Sitting Bull Remembers by Ann Turner. illus. by Wendel Minor. Publisher: HarperCollins, 2007. (Elementary - older if used in a compare/contrast learning situation)
A picture book based on the life of Sitting Bull, the leader of the Hunkpapa band of the Lakota Sioux Nation. Although a fiction book the author did extensive research on the life of Sitting Bull. The images are quite stunning and historically accurate with "some artistic license to create a stronger visual story."
Teacher note: "This book should not be read as a biography, but rather as an imaginative exploration of the side of history that the facts cannot always give us." - Ann Turner
This book is historical fiction. It would be a good introduction to this famous Native American and would provide for an opportunity to do some research about Sitting Bull and do a compare and contrast between this book and other sources.
(Chuck Mann)


Ghost Horses (A mystery in Zion National Park) by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson. Publisher: National Geographic, 2000. (Upper Elementary)
This chapter book is part of the "Mysteries in Our National Parks" series. A contemporary story in which Ethan and Summer, Shoshone Indian foster children, teach Jack and Ashley Landon the Ghost Dance. Saving the wild mustangs in the Zion Park area is their goal.
Teacher note: Although a book of fiction, the authors have researched the Zion Park area and have accurately used this area for the setting of this book. There are maps of Zion Park and an afterward written by the Executive Director of the Zion Natural History Association explaining the difference between land managed by the National Park Service and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
The theme of this book is about peer relationships. The Native American children want to go back home to the reservation and live with their grandmother and the traditions and culture familiar to them. The Landon children aren't thrilled with the change in family dynamics by adding these kids to the family, even temporarily. That said, the Landon children are interested in learning more about the Indian culture - especially the Ghost Dance which eventually causes a big problem for all the children.
This would be a good read aloud book and could be tied into social studies units about the national parks.
(Chuck Mann

Buffalo Before Breakfast(Magic Treehouse #18) by Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrator: Sal Murdocca. Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 1999 (lower elementary) Summary of the book (from the back cover) - In the Magic Treehouse, Jack, Annie, and the enchanted dog Teddy are whisked back almost 200 years to the Great Plains. There they meet a Lakota boy who shows them how to hunt buffalo. But something goes wrong! Now they need to stop a thousand buffalo from stampeding. The theme of the book is family/peer relationships and historical fiction. The children Jack and Annie are siblings and they meet Black Hawk,a Lakota boy, in their travels. There they learn, from Black Hawk and his grandmother about how the buffalo supplied the Lakota people many gifts. In the chapter about the buffalo stampede you can see what Jack and Annie's relationship and their relationship with Black Hawk are like. The also take part in a sacred circle with the Lakota tribe. It is historical fiction because the author shares with the reader the most basic information about the traditional ways of the Lakota people. How to use in the classroom - in a book corner for silent reading and also a read aloud book for schema activation when beginning a lesson on the Native Americans living on the Great Plains.
(Heidi Quimby)

 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Art done by Ellen Forney. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (April 1, 2009) (Middle School or High School). Summary of the book: Junior Spirit who is the main character decides to leave the poverty stricken rez to go to a white school in Reardan. Junior aspires to become a cartoonist and fills his diary of the life experiences he goes through. Junior's best friend is Rowdy, a sometimes violent young man who may suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome. It is Rowdy who feels most betrayed by Junior's move to Reardan, and the deep rift in their relationship colors the rest of the story. Junior meets his new new girlfriend at Reardan where he faces her father who blatenly says he doesn't like him dating his daughter due to the fact that he is Native American and from the rez. Junior unexpectedly becomes a basketball star, but his spectacular performance in the "big game" comes at the expense of Rowdy and the reservation team, making him feel more traitor than hero. His struggle to resolve this conflict provides the central thrust of the story. The final scene, a twilight game of one-on-one, is only two paragraphs long, but its impact is stunning. There are many themes of this book including, family relationships, peer relationships and overcoming adversity. Junior deals with many family issues in his home and on the rez. Not only is his family dirt poor but their are major deaths in a short amount of time and large amounts of alcohol/ physical abuse. Junior sees that all of these issues affect his family/friends in a negative way and it is his teacher on the rez who tells him he must go to Reardan to have a better education. How to use in the classroom-this is a great book to use in a literature circle, large group, small group or individually. In the back of the book is a section for teachers that has included discussion questions. I would prep my students by letting them know that there is some curse words included in the text. (Cristina Benz)







