Indigenous Stories

This is one Creation Story of how some of Our Relatives, The Swimmers and The Winged-Ones helped Creator make Land for The Two-Legged, The Four-Legged, and The Crawlers on Turtle Island.

Additional Information
27 Pages | Hardcover 

One day, Ullak forgets her grandma's warning about playing on the ice pans and is suddenly kidnapped by a sea monster.

Ullak is brought to Sanna, the ruler of the seas and all the mammals in it, at the bottom of the sea. Together they visit different Arctic sea animals and learn all about them. Ullak is having a lot of fun exploring underwater, but it's getting late. Will she be able to convince Sanna to help her find her way home?

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 10.

F&P Level: R

Ullak and the Creatures of the Sea features Sanna, a prominent figure in Inuit traditional stories.

Additional Information
48 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Kudlu's children will not go to sleep until he tells them a story of long ago. Before they will shut their eyes, they want to hear about a time long before Kudlu was born, a time when the world was magic. Before they can sleep, they want to hear about giants, animals disguised as humans, little people the size of lemmings, and all of the other wonderful things that existed way back then.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Bilingual: English and Inuktitut 

Reviews
“A bilingual sampler—cold of setting but warm of spirit.” — ★ Kirkus

Additional Information
44 pages | 8.75" x 8.75" | Paperback 

Bear has fast legs. Turtle has a fast mind. Who will win the race? A fun Indigenous story that kindergarteners and first graders can read on their own.

Ready, set, go!
Bear will go over the ice.
Turtle will go under the ice.
Bear runs fast.
But where is Turtle?

When a quick-footed bear and a quick-witted turtle race across a frozen lake, Turtle has a secret plan to win!

Reviews
"With just a few words per page, presented in a large font, and visuals that reflect the action, this one is ideal for beginning readers. Exaggerated, energetic cartoon illustrations enhance the easy-to-read text. Children will be charmed by the humor, drama, fun twist, and wonderfully entertaining characters. The characters’ strengths and savvy will delight emerging readers."—Kirkus Reviews

"This clever tale should find a place in most collections, especially given the lack of Indigenous voices and representation in the beginning reader format."—School Library Journal

Educator & Series Information
Written and illustrated by Mohawk author-illustrator Arihhonni David, this easy reader based on an Indigenous tale combines exciting storytelling and easy-to-read language.

This book has been officially leveled by using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient leveling system. It is a Level G.

This book is a guided reader based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards.  

High-quality illustrations support comprehension of simple text. Fun for kids to read again and again with their parents, teachers, or on their own!

This book is part of the I Like to Read series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 7.78" x 9.99" | Paperback

A magical realistic middle-grade debut about the origin story of the Iñupiaq Messenger Feast, a Native Alaskan tradition.

As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping—the same mountain where his two older brothers died.

When he reaches the mountaintop, he is immediately confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. Savik gives the boy a choice: follow me or die like your brothers.

What comes next is a harrowing journey to the home of the eagle gods and unexpected lessons on the natural world, the past that shapes us, and the community that binds us.

Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson is part cultural folklore, part origin myth about the Messenger’s Feast – which is still celebrated in times of bounty among the Iñupiaq. It’s the story of how Iñupiaq people were given the gift of music, song, dance, community, and everlasting tradition.

Awards

• 2024 Newbery Honor Book
• 2024 American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award 

Reviews
“A soaring story of family and courage, culture and community, wonder and resilience.” — Cynthia Leitich Smith, anthologist of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

“An epic journey in every sense of the word, Eagle Drums is a new classic. Pinja welcomes the reader to travel with him on this treacherous quest and by the time his voyage is complete, you will grieve, struggle, and celebrate alongside him.” —Donna Barba Higuera, author of Newbery Medal winner The Last Cuentista

“Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson has accomplished something truly monumental. Through her impressive talents as a writer and artist, Rainey shares cultural teachings and, indeed, the art of storytelling with readers of all ages. Eagle Drums is a masterpiece!” —Angeline Boulley, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Firekeeper's Daughter

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 8 to 12. 

