Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates and honors Native American people and commemorates their histories and cultures and was adopted by President Biden in 2021. Here are 10 books you can read with your child in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. All of the books are available at the Bridgewater Public Library and you can place a hold by clicking on the title and entering your library card number at the SAILS catalog website.
We are still here! : Native American truths everyone should know / Traci Sorell
A group of Native American kids from different tribes presents twelve historical and contemporary time periods, struggles, and victories to their classmates, each ending with a powerful refrain: we are still here.
Fry bread : a Native American family story / written by Kevin Noble Maillard
Using illustrations that show the diversity in Native America and spare poetic text that emphasizes fry bread in terms of provenance, this volume tells the story of a post-colonial food that is a shared tradition for Native American families all across the North American continent. Includes a recipe and an extensive author note that delves into the social ways, foodways, and politics of America's 573 recognized tribes.
Indigenous Peoples' Day / Katrina M. Phillips.
Indigenous Peoples' Day is about celebrating! The second Monday in October is a day to honor Native American people, their histories, and cultures. People mark the day with food, dancing, and songs. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.
We Are Water Protectors’ by Carole Lindstrom
Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all... When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption.
An indigenous peoples' history of the United States for young people / Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Going beyond the story of America as a country "discovered" by a few brave men in the "New World," Indigenous human rights advocate Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz reveals the roles that settler colonialism and policies of American Indian genocide played in forming our national identity. The original academic text is fully adapted by renowned curriculum experts Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza, for middle-grade and young adult readers to include discussion topics, archival images, original maps, recommendations for further reading, and other materials to encourage students, teachers, and general readers to think critically about their own place in history.
Sharice's big voice : a native kid becomes a Congresswoman/ Sharice Davids
Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk nation, became one of the first female Native American representatives in the U.S. Congress. In this memoir picture book, Davids describes her path growing up as a person who always looked for ways to serve others. After a time where she studied martial arts, worked in customer service and gave back to her community, she went to law school, eventually deciding to run for congress in the state of Kansas.
Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes
Using rhyming lyrics from a previously written rap song, Midewin author, Manitoba politician, and creator Kinew tells the stories of diverse Indigenous heroes both historical and contemporary from the U.S. and Canada."
Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child
When Uncle and Windy Girl attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Uncle's stories inspire visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs. In these magical scenes, Windy sees veterans in a Grand Entry, and a visiting drum group, and traditional dancers, grass dancers, and jingle-dress dancers--all with telltale ears and paws and tails. All celebrating in song and dance. All attesting to the wonder of the powwow.
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids
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
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to live among the wild horses where she is truly happy and free.