Crazy Horses's Vision by Joseph Bruchac. Illustrated by S. D. Nelson. Publisher: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2000. (Upper Elementary)
This picture book by Bruchac traces Crazy Horse's boyhood, zeroing in on a pivotal event in his life and highlighting an important Native American rite of passage. As a youth, Crazy Horse (then known as Curly) witnesses U.S. Army soldiers brutally and unjustly attack his people. Troubled, he embarks on a vision quest and sees a figure on horseback riding untouched through a storm of lightning, hail and bullets. His father interprets the vision, telling him that "the man on that horse is the one you will become" and that he is destined to defend his people.
Teacher Note: Although a fiction book, the author and illustrator did extensive research on Crazy Horse and the Lakota (Sioux). The author is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in the Dakotas. An afterword in the book describes subsequent events in Crazy Horse's life. There is also an illustrator's note from S. D. Nelson, the artist, that explains his approximations of the Plains Indians' traditional ledger-book style (characterized by indistinct facial expressions and flat, two-dimensional figures) and his symbolic use of color (Crazy Horse is painted blue, representative of a connection with the spirit world.).
The themes of this book are historical fiction and overcoming adversity. This book would be a good introduction to Crazy Horse. I use the book when I am teaching character analysis. Readers can analyze Crazy Horse and give meaning to his traits and actions. They can understand Crazy Horse more fully by how he is described in the book, what he says, what he does, and what he thinks, and how the other people in the story react to him. (Gail Jung)

cover art

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich, Published by Hyperion Children's Books, 2002. For 9-12 year olds, grades 4-6.
This historical fiction takes place during the same slice of history as Laura Ingalls Wilder, but is seen through the eyes of the spirited, 7-year-old Ojibwa girl Omakayas, or Little Frog, so named because her first step was a hop. The sole survivor of a smallpox epidemic on Spirit Island, Omakayas, then only a baby girl, was rescued by a fearless woman named Tallow and welcomed into an Ojibwa family on Lake Superior's Madeline Island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. We follow Omakayas and her adopted family through a cycle of four seasons in 1847, including the winter, when a historically documented outbreak of smallpox overtook the island.
Readers will be riveted by the daily life of this Native American family, in which tanning moose hides, picking berries, and scaring crows from the cornfield are as commonplace as encounters with bear cubs and fireside ghost stories. Erdrich--a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa--spoke to Ojibwa elders about the spirit and significance of Madeline Island, read letters from travelers, and even spent time with her own children on the island, observing their reactions to woods, stones, crayfish, bear, and deer. The author's softly hewn pencil drawings infuse life and authenticity to her poetic, exquisitely wrought narrative. Omakayas is an intense, strong, likable character to whom young readers will fully relate--from her mixed emotions about her siblings, to her discovery of her unique talents, to her devotion to her pet crow Andeg, to her budding understanding of death, life, and her role in the natural world.
This would be a great shared read or read aloud to front load and provide background knowledge for a social studies unit on Native Americans. (Lori Bieging)

Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London. Illustrated by Thomas Locker. Publisher: Philomel Books (1992). (K-4th grade). This book is a collection of poems based on Native American legends, written by Abenaki storyteller Joseph Bruchac and poet Jonathan London. It draws on legends of a variety of tribes to describe the thirteen moons of the year while celebrating the seasons. The illustrations are gorgeous and calming. This book is poetry. The themes include the natural world, death, and spiritual connections. This book could be used in a variety of ways, whether as a part of a poetry unit, a unit on the seasons, or a unit on myths and legends. The publisher lists this collection as appropriate for kindergarten through fourth grade, though I think it is more appropriate for upper elementary, all the way through high school. (Amy Korba)

When the Shadbush Blooms

When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger and Susan Katz. Illustrated by David Kanietakeron. Published by Tricycle Press (September 1, 2007). For ages 4-8. “The book captures so much that is Native: cycles, the particular roles and joys of people of ages, plants and animals as integral parts of life, the richness of lives lived simply, and our connection to the past, and thus to the future. The language is crystalline, pure and sparkling, nothing wasted; nothing more needed.” --Karen Coody Cooper (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Museum Training Coordinator, National Museum of the American Indian.
Teacher note: This book explores the past and present lives, and traditions of the of the Lenape tribe. The words and the pictures guide you through the lives of a historical Lenape family and a contemporary family. Lessons could include: celebration of families, traditions, seasons, compare/contrast and descriptive language. (Tricia Griffith)

Buffalo Hunt by Russell Freedman Published by Scholastic Inc. 1988. (Upper Elementary).
This is a non-fiction book written in narrative fashion. The theme throughout the book is the buffalo and effect on different Native American tribes culture. The book is divided into five short sections: A Gift From The Great Spirit, Buffalo Magic, The Hunt, From The Brains To The Tail, and With the Buffalo Gone. Within each section a different aspect of the view and use of buffalo is given with differentiation for different Native American tribes. The illustrations are mostly reproductions of paintings and drawings by artists who traveled west when the Indians still lived in tipis.
Teacher note: This book is a perfect supplement that differentiates between Native American tribes when giving information about the importance of the buffalo. The knowledge gathered from this book will be the interest motivator. The book alone does not typically generate reader motivation on its own.
The theme of this book is information based on the importance of the buffalo to Native American tribes. I have used this in conjunction with non-fiction books on regional Native American tribes and historical fiction such as Kenneth Thomasma's Naya Nuki, Pathki Nana, Kunu, Amee-nah, and Moho Wat.
(Joan Sax)


