Nonfiction Books to Teach About Native American Nations

The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

From Anishanabe artists making birch bark bowls to Zuni elders saying prayers for the day that is done, the diversity of Native American cultures is presented simply in this unique and beautiful alphabet book.

This captivating true story of the Cherokee Indians, forced to leave their land and travel 1,200 miles to Oklahoma, and their survival against all odds, is set against the backdrop of American history at its most dramatic. With bright, unique illustrations and clear, moving text, this epic story of friendship, war, hope, and betrayal will appeal to both boys and girls interested in learning more about our Native American heritage.

Maria Tallchief was born on the Osage Indian Reservation and grew up to become a prima ballerina and one of the most important ballerinas in the United States. In stunning words and pictures, this book takes readers on her journey.

Betty Mae Jumper, the daughter of a Seminole woman and a white man, grew up poor and isolated in Florida's Everglades before becoming a nurse and returning to her tribe, where she became a community activist and the first female elected tribal leader.

During the winter of 1831, a boy was born into a family of Sioux. As was the custom, he was given a name that came from his actions: Slow.

Anxious to be given a name as strong and brave as that of his father, the proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood, acting with careful deliberation, determination, and bravery, which eventually earned him his proud new name: Sitting Bull.

Betty Mae Jumper, the daughter of a Seminole woman and a white man, grew up poor and isolated in Florida's Everglades before becoming a nurse and returning to her tribe, where she became a community activist and the first female elected tribal leader.

This fascinating picture book biography tells the childhood story of Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Indian born around 1839. Through her true story, readers will learn what it was like to be part of this Native American community that lived along the Missouri River in the Dakotas, a society that depended more on agriculture for food and survival than on hunting. Children will relate to Buffalo Bird Girl's routine of chores and playing with friends, and they will also be captivated by her lifestyle and the dangers that came with it.
Using as a resource the works of Gilbert L. Wilson, who met Buffalo Bird Woman and transcribed her life's story in the...

An exploration of the Navajo Indians, discussing the nation's relationship with Spaniards and settlers, culture, crafts, and more.

A brand-new biography series featuring some of the most important people from history and today.

A compendium of biographies of barrier-breaking First Nation men and women including astronaut John Herrington, the first Native American to fly in space.

An exploration of the Navajo Indians, discussing the nation's relationship with Spaniards and settlers, culture, crafts, and more.

Part American history, part family history, Stealing Little Moon is a powerful look at the miseducation and the mistreatment of Indigenous kids, while celebrating their strength, resiliency, and courage--and the ultimate failure of the United States government to erase them.

November is Native American Heritage Month!

Osceola, Cochise, and Tecumseh are three Native American heroes who fought valiantly for their land and for their people. This book is divided into three parts, each part recounting the life of one of these great heroes. Their true stories are emotionally gripping and tragic, and Ann McGovern handles delicate topics, such as violence and racism, expertly for young readers. The narrative text is supplemented by black-and-white original source materials throughout, such as photographs, maps, portraits, and a newspaper article.

After years of standing against the U.S. government, the great warrior and spiritual leader Geronimo's life is coming to an end, as his grandson visits him where he is imprisoned, in Fort Sill, OK in 1908.

Growing up impoverished and shuttled between different households made life hard for Eddie Chuculate. Despite the challenges--from occasional racism to food insecurity-- his upbringing was rich with love and bountiful lessons from his Creek and Cherokee heritage, deep-rooted traditions he embraced even as he learned to live within the culture of white, small-town America that dominated his migratory childhood. A love letter to his Native American roots and an inspiring and essential message for young readers everywhere.

The unflinching history of how Jim Thorpe and his coach Pop Warner created the first "all-American" football team against insurmountable odds.