There is a belief that a Native American tribe, the Lakota believe in. That is, there is one Creator and that everything that is living in the Universe is our relative. This children’s book reminds children of the knowledge that we are all born with. Meant for primary grade children, this is a message that is universal to all ages.
Americas
Materials from the Americas
A Letter For Bob
Katie writes a goodbye letter to her family’s car that she named Bob, thanking him for the memories from powwows to vacations to time spent with extended family and more.
Nibi’s Water Song
Nibi, a Native American girl, cannot get clean water from her tap or the river, so she goes on a journey to connect with fellow water protectors and get clean water for all.
Be A Good Ancestor
Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviors.
Addressing environmental issues, animal welfare, self esteem and self-respect, and the importance of community, the authors deliver a poignant and universal message in an accessible way: Be a good ancestor to the world around you. Thought-provoking stanzas offer a call to action for each one of us to consider how we affect future generations. Every decision we make ripples out, and we can affect the world around us by thinking deeply about those decisions.
Be a Good Ancestor is the WOW Recommends: Book of the Month for August 2023.
Apple: (Skin To The Core)
Eric Gansworth tells his story, the story of his family of Onondaga among Tuscaroras of Native folks everywhere. From the horrible legacy of the government boarding schools, to a boy watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to a young man fighting to be an artist who balances multiple worlds.
Makoons (Birchbark House)
In this award-winning sequel to Chickadee, acclaimed author Louise Erdrich continues her celebrated Birchbark House series with the story of an Ojibwe family in nineteenth-century America.Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, have traveled with their family to the Great Plains of Dakota Territory. There they must learn to become buffalo hunters and once again help their people make a home in a new land. But Makoons has had a vision that foretells great challenges—challenges that his family may not be able to overcome.Based on Louise Erdrich’s own family history, this fifth book in the series features black-and-white interior illustrations, a note from the author about her research, and a map and glossary of Ojibwe terms.
Chickadee
In 1866, Omakayas’s son Chickadee is kidnapped by two ne’er-do-well brothers from his own tribe and must make a daring escape, forge unlikely friendships, and set out on an exciting and dangerous journey to get back home. Sequel to The Porcupine Year and continuation of the Birchbark House series.
Thunder’s Hair
Thunder is tired of dealing with bullies at school who pick on him because of his long hair. They don’t understand why a boy would grow his hair long. When he is sure he has made up his mind to cut it, his grandmother reminds him of the power of having long hair.
Once I Was You
“There is no such thing as an illegal human being or an illegal immigrant.” Maria Hinojosa is an Emmy award-winning journalist and was the first Latina to found a national independent non-profit newsroom in the United States. But before all that, she was a girl with big hair and even bigger dreams. Born in Mexico and raised in the vibrant neighborhood of Hyde Park, Chicago, Maria was always looking for ways to better understand the world around her-and where she fit into it. Here, she combines stories from her life, beginning with her family’s indelible experience of immigration all the way through the first time she heard her own voice on national radio, with truths about the United States’ long and complicated relationship with immigrants. Funny, frank, and wise, Maria’s story is one you will want to read again and again, and her voice will inspire you to find your own.
Secret Of The Moon Conch
In modern Mexico, Sitlali is all alone after the death of her beloved abuela. Targeted by a dangerous gang member, she flees to the United States. As a memento, she takes with her an ancient conch shell. In 1521, Calizto is trapped in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. He has fought valiantly for his people against Spanish invaders, but hope is fading. Desperate, he takes up a sacred conch and sounds a plea to the gods. The conch holds magic neither understand. The magic allows them to communicate across centuries. With each conversation, they fall deeper in love. But as danger threatens, will they find a way to be truly together?