Many people enjoyed the list last year, so I thought you might welcome an
updated list of our Indian children's book collection.
What follows is my wife and I's personal collection NA children's books.
This is by no means all the good stuff out there, this is what we have
been able to pay for over the past couple years (good books are usually
expensive) and we have recently tried to find some good stuff from other
ethnic groups as well. I know of much more of the stuff out there, and I
wouldn't mind fielding questions about specific books you may have and
my feelings about them.
I have three crieria when I look at Multiethnic Children's Lit.
1) Is it a good story?
As someone with a BA in ElEd, the most important thing must always be the
story. There may be a meaningful message and pretty pictures but if the
child does not enjoy the story, then the he or she will get turned off of
the subject and reading. So it was all for nothing.
2) Respect.
-Does the story respect the tribe, region, or ethnic group it is from?
-Does the story respect men, women, children, elders, animals,etc.?
-Do the writer and/or illustrator have any credentials?
-Did good research?
-Is Indian?
-History of other good work?
3) Production.
-Was the book put together with an eye toward quality?
-Accurate/respectful pictures?
-Miscellaneous quality (staples are usually a red flag)
The List:
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There is little enough in general about Powwows, I have found three good kids
books with nice photographs and generally accurate/respectful text. One
small problem, all are primarilly based upon the Montana Powwow scene
and don't go into too much about other areas.
Eagle Drum by Robert Crum (from here in Corvallis, OR!)
Four Winds Press, 1994 (nice story of a young grass dancer)
Powwow by George Ancona
Harcourt Brace &Co., 1993 (General intro to Powwows for children)
Drumbeat/Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow by Susan Braine
First Avenue Editions, 1995 (Another general introduction)
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I recommend anything by Paul Goble (most libraries have his The Girl Who
Love Wild Horses), he has really done his homework and the Iktomi series
has some beautiful Indian humor in it (especially of interest to that
person who wanted trickster ideas). His companies are Bradburry Press
(for hardback) Aladdin (for paperback).
We have:
Love Flue, 1992 (history of the courting flute well researched
illustrations of different flutes from differen tribes)
The Lost Children, 1993 (good lead into a unit on astronomy)
Beyond the Ridge, 1993 (poignant rendition of the idea of dying as "going
over to the other side")
Adopted by the Eagles, 1994. (This story of friendship and treachery is
based on a more complex story said to be a favorite of Chief Red Cloud.
It even features a 1959 picture of Goble and a descendent of Red Coud.
Buffalo Woman, 1984
Death of the Iron Horse, 1993
Iktomi and the Ducks, 1990
Iktomi and the Berries, 1989
Iktomi and the Boulder, 1988
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Byrd Baylor can also be found at most libraries (Hawk I'm your brother
won a Caldecot award I think). One thing I like about
her is that she doesn't come out and say "THESE ARE SOUTHWEST INDIANS",
but you just know that she was inspired by southwest perspectives on
life. Her companies are Scribners's (hardback) and Aladdin
I have:
The Way to Start A Day, 1977 (With an empahasis on Indians, a good
multicultural account of how people around the world begin the day)
The Other way to Listen, 1978 (A child learning from an elder how to
listen to natue)
I'm in Charge of Celebrations, 1986 (still my favorite children's book ever.
It is about finding things in your life to celebrate that are really
important like coyotes and shooting stars)
Everybody Needs a Rock, 1974 (ten rules for caring for a rock and
ultimately the entire planet)
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My wife is part Lakota and we recently got a couple good Oglala/Lakota books.
A Boy Becomes a Man at Wounded Knee by Ted Wood and Wanbli Numpa Afraid
of Hawk, 1992, Walker and Company (A moving story of a boy at the famous
Wounded Knee anniversary ride)
The Ghost Dance by Alice McLerran and Paul Morin, Clarion Books, 1995.
(An artsy rendition of the story of Wovoka, Wounded Knee, and the Ghost
Dance)
A Boy Called Slow by Joseph Bruchac and Rocco Baviera, Philomel Books, 1994.
(A story of Sitting Bull as a Boy, ideal for young boys frustrated with
growing up to slow)
Also from Joseph Bruchac (art by Susan L. Roth) is The Great Ball Game: A
Muskogee Story, 1994, Dial Books. (A good book for younger children, this
story is a creation stoyr that includes connections to animals and lacrosse)
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Mama Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joose, Chronicle Books, 1991 (Alaskan
Indian mother and her daughter. Prints, cards, and doll from the book are
also available. Incorporates Alaskan Indian words).
Morning Girl, by Micheal Dorris, University of Oklahoma Press, 1992 (by the
same author as A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, is about a Taino family just
before Columbus lands).
Also by Michael Dorris, Guests (1994), is about a young Indian boy
frustrated by the weird guests (Pilgrims) coming to dinner at the first
Thanksgiving.
Dancing Teepees, Selected by Virginia Driving Hawk sneeve, Holiday
House, 1989 (Children's poems from many tribes collected and illustrated).
Raven, by Gerald McDermott, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1993 (a enjoyable
creation story suitable for pre-school reading).
Dream Catcher by Adrey Osophby, Orchard Books,1992 (enjoyable story of
start of the origin of dream catchers.
The Boy Who Lived With the Seals by Rafe Martin and David Shannon, 1993,
Putnam (Based on a Chinook Indian legend, this book would be a nice lead
into a mirine biology unit)
Ten Little Rabbits by Virginia Grossman and Sylvia Long, Chronicle Books,
1991. (Very good counting book for the very young. For the adult reader,
the book features authentic blankets from different tribes complete with
descriptions in the back of the book.
The Maya by Robert Nicholson, Chelsea House, 1994. (Quick facts, stories,
and activities of the Maya. Idal for elementary school teachers.)
Doesn't Fall of His Horses by Virginia A. Stroud, Dial Books, 1994. (A
good story about a Kiowa boy. A little wordy though.
The Sea Lion by Ken Kesey and Neil Waldman, Viking Press, 1991. (The
magic of Ken Kesey brought to a NW Coast Indian story.
Did you Hear Wind Sing Your Name?: An Oneida Song of Spring by Sandra De
Coteau Orie and Christopher Canyon, 1995, Walker Publishing. (A lyrical
story ideal for very young children.)
Wilma P. Mankiller: Chief of the Cherokee by Charnan Simon, 1991,
Childrens Press. (A quality biography for lower grade children. I
especially liked the real pictures as opposed to drawings.)
Maria Tallchief by Heidi Ellen Erdich, Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers,
1993. (Celebrating an international quality dancer).
Seya's Song by Ron Hirschi and Constance R. Bergum, Sasquatch Books,
1992. (A good mother/daughter book featuring S'Klallam words throughout
the story.
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Enjoy!!
Walter