8 Children’s Books to Celebrate Native Heritage

While gardening, a young girl becomes curious about her grandmother’s appearance. She wonders about her colorful clothing, long braided hair, and the language she speaks. As she asks her grandmother about her curiosities, her grandmother shares her story about life in a boarding school where she was forced to cut her hair and dress and speak the same as everyone else. This is an empowering intergenerational story of strength and the reclamation of heritage.

This story takes readers on a journey exploring the Native history, culture, and community behind the deep-fried dish called fry bread. Over 500 North American tribes are featured in this book, showing fry bread as a unifying cultural food originating from the 300 mile journey known as the “Long Walk.”

This book highlights the importance of otsaliheliga, which is the word used to express gratitude in Cherokee culture. Experience each season of gratitude from the cool breeze welcoming the Cherokee New Year to the celebration of the first harvest. This is an ode to gratitude for family, community, history, and culture.

This lyrical story illustrates the life and traditions of a Cherokee family as they wait for their loved one to return home from war. This celebration of family highlights the anticipation of service members returning home, while shedding light on the history of Native women fighting in the armed forces.

A young girl makes it her duty to take on the black snake, a metaphor for an oil pipeline, threatening her community’s water source. Inspired by the Indigenous-led protest and movements across North America, this story is a call to action to fight for those who cannot fight back.

A grandmother, Yayah, and her grandchildren go foraging for the day, where Yayah teaches them how to safely gather plants and respect nature, as well as sharing the words of the ancestral language of the Interior Salishan Peoples. The book raises awareness of endangered Indigenous languages and includes a glossary with terms and pronunciations.

This beautiful board book encourages readers to reflect on what brings them joy and happiness. Written to support the well-being of Indigenous families and children, you’ll notice the beauty and appreciation of nature and traditional dance.

This book focuses on a special Navajo tradition in which families wait for a baby’s first laugh. Whoever gets the baby to laugh first will host a formal First Laugh ceremony officially welcoming the baby into their clan with hopes that they will always be friendly, kind, and caring. Read and watch as this family waits to see who gets the honor of hosting this special celebration.