Potawatomi

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass comes a beautiful and lushly illustrated tale celebrating gratitude, reciprocity, and finding our place in the natural world, ideal for sharing with the youngest readers.

When young Bud sees people bustling around, intent on their chores and their screens, she is certain they must be doing important things—and she wants to be included. But wise Nokomis, her grandmother, shows her that there is a different way to find belonging, one that relies on stillness and observing the natural world. As Bud discovers the freely given gifts of the Earth, she wonders if she has something important to give back: What is her gift?

Infused with warmth, humor, and insight, and beautifully illustrated by Naoko Stoop, the first picture book by renowned author and Indigenous ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer inspires readers to treasure nature’s generosity and the gifts each one of us can share with the Earth.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 4 to 8.

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

A vibrantly illustrated children's book about an Indigenous girl who discovers the miracles that blossom each spring and learns how Creator's gift of courage can transform the way we see the world and ourselves.

It’s time to welcome a new season, and this spring is going to be extra special. Dani, a Potawatomi girl, and her family prepare to celebrate the new year, which the Potawatomi and other Anishinaabe people observe at the beginning of spring with a camping and climbing trip. Dani is excited for the adventure, but also nervous. The rocks are so big. Will she make it to the top of her climb? As Dani explores the awakening woods and makes memories with her family, she learns to draw on the courage Creator gives while finding inspiration in the miraculous new life Mother Earth brings forth each spring.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is part of the An Indigenous Celebration of Nature series.

Additional Information
40 pages | 11.00" x 8.5" | Hardcover

An Indigenous boy invites new friends to share in beloved traditions as he celebrates the joy of summer and his love for Earth and Creator in this picture book that revels in the warmth, light, and fun of the longest days of the year.

Bo, a proud Potawatomi boy, is excited to enjoy long summer days tending his garden, walking his dog, and playing in the river with his big sister, Dani. When he discovers that his family's favorite spot has been polluted with garbage, Bo realizes that caring for Earth is part of what makes summer special. And when he overcomes his shyness and invites others to join in, he discovers that summer's magic has even more surprises in store.

“Bo is short for saying Bodewadmi ndaw, which is ‘I am Potawatomi’ in our language. Bo is a celebration of Anishinaabe culture, from the way he wears his hair in a traditional braid to the way he shares the magic of summer and honors Earth by caring for her as she cares for us.”—Kaitlin B. Curtice

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is part of the An Indigenous Celebration of Nature series.

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

A vibrantly illustrated children’s book about an Indigenous girl who finds awe in the resting and waiting that winter teaches us and shares with her friends how Creator’s gift of gratitude can transform the way we see the world.

Your thankfulness is your gift to Earth.

Winter’s Gifts is the tale of a young Potawatomi girl named Dani whose family celebrates the darkest season of the year by treasuring the slowness that winter brings. Dani’s schoolmates think it’s silly to think that Earth gives us presents, but on a magical snowy day, her family and Creator give Dani the courage to teach her friends about the gifts of winter—resting, remembrance, and gratitude. Can Dani help them receive winter’s gifts?

Winter’s Gifts is a joyful and tender family story of honoring creation, the power of storytelling, and how a new perspective can transform us.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

This book is part of the An Indigenous Celebration of Nature series.

Additional Information
40 pages | 11.06" x 8.70" | Hardcover

Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things—from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen—provide us with gifts and lessons every day in her best-selling book Braiding Sweetgrass. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us. With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults brings Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation.

Awards

• 2022 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year winner
• 2023 NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 winner
• 2023 Nautilus Book Awards winner
• 2023 The Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens winner
• 2022 Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year winner
• 2023 NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 winner
• 2023 Riverby Award winner
• 2024 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List winner

Reviews
"Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults is my new favorite book! What a great way for young people (and anyone, really) to learn about our healing medicines. So many teachings within the pages. I love the mix of photos, illustrations, and text boxes filled with reflective questions and translations. I will be purchasing boxes of this incredible book to share with loved ones! Chii miigwech!"—Angeline Boulley, #1 NYT Bestselling author of Firekeeper's Daughter 

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 12 to 18.

“The themes that are interwoven throughout Braiding Sweetgrass align beautifully with both middle school and high school curriculum around social and emotional learning and environmental science. This new edition will help affirm the identities and beliefs of Indigenous teens while also introducing non-Indigenous teens to Indigenous teachings and ways of understanding the natural world.” - Shaina Olmanson, Editorial Director for Young Adult Nonfiction at Lerner Publishing Group

Additional Information
304 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback