I traveled in and out of the U.S. often during my childhood, but was in Silver Spring, Maryland, at four years old, in time to celebrate a “First Thanksgiving” with my kindergarten class. I remember the boys building a fort with those cardboard brackish-looking giant blocks, while us girls, as “Pilgrim women,” wore dresses and tore hunks of baked chicken into smaller bits for the big meal. I don’t know which is sadder: the fact that I, along with my (not that many) Black classmates were playing the roles of white colonizers in this theatre of the absurd, or that I don’t remember who played the Indians. I don’t even remember if anyone did; they are erased from my memory, as Native and Indigenous people so often are erased from the narrative of the American past, present, and future.

On Indian Country Today, Christina Rose writes, “Without guidance, too many teachers may celebrate Native American Heritage Month in the only ways they know how: paper bag vests and feathers, classroom pow wows, and discussions on who Indians were.” Many of us who celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday would be hard pressed to know who the Wampanoag people were and are, what the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, Thanksgiving Address is, or that government policy forced “relocation” of Native Americans away from their productive farmland and the crops, like corn and pumpkin, that remain symbols of the Thanksgiving holiday today.

November, designated as Native American Heritage Month, offers an opportunity for all of us to become more educated about that complex history and current state of affairs. Like all stories, Native stories are not a single story of defeat, bows and arrows, or of “the past.” They include stories of joy, of cultural pride, of meeting everyday challenges, fun, and celebrations of family and friendship. Along with resources such as How To Tell The Difference: A Guide for Evaluating Children’s Books for Anti-Indian Bias, Vision Maker Media, A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children, and American Indians in Children’s Literature, and the books below, we can begin to tell more complete and honest narratives of the rich and varied Native American story in the United States.

Picture Books

First Laugh – Welcome, Baby! by Rose Ann Tahe, Nancy Bo Flood, and Jonathan Nelson Add to Cart Also available from: A lovely celebration and affirmation of Navajo tradition, this story centers on a family eagerly awaiting a baby’s first laugh, which initiates the family’s formal welcome of the baby into their clans. The scene moves from the baby’s home in the city to its grandparents’ home in the country, and the whole family is thrilled when, at long last, they hear the baby laugh for the first time.

(Ages 2 – 5) Add to Cart Also available from:

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac Add to Cart Also available from: This picture book introduces readers to otsaliheliga , the word that members of the Cherokee Nation say to express gratitude. The expression is used to celebrate the small joys of family life and the beauty of the natural world throughout the year, as well to show appreciation of loved ones.

(Ages 3 – 7) Add to Cart Also available from:

Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott Add to Cart Also available from: A classic of children’s literature and a Caldecott Medal Winner, Gerald McDermott’s Arrow to the Sun revisits an ancient Pueblo legend: a young boy in search of his heritage must prove his readiness by navigating four ceremonial chambers. The vibrant artwork and story have captivated readers since the book first published in 1974.

(Ages 3 – 7) Add to Cart Also available from:

At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Weshoyot Alvitre Add to Cart Also available from: This lyrical picture book — one of the debut titles from the new and inclusive imprint, Kokila — illustrates the everyday lives and traditions of a Cherokee family as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return home from war. A celebration of family and tradition as well as Native American service members, it’s an excellent addition to home and school libraries.

(Ages 4 – 8) Add to Cart Also available from:

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola Add to Cart Also available from: Another legend retold, this time by beloved author-illustrator Tomie dePaola, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush centers on a young boy whose Dream-Vision foretells that he will one day capture the spirit of the sunset through his painting. Though the boy becomes the painter of his tribe, he struggles to capture such exquisiteness — until his Dream-Vision finally comes to fruition.

(Ages 4 – 8) Add to Cart Also available from:

Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief with Rosemary Wells, illustrated by Gary Kelley Add to Cart Also available from: This inspiring story of Maria Tallchief, who grew up on an Osage Indian reservation and went on to become a world-renowned prima ballerina, will appeal to any young reader with a passion (or two).

(Ages 5+) Add to Cart Also available from:

Middle Grade Books

Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac Add to Cart Also available from: Raised by his mother and uncles, Uwohali is longing to reconnect with his father, Sequoyah, who returns to his community with a new family. Torn between loyalty to the family who raised him and his newfound passion to help his father preserve Tsalagi tradition, Uwohali comes of age in Bruchac’s vivid and history-rich tale.

(Ages 9+) Add to Cart Also available from:

Two Roads by Joseph Bruchac Add to Cart Also available from: In this powerful historical novel, Cal and his father live a transient life after losing their farm during the Great Depression. Planning to join other veterans at a protest in DC, Cal’s father reveals their Creek Indian heritage and sends Cal to the Challagi School, a government-run boarding school for Native Americans. There, with fast friends who become family, Cal learns the language and customs of his community, as well as the injustices they’ve been dealt.

(Ages 10+) Add to Cart Also available from:

Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood, illustrated by Shonto Begay Add to Cart Also available from: Thirteen-year-old Tess feels out of place both at school — where the students call her Pocahontas — and at home on the Navajo Reservation, where her half-whiteness stands out. When her sister, Gaby, enlists to fight in the Iraq war, Tess is bereft, though she agrees to look after Gaby’s wild stallion, Blue. Authentic and heartfelt, this story of family ties and self-discovery is unforgettable.

(Ages 10+) Add to Cart Also available from: