Navajo (Diné)

Let Dragonfly lead you on a journey of inspiration!

Following your winged guide, visit the places and things that can help you find strength in the present and imagine your amazing future. Dream alongside everything from a giant construction site and a sewing machine to the river and a blanket of moss. After your travels, Dragonfly asks: What do you like to dream about? With its mixed setting in rural and urban environments and exploration of both the natural and modern world, Dreaming Alongside gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5. 

This book is available in English and Plains Cree: Dreaming Alongside / ê-pawâtamahk.

Reading Levels: 
Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient: L 
Lexile measure: 900L 
Guided Reading Level: L

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Let Dragonfly lead you on a journey of inspiration!

Following your winged guide, visit the places and things that can help you find strength in the present and imagine your amazing future. Dream alongside everything from a giant construction site and a sewing machine to the river and a blanket of moss. After your travels, Dragonfly asks: What do you like to dream about? With its mixed setting in rural and urban environments and exploration of both the natural and modern world, Dreaming Alongside gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5. 

This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Plains Cree.
Translated into Plains Cree by Dorothy Thunder.

This book is available in English only: Dreaming Alongside.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

With simple, lyrical text and vibrant panoramic illustrations, this picture book explores the beauty and resources of thirteen ancestral Indigenous lands and how we all use those lands each day. Simple poetry and portrayals of children and families enjoying rivers, bike paths, beaches, and parks show how everyday activities can include honoring Indigenous nations and cultures.

Author Katrina Phillips (Ojibwe citizen) and illustrator Sam Zimmerman (Ojibwe direct descendant) together have crafted a loving tribute that gently demonstrates recognition and acknowledgement of the nations of people who first called these lands home.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 9.

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover 

Elevate your spirit and let your soul sing with I Am the Sun, a sweeping picture book portraying modern Native American values, history, traditions, and struggles.

In this moving tale about present-day life for many Native Americans, breathtaking art and poignant prose tell of the hardships, the triumphs, and the resilience of a mighty people: the Diné (the Navajo).

They raise sheep. They craft stunning jewelry. They weave vibrant rugs. Still many are without running water or electricity, and their stories and past remain forgotten to nearly all but themselves. I Am the Sun is that story, capturing in picture and word the joy and endurance of a people who love their history, family, language, art, food, dance, and land—and who hope patiently for a day when the sun will rise even brighter.

Written by Janessa Parker, whose Navajo father grew up on the reservation, and illustrated by Navajo illustrator Beverly Blacksheep, I Am the Sun is a groundbreaking book to bring about understanding and harmony between all people.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 9.

Includes some Navajo words and phrases. 

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 11.00" | Hardcover 

A powerful and hopeful ode to Indigenous children.

Indigenous. Native. On this land, you may roam.
Child of the sun, on this land, you are home.

Of the Sun is an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land. Each page fills them with pride and awe of their cultural heritage and invites them to unite and inspire change in the world.

Paired with powerful art reflecting cultures of various Indigenous Nations and Tribes, the poem offers all readers a sense of the history and majesty of the land we live on and how we can better care for ourselves and the world when we recognize our connection to the land and to each other.

Written by Xelena González, poet and activist in the Native and Latinx communities, and an enrolled member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation. Bold illustrations by prominent Anishinaabe illustrator Emily Kewageshig depict landscapes across the Americas and children from many backgrounds
Endnotes provide more information on Native and Indigenous unity and activism in younger generations

Reviews
"Of The Sun is a loving homage to the Indigenous peoples of this land—both in González’s beautiful, lyrical poem and Kewageshig’s warm, vibrant Anishinaabe-styled artwork. A wonderful read aloud you must add to bookshelves at home, at school, and in community!" - Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Grateful Otsaliheliga and At The Mountain’s Base

"A luminous song, poem, promise
of cultures and connection,
of kinship and caring,
for Indigenous children across the continent." - Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of Jingle Dancer

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Subjects / Themes / Topics Included: Indigenous Peoples in the Americas; Poetry; Land Connection; Inuit Clothing; Traditional Hair Bun (tsiiyéél); Concheros Dance; Three Sisters; La Danza de la Flor de Piña; Smoke Dance; Jingle Dress Dance; Manoomin (Wild Rice); English Words from Indigenous Languages; Indigenous Farming Practices; Bison; Land Back Movement.

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.00" x 9.75" | Hardcover

A thought-provoking picture book about the ways we create our own realities through the words and actions that we put out into the world.

In the early morning hours, two young children go on a journey of discovery with their grandfather, a great chief. After offering prayers to Creator, Grandfather leads Aiyanna and Little Wolf separately to the river gorge to meet the Echo People. There, surrounded by the beauty of Mother Earth, the children connect with the Echo People in a way that reveals something about themselves and learn a valuable lesson that will guide them throughout their lives.

The Echo People gently teaches young readers that if we meet the world with love and kindness then that kindness is echoed back to us.

Reviews
"True to traditional Indigenous teachings, Grandfather shares his wisdom about life ("Your actions, your words, even your thoughts all come back to you") but lets his grandchildren make meaning from their experiences. . . . A visually appealing and carefully told tale that will linger."- Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.75" x 8.75" | Hardcover 

Spiritual ceremonies, powerful storytelling, and timeless wisdom—that’s the Navajo Nation. In this captivating nonfiction book for young readers, discover more about the people, places, and traditions that unify the Navajo Nation. Learn how the Navajo people continue to thrive in the Southwest by preserving their language, celebrating cultural practices, and participating in meaningful ceremonies, such as the Kinaaldá, a coming-of-age ritual for young women. Through interactive activities and engaging features—including maps, timelines, recipes, and crafts—Navajo author Jennifer R. Denetdale shares valuable insights into the past, present, and future of this resilient culture.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 11.

This book is part of the Indigenous Peoples series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.00" x 9.00" | Paperback 

In this new and updated edition, award-winning author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve introduces young readers to the Navajo peoples.

Did you know that Navajo children were given their own lambs to signal their transition into adulthood? Learn about the Navajo’s creation story, resistance and resilience against Spanish colonizers, forked-stick hogan homes, sand paintings, and more.

Expertly reviewed by a member of the Navajo tribe, this updated edition provides the most up to date and accurate information on the Navajo people of the past and present. Historical information is accompanied by a section on modern life and contemporary photos

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

This book is part of the First Americans series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 10.50" x 9.50" | Paperback

Bahe and Dezba are helping their grandmother, Nali, move from her sheep camp home to their house. The family is packing up, carrying heavy boxes, and settling into a new life together, which isn’t always easy. At every frustration, they throw up their hands and exclaim, “Yaadila!” Good grief!

Bahe sees that this big change is hardest for Nali. But he has a secret plan. Whatever can he be doing with a bucket of water, all that yarn, and Dezba’s dollhouse?

In this heartwarming and quintessentially Navajo (Diné) story, author Laurel Goodluck (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Tsimshian) and illustrator Jonathan Nelson (Diné) together show a big change for an Elder made easier with a creative gesture of love and care.

Reviews
"Exasperation and love go hand in hand in this humorous yarn....Diné words are sprinkled into the text and defined in a glossary. Though the narrative could have benefited from a fuller explanation of the titular term at the outset, young readers will understand “Yáadilá!” by book’s end and will be amused by the interplay between Bahe and the “Helpful Narrator,” who breaks the fourth wall with comic book–style interjections. Underscoring Diné language and heritage, the tale touches on family and homesickness in a context many will relate to." — Kirkus Reviews

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 10.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover

Everyone is welcome in the circle.

In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the Intertribal Community Center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother’s wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends.

They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Molly shares with the reader how each person makes her feel—and reminds us that love is love.

Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love.

Includes an author’s note, contextual notes, and glossary.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.00" x 10.00" | Hardcover 

An unmissable companion to Healer of the Water Monster, which won the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award, this novel by Navajo author Brian Young tells the story of two contemporary young Navajo heroes—and one water monster—who must learn to work together to save their present world from the lasting hurts of their people’s past.

Edward feels ready to move in with his dad’s girlfriend and her son, Nathan. He might miss having his dad all to himself, but even if things in their new home are a little awkward, living with Nathan isn’t so bad. And Nathan is glad to have found a new guardian for Dew, the young water monster who has been Nathan's responsibility for two years. Now that Nathan is starting to lose his childhood connection to the Holy Beings, Edward will be the one to take over as Dew’s next guardian.

But Edward has a lot to learn about taking care of a water monster. And fast. Because Dew’s big sister, the powerful Yitoo Bii’aanii, is coming up to Fourth World to instruct Dew after recovering in the Third World for one hundred and sixty years. She suspects a monstrous and enormous Enemy from the Hero Twins stories has returned and is stealing water from all of the Navajo Nation.

In their search for the Modern Enemy, Nathan, Edward, Dew, and Yitoo must confront their past and their inner selves if they are to save the Fourth World from a devastating disaster.

