5 Amazing New Native American Picture Books
November is Native American Heritage Month, and I’ve rounded up five amazing new picture books by and about Native American folk to read this month and beyond. From powwow adventures to skateboarding and moving to a new home, these picture books depict an array of Native American experiences.
Let’s Go! by Julie Flett
This evocative picture book captures the sounds and pleasures of skateboarding from a young boy’s eyes. A child loves listening to the sounds of skateboarders as they roll past his window: “Cacussh! Cacussh! Cacussh!” His mom gives him her skateboard from when she was a kid, and he immediately hops on and begins learning how to skateboard. At a skateboarding park, he’s too intimidated to skate with the bigger kids, but then children his own age arrive, and they team up and skate together. There are Cree words throughout, and an author’s note about her son’s love of skateboarding.
Loaf the Cat Goes To The Powwow by Nicholas DeShaw & Tara Audibert
This is an adorable picture book about a cat that decides to accompany her boy to the annual powwow. Loaf the cat adores her boy, and as he makes his regalia for the powwow, she bats at the ribbons on his clothes. When the boy and family leave wearing the fancy clothes, Loaf decides to claw open a screened window and follow. She must find her boy! She finds him at a loud place full of beating drums and dancing. Initially, she hides, but when she finally sees her boy, she dances with him on his shoulder.
Wisdom Weavers by James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw & Marcus Trujillo
This is a neat picture book about an Ojibwe child, Jack, learning about the origin of dream catchers. Interspersed throughout are words from the Ojibwe language with a QR code so kids can listen to how the words are pronounced. It opens with Jack waking up feeling refreshed after a good dream. His dad tells him it’s because of the dream catcher above his bed. Curious, Jack asks more questions about how dream catchers work, and he and his dad make one together.
The Heartbeat Drum by Deidre Havrelock & Aphelandra
This is a beautiful picture book biography about Carol Powder, Cree drummer and activist. As a child, Carol’s Moshum taught her that women are the heartbeat of the drum. He taught her everything he knew about the drum and Cree music, and when he passed away, Carol kept on drumming and passing down knowledge. She formed a group of drum-playing Indigenous women called the Chubby Cree, but when they tried to play at powwows, they were turned away for being women. Carol knew that Native American women had always played the drum, so she continued to advocate and teach young women how to play the drum. Back matter includes more details about her life.
Being Home by Traci Sorell & Michaela Goade
I will read any and all books by Traci Sorell and Michaela Goade, and this team-up is phenomenal. A young Cherokee girl is moving out of her city home. She says goodbye to her favorite tree, to the swing on it, to the house with the stair railing she loves to ride down, but she is not sad about the change. Fewer animal relatives visit, and she’s eager to head to her true home, closer to family and closer to nature. When she and her mom arrive, family helps them unpack, then she and her child family members explore the nature surrounding her true home. This is a lovely and warm celebration of change, nature, and family.
You can never have too many children’s books by Native Americans, so here are a few more lists! I’ll review new Indigenous American middle grade novels next week.