For most people, being swept away in a horse stampede during a raging thunderstorm would be a terrifying disaster. For the young Native American girl in Paul Goble's 1979 Caldecott-winning masterpiece, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, it is a blessing. Although she loves her people, this girl has a much deeper, almost sacred connection to her equine friends. The storm gives her the opportunity to fulfill her dream--to live in a beautiful land among the wild horses she loves.
With brilliant, stylized illustrations and simple text, Paul Goble tells the story of a young woman who follows her heart, and the family that respects and accepts her uniqueness. Considering how difficult it is for some communities to allow friendships to grow between people of different cultures, this village's support for the girl's companions of choice is admirable. Goble's bold paintings reflect this noble open-mindedness. The young horse fanatic of the house will joyfully add this book to his or her collection. Children are passionate people; they will relate. All ages (Patti Thacker)


Kenneth Thomasma - author - series of books based on the lives of children in various Native American tribes.





The Rough Faced Girl by Rafe Martin. illus. by David Shannon. Publisher: Puffin, 1998. (Elementary - older if used in a compare/contrast learning situation)
In this Algonquin Indian version of the Cinderella story, two domineering sisters set out to marry the "rich, powerful, and supposedly handsome" Invisible Being, first having to prove that they can see him. They cannot, but their mistreated younger sister the Rough-Face Girl--so called because the sparks from the fire have scarred her skin--can, for she sees his "sweet yet awesome face" all around her. This is a great folk tale that can be used to compare & contrast with the familiar Cinderella Story. It also leads into a great lesson about inner beauty and can be used to model authors purpose. It is best for grade 3 and up.
By Kim Paulson

Giving Thanks By Chief Jake Swamp Illustrated by Erwin Printup, JR. Publisher: Lee and Low books, INC 1995. ( Elementary)
Summary: This book is about giving thanks to Mother Nature and each page focuses on a different aspect that the universe has to offer Ex. Thank you, deep blue waters around Mother Earth, for you are the force that takes thirst away from all living things. This books lends itself perfectly to a discussion around Earth Day or around Thanksgiving. (Meghan Smith)

Some additional books from Chuck Mann

Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich. Publisher: Harper Collins, 2005 (Book #2 in the Birchbark House series.)

The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdrich. Publisher: Harper Collins, 2008 (Book #3 in the Birchbark House series.)

As Long as the River Flows by Larry Loyie. Illustrated by Heather D. Holmlund. Publisher: Groundwood Books, 2002. A memoir describing the author’s last summer (1944) with his Cree family before being forced by the Canadian government to go to the residential school. (This could be a companion piece to a similar fictional account by Eve Bunting in Cheyenne Again.)

Cheyenne Again by Eve Bunting. Illustrated by Irving Toddy. Published by Clarion Books, 1995. The story of a young Cheyenne boy who is taken from the reservation to a boarding school to learn the white man’s ways. (This is a fiction narrative which could be a companion piece to the memoir As long as the River Flows.)

Moonstick: The Seasons of the Sioux by Eve Bunting. Illustrated by John Sanford. Publisher: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997. A young Dakota Indian boy describes the changes the come during the year and are marked by the thirteen moons or the Sioux year. (A companion piece to Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back.)

I Will Remember: Ing-minjimendam by Kimberley K. Nelson. Illustrations by Clem May. Publisher: Loonfeather Press, 1995. An Ojibwe boy describes his life in Northern Minnesota. The book is written in English and Ojibwe. A CD recording of the story is included.

Jane Gibbs: Little Bird That Was Caught by Anne E. Neuberger. Illustrated by Tessie Bundick. Publisher: Ramsey County Historical Society, 1998. This story is based on the lives of real people and events that really happened. Jane DeBow is taken from her home in New York State and ends up living at Fort Snelling. She discovers a Dakota settlement at nearby Lake Harriet and spends her childhood “living” in two different worlds. After she marries Heman Gibbs they develop a farm near what is now St. Paul.

Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today edited by Lori Marie Carlson. Publisher: HarperCollins, 2005. Presents ten short stories about contemporary Native American teens by members of tribes of the United States and Canada, including Louis Erdrich and Joseph Bruchac.

Growing Up Native American edited by Patricia Riley. Publisher: Harper, 1993. A collection of short stories from a variety of Native American authors.

Do All Indians Live In Tipis?: Questions and Answers from the National Museum of the American Indian. Publisher: Smithsonian Institution, 2007. The questions in this book originated for the most part in letters, emails, phone calls and in-person visits from the public to the learning center at the George Gustav Heye Center, the New York branch of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Morning Girl by Michael Dorris. Publisher: Hyperion, 1992. Morning Girl, who loves the day, and her younger brother, Star Boy, who loves the night, take turns describing their life on an island in pre-Columbian America; in Morning Girl's last narrative, she witnesses the arrival of the first Europeans to her world.