American Indian Heritage Booklist

Ages 6-8

Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles

When Annie's Navajo grandmother says that when Annie's mother's rug is completely woven that the grandmother will die, Annie tries to hold back time by unweaving the rug in secret.

Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest by Gerald McDermott

Wherever Coyote goes, you can be sure he’ll find trouble. Now he wants to sing, dance, and fly like the crows, so he begs them to teach him how. The crows agree but soon tire of Coyote’s bragging and boasting. They decide to teach the great trickster a lesson. This time, Coyote has found real trouble!

The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin

In an Algonquin village by the shores of Lake Ontario, many young women have tried to win the affections of the powerful Invisible Being who lives with his sister in a great wigwam near the forest. Then came the Rough-Face girl, scarred from working by the fire. Can she succeed where her beautiful, cruel sisters have failed?

Storm Boy by Paul Owen Lewis

After a violent sea storm, a Haida prince washes ashore of an unfamiliar village inhabited by strange and colossal creatures. The young prince has entered the supernatural realm of the killer whale people and his spiritual journey begins.

Ages 9-12

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

The island looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters frolic in the surf, and sea elephants and birds abound. Once, many Indians lived on the island, too. But when the Russian arrived to prey on the wildlife surrounding the island, a war broke out, and many perished. The few that were left fled the island and sailed to the island of Santa Catalina in the east, but Karana, The Girl with the Long Black Hair, and Ramo, her brother, were left behind.

Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris

A Native American boy with a special gift to "see" beyond his poor eyesight journeys with an old warrior to a land of mystery and beauty.

Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell

Mattie and Sarah are two Mohawk sisters who are sent to an off-reservation school after the death of their mother. Subject to intimidation and corporal punishment, with little hope of contact with their father, the girls are taught menial tasks to prepare them for life as domestics. How Mattie and Sarah protect their culture, memories of their family life, and their love for each other makes for a powerful, unforgettable historical novel.

The Warriors by Joseph Bruchac

When his mother gets a job in Washington, D.C., Jake Forrest has to move away from the Iroquois reservation that has always been his home. Accepted by a private school because of his lacrosse skills, Jake discovers that the team and coach don’t know anything about the ways of Jake’s people or the culture behind the game of lacrosse. And it seems that they don’t care to learn, either. When tragedy strikes, Jake has to choose between running back to his people or finding the courage to stay and face the warrior within—the warrior who values peace and who leads others to more noble pursuits than outscoring the opposition. 

Ages 13+

Night Is Gone, Day is Still Coming

Showcases poetry, prose, and memoir written by young American Indians, ages eleven to twenty-two, from many nations across the country: A young man pines for his "fry bread queen" in a comically honest take on unrequited love. Another teen tells of a "carbonation dance," his summer ritual of crushing returnable Coke cans with his grandfather. Some express typical teenage angst. Others share glimpses of their culture’s unique traditions and beliefs. And many speak of culture clash—such as the homesick "rez girl" riding the New York subway. This book sings a song that transcends all borders, seen and unseen.

Rain Is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith

It's been six months since her best friend died, and up until now Rain has succeeded in shutting herself off from the world. But when controversy arises around her aunt Georgia's Indian Camp in their mostly European-American Midwestern community, Rain decides to face the outside world again—at least through the lens of her camera. Hired by her town newspaper to photograph the campers, Rain soon finds that she has to decide how involved she wants to become in Indian Camp. Does she want to keep a professional distance from the intertribal community she belongs to? And just how willing is she to connect with the campers after her great loss?

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

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Source for book descriptions: Library of Congress Online Catalog and publishers.