Additional Information
256 pages | 5.38" x 8.25" | Hardcover 

A hunter needs to find food for his hungry children, but when he finds a nest of eaglets, will he be able to make them into soup?

The hunter was tired of only finding berries and seeds to feed his hungry village, so he decided to look far and wide for some meat to bring to them. When he spotted a tall tree, he climbed to the top and discovered a nest with three eaglets. "What a tasty soup the three little birds will make!" thought the hunter.

Hearing the warning cries of the eaglets, Father Eagle flew to their rescue. Father Eagle told the hunter that if he did not take the eaglets, he would ask the Great Spirit to help the village.

The hunter decided to trust Father Eagle and watched him soar high into the sky. Father Eagle returned and told the hunter that the Great Spirit would help his people and would not let his village perish.

From that day forward, the game was plentiful, the people flourished, and the Eagle was forever respected and honored.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

Additional information
40 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

A young girl spends the summer at her grandmother’s home on the Standing Rock Reservation in this heartwarming family story from acclaimed author-artist S. D. Nelson

Now that Clara is almost in third grade, she’s finally old enough to spend her first summer away from home visiting her grandma, Unci, and her cousin at their home in Standing Rock Reservation. To welcome her visit, Uncle Louie brings an extra-special surprise in his pickup truck: the tipi that’s been passed down through their family for generations. The girls learn how to stack the poles and wrap the canvas covering around them, how to paint spirit pictures on its walls, and how the circle of the tipi tells its own story, reminding us to how to live in the great Circle of Life. Over long days spent playing outside, doing beadwork together, telling stories, singing songs, and sleeping under the stars, the tipi brings the family closer together. As summer draws to an end, goodbye comes all too soon, but Clara will always cling to the memories of summer days and starry nights . . . and Grandma’s tipi.

Reviews
"Nelson (Standing Rock Sioux) depicts his people’s customs with reverence…When Clara’s time on the Standing Rock Reservation comes to an end, the rich lessons of her heritage stay with her—just as they will with young readers, who will be drawn in by both Nelson’s moving narration and glowing images."— Kirkus

“Nelson’s vibrant illustrations are stylized to reflect Lakota ledger drawings. He effortlessly blends this art style into his realistic, authentic depictions of modern Lakota life."— The Horn Book Magazine

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Additional Information
40 pages | 9.00" x 10.00" | Hardcover

On a visit to her granny, Maggie is excited to begin her first-ever beading project: a pair of strawberry earrings. However, beading is much harder than she expected! As they work side by side, Granny shares how beading helped her persevere and stay connected to her Anishinaabe culture when she lost her Indian status, forcing her out of her home community—all because she married someone without status, something the men of her community could do freely.

As she learns about patience and perseverance from her granny’s teachings, Maggie discovers that beading is a journey, and like every journey, it’s easier with a loved one at her side.

In this beautifully illustrated book, children learn about the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act.

Reviews
"Social justice messages lie at the heart of many children’s and YA books with Indigenous authorship. The picture book Heart Berry Bling, written by Jenny Kay Dupuis, a member of the Nipissing First Nation, and illustrated by Ghana-born artist Eva Campbell, shares the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork and highlights the experiences of women, including the author’s grandmother, who lost their First Nations status due to Canada’s Indian Act."— Publishers Weekly

"A delightful story."— Anishnabek News

"Heart Berry Bling is a soulful children’s story that reminds readers of not only the importance of family and culture, but also the generational harm caused by laws against Indigenous Peoples. In this tale of a young Anishinaabe girl who finds out how her own family was negatively impacted by the Indian Act, Jenny Kay Dupuis has created an important text for anyone learning of the erased ancestral stories from and about Indigenous Peoples." — John P. Broome, Purdue University

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 6 to 8.

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

Little People of the Dawn is a beautiful Passamaquoddy story about a girl, Lili, who comes upon the Little People while on a visit to Second Island. The Little People were once friends with the Passamquoddy, but as the people began forgetting their traditional ways, the Little People retreated to the caves, and the Passamaquoddy rarely encountered them. Lili sets out to meet them, and along the way must learn her tribal language and ways if she is to communicate with them. The story reminds us of the importance of knowing our ways and caring for the earth.

