloes by Paul Goble. Illustrated by Paul Goble. National Geographic (1996).
- Sing Down the Rain by Judi Moreillon. Illustrated by Michael Chiago. Kiva Publishing (1997).
- Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief. Viking Press (1999).
- This Land is Your Land by George Littlechild. Children's Press (1993).
- What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? by Richard Van Camp. Illustrated by George Littlechild. Children's Book Press (1998).
- When the Rain Sings by the National Museum of the American Indian. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (1999).
Grades 5-8
- Arctic Memories by Normee Ekoomiak. Holt (1988).
- Arrow Over the Door by Joseph Bruchac. Dial (1998).
- The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich. Harper (1999).
- Children of the Sun: Stories by and About Indian Kids by Beverly Hungry Wolf. William Morrow (1998).
- Did You Hear Wind Sing Your Name? An Oneida Song of Spring by Sandra DeCoteau. Walker & Company (1995).
- Dancing Teepees: Poems of American Indian Youth by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneave. Holiday House (1988).
- Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition by Sally M. Hunter. Lerner (1997).
- Indian Shoes by Cynthia Leitich Smith. HarperCollins (2002).
- Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa by Shonto Begay. Illustrated by Shonto Begay. Scholastic (1995).
- Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails by Michael Kusugak. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. Annick Press (1993).
- The Path of the Quiet Elk by Virginia Stroud. Dial Books (1999).
- Pushing Up the Sky by Joseph Bruchac. Dial Books for Young Readers (2000).
- Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith. HarperCollins (2001).
- Soul Would Have No Rainbow If the Eyes Had No Tears and Other Native American Proverbs by Guy A. Zona. Touchstone Books (1994).
- The Ways of My Grandmothers Beverly Hungry Wolf. William Morrow (1998).
- Wonderful Sky Boat and Other Native American Tales of the Southeast by Jane Louise Curry. Illustrated by James Watts. Margaret McElderry Books (2001).
Grades 9 and Up
- After and Before the Lightening by Simon Ortiz. University of Arizona Press (1994).
- Bloodlines: Odyssey of a Native Daughter by Janet Campbell Hale. University of Arizona Press (1993).
- Encyclopedia of American Indian Civil Rights by James Stuart Olson (editor), Mark Baxter (editor), Darren Pierson (editor), and Jason M. Tetzloff (editor). Greenwood (1997).
- Food and Spirits by Beth Brant. Oyate (1991).
- Full Moon on the Reservation by Gloria Bird. Greenfield Review Press (1998).
- A Gathering of Spirit: A Collection of North American Indian Women edited by Beth Brant. Firebrand Books (1989).
- Ghost Dance: New and Selected Poems by Dorise Seale. Oyate (2001).
- Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. Bantam (1993).
- Here First: Autobiographical Essays by Native American Writers edited by Arnold Krupet. Modern Library (2001).
- House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday. University of Arizona Press (1966).
- The Joe Leaphorn Series by Tony Hillerman. HarperCollins. (1989-2002).
- Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie. HarperPerennial (1994).
- Power by Linda Hogan. W.W. Norton and Company (1999).
- Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac. HarperCollins (2001).
- Speaking for the Generations: Native Writers on Writing by Simon Ortiz. University of Arizona Press (1998).
- The Woman Who Watches the World by Linda Hogan. W.W. Norton and Company (2001).
