Book Nook-Native American Heritage Month

Buffalo Wild!

by Deidre Havrelock (Author) Azby Whitecalf (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

An exuberant celebration of the Buffalo’s return to the wild. Since Declan was born, his kokum has shared her love of Buffalo through stories and art. But Declan longs to see real Buffalo. Then one magical night, herds of the majestic creatures stampede down from the sky. That’s when things really get wild!

Azby Whitecalf’ s playful illustrations add to the joy and reverence in Deidre Havrelock’s picture book debut. A reprinting of the “Buffalo Treaty” and an author’s note describe the importance of Buffalo to Indigenous Peoples and efforts to revitalize the species.

It’s a Mitig!

by Bridget George (Author)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

It’s a Mitig! guides young readers through the forest and introduces them to Ojibwe words that describe the natural world. Featuring vibrant and playful artwork, an illustrated Ojibwe-to-English glossary and a simple introduction to the double-vowel pronunciation system, plus accompanying online recordings, It’s a Mitig! is one of the first books of its kind.

From sunup to sundown, encounter an amik playing with sticks and swimming in the river, a prickly gaag hiding in the bushes and a big, bark-covered mitig. Using rhyme to help readers predict the Ojibwe pronunciation, It’s a Mitig! makes learning new words fun.

Anishinaabe author-illustrator Bridget George created this unique book for young children and their families with the heartfelt desire to spark a lifelong interest in learning language. Whether connecting with one’s Ojibwe ancestry or simply opening children’s eyes and ears to the cornucopia of North American dialects, It’s a Mitig! is a useful tool for exploring language.

We All Play

by Julie Flett (Author) Julie Flett (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

Animals and kids love to play! This wonderful book celebrates diversity and the interconnectedness of nature through an Indigenous perspective, complete with a glossary of Cree words for wild animals at the back of the book, and children repeating a Cree phrase throughout the book.

Readers will encounter birds who chase and chirp, bears who wiggle and wobble, whales who swim and squirt, owls who peek and peep, and a diverse group of kids who love to do the same, shouting: We play too! / kimêtawânaw mînaA beautiful ode to the animals and humans we share our world with, We All Play belongs on every bookshelf.

Punky Aloha

by Shar Tuiasoa (Author) Shar Tuiasoa (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Punky loves to do a lot of things–except meeting new friends. She doesn’t feel brave enough.

So when her grandmother asks her to go out and grab butter for her famous banana bread, Punky hesitates. But with the help of her grandmother’s magical sunglasses, and with a lot of aloha in her heart, Punky sets off on a BIG adventure for the very first time.

Will she be able to get the butter for grandma?

Punky Aloha is a Polynesian girl who carries her culture in her heart and in everything she does. Kids will love to follow this fun character all over the island of O’ahu.

Berry Song

by Michaela Goade (Author)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade’s first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders.

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.

Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.

Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.

Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade’s luminous rendering of water and forest, berries, and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.

Putuguq and Kublu and the Attack of the Amautalik! (Putuguq and Kublu #3)

by Roselynn Akulukjuk (Author) Astrid Arijanto (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Series: Putuguq and Kublu

In each new adventure, Putuguq and Kublu learn about an element of Inuit mythology from their Elders, sometimes using what they learn to get the best of each other!

Putuguq and Kublu are at their grandparents’ house for lunch–caribou stew, Putuguq’s favorite! Putuguq’s worn out (and stinky!) kamiik remind his grandparents of the story of the amautalik and the orphan, a traditional story about a little orphan who outsmarts a child-stealing ogress. Grandmother’s storytelling over lunch starts Putuguq’s imagination running wild . . .

After lunch, Putuguq and Kublu decide to act out the story their grandmother has just told. But, for Putuguq, this is no ordinary play. He is determined to prove his fearlessness to an unsuspecting Kublu . . . with a little help from his stinky socks!

Thunderous

by M L Smoker (Author) Dale Ray DeForest (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

If Aiyana hears one more traditional Lakota story, she’ll scream! More interested in her social media presence than her Native American heritage, Aiyana is shocked when she suddenly finds herself in a magical world-with no cell coverage!

Pursued by the trickster Raven, Aiyana struggles to get back home, but is helped by friends and allies she meets along the way. Her dangerous journey through the Spirit World tests her fortitude and challenges her to embrace her Lakota heritage. But will it be enough to defeat the cruel and powerful Raven?

We Are Still Here!:  Native American Truths Everyone Should Know

by Traci Sorell (Author) Frane Lessac (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here!

Too often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of relevant and ongoing. This companion book to the award-winning We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people’s past, present, and future. Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including: forced assimilation (such as boarding schools), land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination (the US government not recognizing tribes as nations), Native urban relocation (from reservations), self-determination (tribal self-empowerment), Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development (including casino development), Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood.

The Case of the Rigged Race (A Mighty Muskrat Mystery #4)

by Michael Hutchinson (Author)

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

Series: A Mighty Muskrat Mystery

Windy Lake First Nation is hosting the annual Trappers Festival, and the four Mighty Muskrats are excited about the sled-dog races and the chance to visit with family and friends from far and wide. But during the Teen Sled Race, the lead dog is the victim of a frightening accident that may be more than it seems. Between mysterious strangers seen lurking by the trail and a loud group of animal rights protestors, the Muskrats have a lot of suspects. Despite the chill of winter, the case is heating up for Sam, Otter, Atim, and Chickadee!