Additional Information
38 pages | 8.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

When searching for berry bushes, Nala becomes lost, alone in the forest! Fortunately, Mama Sasquatch hears her cries and keeps her safe through the night. The following day, Nala learns how Mama and Baby Sasquatch live in the forest away from people, and why.

Both a charming and soothing story for young children, Mama Sasquatch provides mesmerizing painted illustrations from Ditidaht First Nation artist and author Eva Swift.

Educator Information
Recommended for grades K-3.

Mama Sasquatch was inspired by the author/illustrator's personal experience of seeing a Sasquatch.

This book is available in French: Mama Sasquatch (French).

Additional Information
48 pages | 7.00" x 10.00" | Paperback

From the award-winning and bestselling author of We Are Water Protectors comes an empowering picture book about family history, self-expression, and reclaiming your identity

Our ancestors say our hair is our memories,
our source of strength and power,
a celebration of our lives.

Mom never had long hair—she was told it was too wild. Grandma couldn’t have long hair—hers was taken from her. But one young girl can’t wait to grow her hair long: for herself, for her family, for her connection to her culture and the Earth, and to honor the strength and resilience of those who came before her.

From Carole Lindstrom, author of the New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner We Are Water Protectors, and debut illustrator Steph Littlebird comes an empowering and healing celebration of hair and its significance across Indigenous cultures.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

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

What should you do if you encounter a Qivittoq? Can you outrun the fabled Ikusik? And what is a Tupilak made of?

About 4500 years ago, the first Inuit landed in Greenland via North America, bringing with them stories about the mythical beings that lived alongside them. These creatures and monsters have survived the ravages of time and tide, although they have sometimes had to re-invent themselves to fit the modern world.

This handy pocket guide will help guide you through the do’s and don'ts should you encounter any of these creatures in the Arctic wilderness.

Happy hunting!

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 9 to 12.

Additional Information
96 pages | 6.00" x 8.00" | Hardcover 

Set in the community of Listuguj, Gespe'gewa'gi, Nipugtug follows the journey of A'le's (Mi'gmaw for Alice), a young Mi'gmaw woman, snowshoeing through the forest. There, she meets animals, Wapus (Rabbit), Wowgwis (Fox), Tia'm (Moose), Ga'qaquj (Crow) and trees, Masgwi (Birch), Qasgusi (Cedar) who guide her through both challenging and nourishing emotions of learning her Mi'gmaw language. Grounded in her relationship with the territory, A'le's navigates memories of her language that cling to realities within and beyond her life.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 7 to 11.

Additional Information
21 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | 4 Illustrations | Paperback

After moving from an all-French Indigenous community to the English community of St. George's when he was a little boy, Poppa's life as a young man was very sad. He was treated badly by his schoolteachers and some other children in the town.

Years later, when his grandson wants to bring him into school to play his drum for the class, Poppa is nervous but goes anyway. He is relieved to see he is welcomed and even encouraged to share his knowledge of the traditions and customs of his Mi'kmaw culture.

Thankfully, times have changed from Poppa's generation, and he is pleased to have reconciled with the bad experiences he had when he went to school. Indeed, there is strength and wisdom in Reconciliation!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 12.

This is the first book in the Poppa series.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

Have you ever wondered why Rabbit has such long ears? Or why Raccoon is wearing a mask? In this collection of funny and unique short stories, young Skye enlightens us in a number of Indigenous teachings, passed down to her from her Ojibway Grandfather. Through her natural gift of storytelling, Skye encourages other children to embrace the art and become storytellers, too!

Educator Information
This book is recommended for ages 5 to 9.

"Each story has a special teaching, so remember to listen closely for it."

A teacher lesson plan is available for this resource: Storyteller Skye: Teachings from My Ojibway Grandfather Teacher Lesson Plan

This book is available in French: Skye la conteuse: Enseignements de mon grand-pere ojibway 

Additional Information
48 pages | 10.95" x 7.02" | Paperback