Social Studies

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and legacy of treaty rights activist Billy Frank Jr.. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and legacy of baseball star Charles Albert Bender. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and impact of astronaut John Herrington. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and impact of poet Joy Harjo. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, career, and impact of soccer star Madison Hammond. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and legacy of prima ballerina Maria Tallchief. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

The inspiring story of a young girl's resilience and survival at the Shingwauk Indian Residential School.

Shirley is only five years old when she is taken away by the Indian agent to live at a residential school. She loves learning, but she is not there by choice. From the first day walking up the long, lonely stone steps of the school building, life is hard and full of rules. Separated from her brothers and sisters, she is truly on her own.

Shirley is very brave, but there is no one she loves to hold her at night when she is afraid. No one to tuck her in and comfort her. Shirley keeps going despite the sadness. She makes friends and has adventures. And most of all, she looks ahead to summertime, when she will be able to return to her family and the happiness of home.

A true story.

Reviews
"Through powerful words and illustrations, this book honors Shirley’s lived experiences at residential school while also highlighting her advocacy in ensuring that residential school histories are remembered and taught. Shirley offers an accessible entry point into a complex topic while centering Survivor voices. This book is a moving resource for educators and families committed to truth-telling and learning."- Krista McCracken, Researcher & Curator, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

A vital residential school account, told from Shirley's own lived experience. Written with care and sensitivity from an Indigenous perspective.

In her author's note, Shirley shares more about her family, the impact of residential school on their lives, and the importance of remembrance.

This book is available in French: Shirley: une histoire de pensionnat indien.

Additional Information
70 Pages | 7" x 8.5|" | Paperback

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Lexile measure: 1050L

This book is part of the Mother of Xsan series, which uses striking illustration and lyrical language to bring the poetry of the Xsan ecosystem to life. It is the eighth book in the series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 6.50" x 10.00" | Hardcover 

This fascinating book introduces readers to the life, work, and legacy of political leader Wilma Mankiller. The book also includes a "Topic Spotlight" special feature, several "Did You Know" facts, a table of contents, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Biographies series. 

Additional Information
32 Pages | Paperback

Grandmother, Why do we do the things we do?

How a young girl is raised by her grandmother on the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation. The book denotes various aspects of O'odham himdag (culture) and begins with waking up in the morning and then preparing for the day and engaging in several different responsibilities. Various daily chores and activities such as preparation of different food, basket weaving, pottery making, household chores and cultural undertakings are highlighted.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5 by the publisher, but this book contains a lot of text and may be more suitable for older children.

This book includes many O'odham words, but it is not a dual-language book. A glossary is included. O'odham is a Native American language spoken by several tribes in the American Southwest and Northern Sonoran Mexico. 

This book is part of the Tohono O'odham series.

Subjects / Themes: Daily Life, Home, Family, Community, Culture 

Additional Information
48 pages | 11.00" x 9.00" | colour illustrations | Hardcover

Discover the history of the endangered Ojibwe horse and the daring intervention of the Lac La Croix First Nation in this celebration of community, tradition, courage, and hope.

It’s a cold, snowy night at Lac La Croix First Nation, and two siblings are too excited to fall asleep. The horses are coming tonight! Amid the buzz of aunties and uncles and cousins, Nookomis tells a story that began many years ago, when their people shared the land with herds of wild ponies. In a symbiotic relationship, the people provided the horses with food and shelter, while the horses helped them run traplines and travel. But after many years had passed, and the herd had dwindled to four, the government threatened to shoot them. It was time to move the remaining horses to safety—but getting them there would be harder than they thought! Follow the true story of a “heist across the ice” from Ontario to Minnesota and learn how a small herd of hardy, indigenous horses returned years later to their native land. Rich illustrations honor the life of the Ojibwe people over time, as well as the land and living things that have survived under their stewardship.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.62" x 10.62" | Hardcover 

The Algonquin peoples are the original inhabitants of parts of Quebec and Ontario. Learn about their deep ties to the land and culture straight from a member of the peoples.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for grades 3 to 6.

This book is part of the Indigenous Peoples (Real Voices) series. Indigenous Peoples have inhabited the land we now know as North America long before the arrival of European explorers. Learn what makes each Nation unique by learning about their culture, daily life, celebrations and more. Explore the Indigenous experience past and present written by authentic voices.

Additional Information
24 Pages | 9" x 9" | Paperback

Learn about the southernmost community of Nunavut in this educational picture book.

Did you know that Sanikiluaq, Nunavut is named after a great hunter and leader? Or that it is the most southern community in Nunavut? You can even see wildlife like polar bears, eider ducks, foxes, and more nearby. Discover the many reasons that people in Sanikiluaq love their home in this bilingual picture book.

Reviews
"This book is written in Inuktitut and English, explaining Sanikiluaq, the southernmost community in Nunavut. It describes the history of the community, the animals that live in the area and introduces Inuit food acquisition practices such as whaling, fishing, hunting, and gathering. Cultural activities such as making carvings, baskets, and clothing are also explored. For younger students, the information is helpful for learning about Inuit culture as well as the importance of the Inuit and places before the land was settled and given non-Inuktitut names, such as the Belcher Islands." - Alethea S., Elementary School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Dual-language: English and Inuktitut

This book is part of the Community Connections series.

This title is included in the Indigenous Books for Schools database from the Association of Book Publishers of BC as a recommended resource for K to 5 English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. 

Additional Information
21 pages | 8.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Being an ally is about learning and action. It's a constant, ongoing willingness to engage in the hard, confronting work of standing alongside those who don't have the same privileges.

As a young person, it can be difficult to take a stand for others when the need to fit in is so strong. But everyone can be an ally. Learn to acknowledge the privileges you have based on your identity, the difference between allyship and being a performative ally and how to address mistakes when we make them. In this book, young readers will work through realistic scenarios that show allyship in action and develop tools to become the best allies they can be.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Includes some Indigenous content.

Additional Information
48 pages | 6.50" x 8.50" | 39 Colour Illustrations, 1 Index, 1 Bibliography; Hardcover