Books by Indigenous Writers for Middle and High School Students to Reading During Native American Heritage Month

Representation in literature matters. It's important for our students to see their stories, as well as the stories of people around the globe, featured in literature. This helps individuals build a sense of belonging and strengthen their identity. In this blog post, I'm going to share some of my favorite books that are written by Indigenous authors and feature Native characters. 

I encourage you to consider adding a few of these books to your classroom library, encouraging your public library to order them, and talking about them during National American Heritage Month in November. 

1. The Sea in Winter by Christine Day 

This book is about a Makah/Piscataway girl named Maisie who has a leg injury. She is depressed because she can't participate in ballet due to her slow recovery process. Taking a winter vacation with her family brings Maisie's mental health challenges to the forefront. 

Some of the themes in this book include mental health, anxiety, family, missed opportunities, and personal growth. 

2. Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith 

The main character in this story is a high school student named Lou who works on the school newspaper with her best friend, Shelby. Lou breaks up with her boyfriend when he mocks Native people.  Lou collaborates with a photo staffer to tackle a major school story. 

Some of the themes in this book include bigotry, bullying, and Native identity, making it a valuable read for middle school students. 

3. Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac 

Malian is the protagonist in this story. While she is visiting the Wabanaki reservation where her grandparents live, the COVID-19 pandemic begins making people sick. As a result, Malian extends her stay with her grandparents and does her best to protect them. 

This book has themes of community care, family, and resilience. 

4. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 

Junior, the main character in this book, is a high school boy who is growing up on the Spokan Indian reservation. He loves drawing cartoons. Sadly, he is bullied due to health issues. 

In order to receive a good education, Junior decides to leave the rez and attend an all-white school in a nearby agricultural town. 

5. The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich

This book is about a girl named Omakayas who lives on the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. She loves being in nature and interacting with animals (even a bear cub!) Sadly, a smallpox virus comes to her community, leading to deep grief. 

This book is a great alternative to the Little House on the Prairie book series for students who are interested in learning about the mid-1800s U.S. It shows students how many important details about Native life, such as building a birchbark house. 

Themes in the book include connections between humans and nature, family, and survival. 

6. I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day 

Edie is the protagonist in this book. One summer day, she discovers a box of letters that are signed by someone named Edith. Finding the letter prompts her to begin wrestling with her Native American heritage and her family's complex story. 

7. Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This book explores how we can learn from our local environment. It contains a fascinating mix of botany, Indigenous wisdom, chemistry, and other information. Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults can spark conversations with students about living in a reciprocal relationship with the earth, both giving to and receiving from it. 

8. Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell

This novel-in-verse explores whether or not mascots with Native American symbols should be used for sports teams. The story is framed in a clever way: an 8th grade teacher lets her students debate about whether or not to keep the school mascot. This structure allows opinions from multiple perspectives to be expressed, prompting readers to think critically about the issue. 

9. Rez Ball by Byron Graves

What books are you incorporating into your classroom library or ELA curriculum during Native American Heritage Month? Leave a comment to share your recommendations!