A riveting, emotionally affecting adventure—and an American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Book!

Awards

• American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book
• Kirkus Reviews Best Books

Reviews
"Thought-provoking and full of heart; a genuinely pleasurable read." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Navajo author Young interweaves the atrocities of the Long Walk, Navajo traditional beliefs, and modern issues of climate change and water consumption in an action-filled adventure featuring two appealing Indigenous protagonists. Young readers are faced with big questions about identity, justice, and inherited trauma." — Horn Book Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Additional Information
384 pages | 5.12" x 7.62" | Paperback

Those who feel the same are kindred spirits.

A nonfiction picture book about the inspiring true pay-it-forward story that bridges two continents, 175 years, and two events in history--connecting Ireland, Choctaw Nation, Navajo Nation, and the Hopi Tribe.

1845. The Potato Famine devastated Ireland. An ocean away, Choctaw people heard and were moved by the similarities to the injustice they had suffered on the Trail of Tears. Though they had little, they gathered money to donate.

2017. Irish people built a statue to remember their connection to the Choctaw Nation--twenty-foot high feathers in the shape of a bowl.

2020. COVID-19 disproportionately ravished the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. Irish people remembered the Choctaws' kindness and paid it forward by donating.

Empathy creates kindness that lives well beyond a single act and includes more people the bigger it grows.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11.00" x 9.00" | Hardcover 

Help your child power up their reading skills and learn all about the talented Navajo code talkers during World War II with this fun-filled nonfiction reader–carefully leveled to help children progress.

Navajo Code Talkers introduces kids to the Navajo code talkers sending top-secret messages in code based on their native languages during World War II—and is a motivating introduction to using essential nonfiction reading skills, proving ideal for children ready to enter the riveting world of reading.

Educator Information
This book is a Level 4 DK Super Reader. These books take children on a journey through the wonderful world of nonfiction: traveling back to the time of dinosaurs, learning more about animals, exploring natural wonders and more, all while developing vital nonfiction reading skills and progressing from first words to reading confidently.

The DK Super Readers series can help your child practice reading by:

- Covering engaging, motivating, curriculum-aligned topics.
- Building knowledge while progressing core Grade 4 and 5 reading skills.
- Developing subject vocabulary on topics such as inventions, inventors, and history.
- Boosting understanding and retention through comprehension quizzes.

Each title, which has been leveled using MetaMetrics®: The Lexile Framework for Reading, integrates science, geography, history, and nature topics so there’s something for all children’s interests. The books and online content perfectly supplement core literacy programs and are mapped to the Common Core Standards. Children will love powering up their nonfiction reading skills and becoming reading heroes.

Additional Information
64 pages | 5.94" x 9.00"

When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation, and she communicates an important message here for readers of all ages through her carefully chosen words. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.

Reviews
“Notably centering Indigenous families and characters of color in personal and communal activities—and encouraging readers to evaluate their actions toward others.” —Publishers Weekly

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 2 and under.

Themes: Teaching Compassion, Being Kind, Family, Friendship, Gratitude

This book is also available in hardcover format: When We Are Kind

This book is also available in a dual-language hardcover format: When We Are Kind / Nihá’ádaahwiinít’íįgo

This book is also available in French: Nous sommes gentils

Additional Information
32 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Board Book

With humor and heart, and brought to life by Jonathan Nelson’s warm, distinctive artwork, Kim Rogers’s A Letter for Bob celebrates the treasured cars that carry us through our most meaningful childhood moments.

Ever since the day Mom and Dad brought Bob home from the car dealership, Bob has been a part of Katie’s family.

Bob has taken them all over, from powwows to vacations to time spent with faraway family. Bob has been there in sad and scary times and for some of the family’s most treasured memories.

But after many miles, it’s time for the family to say goodbye to Bob…

This humorous and tender story about a beloved family car—and all the stories and love carried along for the ride—will appeal to every kid whose family has owned a special car!

Kim Rogers is the author of Just Like Grandma, illustrated by Julie Flett, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, which called it “a joyous, uplifting celebration of culture and family.”

Awards

• American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner

Reviews
"I adore this book with a completeness I didn't anticipate. I'll be sharing it at every workshop I do, with librarians, educators, teacher-educators... everyone." — Dr. Debbie Reese, American Indians in Children's Literature

"An engaging, emotionally resonant picture book." — Booklist (starred review)

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
32 pages | 11.00" x 8.50" | Hardcover