The highlighted titles are Finding My Dance, Indigenous America, The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, Kapamahu, and She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller.
Are you looking for some Native American Heritage Month books? In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Penguin Young Readers has released a list of five children’s book titles that discuss Indigenous culture, seldom told Indigenous histories, injustices faced by Indigenous people and much more.
Native American Heritage Month books
The titles, authors and illustrators are listed below.
The paragraph descriptions were submitted by Penguin Young Readers to Native Viewpoint.
Finding My Dance
Author: Ria Thundercloud
Illustrator: Kalila J. Fuller
In her debut picture book, Finding My Dance, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage, accompanied by striking illustrations by Kalila J. Fuller that bring Ria’s graceful movements to life.
For more information, visit Finding My Dance.
See related: Native author Ria Thundercloud releases picture book “Finding My Dance”
Indigenous America
Author: Liam McDonald
In Indigenous America, Indigenous Rights Activist Liam McDonald traces the history of Native Americans back tens of thousands of years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and other colonizers, amplifying the oral and written histories that have long been left out of American history books.
For more information, visit Indigenous America.
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee
Author: David Treuer
The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer; adapted by Sheila Keenan is a story of Native American resilience and reinvention, adapted for young adults from the adult nonfiction book of the same name. It looks at Native American culture as it exists today, the fight to preserve language and traditions, and Kirkus praised it as “utterly vital in its historical prowess, essential in its portraits of lived experiences.”
For more information, visit The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee.
Kapaemahu
Authors: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson
Illustrator: Daniel Sousa
Based on the Academy Award-contending short film, Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson; illustrated by Daniel Sousa tells the Native Hawaiian legend about four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit, or Mahu, who brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. A starred review from Kirkus calls it “a poignant monument to the power of hidden Indigenous histories.”
For more information, visit Kapaemahu.
She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller
Author: Traci Sorell with an introduction by Chelsea Clinton
Illustrators: Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted comes She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller by Cherokee Nation citizen and award-winning author Traci Sorell with an introduction by Chelsea Clinton; Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint. Wilma Mankiller grew up with the knowledge that, as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, her people had long suffered mistreatment at the hands of the US government. She dedicated her life to helping Native Nations and their citizens reclaim their rights and became the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
For more information, visit She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller.
Vincent Schilling, Akwesasne Mohawk, is the founder and editor of Native Viewpoint. With nearly 20 years of experience as a Native journalist and former member of the White House Press Pool, Vincent works to uplift underrepresented voices in the world of media and beyond. Follow Vincent on YouTube.com/VinceSchilling, on Twitter at @VinceSchilling or on any other of his social media accounts by clicking on any of the icons below.
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