Indigenous Ingenuity: A Celebration of Traditional North American Knowledge

by Deidre Havrelock, Edward Kay

Overview

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library Journal • Shelf Awareness • National Education Society•  American Association of Geography• Canadian Children’s Book Centre• Nerdy Book Club •  NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Awards

Celebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book—perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass.

Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving disinfectant. Forest fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these, and countless other, scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. Spanning topics from transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies, astronomy, brain surgery, architecture, and agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is a wide-ranging STEM offering that answers the call for Indigenous nonfiction by reappropriating hidden history. The book includes fun, simple activities and experiments that kids can do to better understand and enjoy the principles used by Indigenous inventors. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate traditional North American Indigenous innovation, and to embrace the mindset of reciprocity, environmental responsibility, and the interconnectedness of all life. 

★ "This book will amaze readers and teachers. Completely unique and important."  —SLJ, starred review

★ "Engaging and informative." —Booklist, starred review

" Essential for kids and adults. We need this book." —Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316413336
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/09/2023
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	43,576
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Deidre Havrelock is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. She was raised in Edmonton, Alberta and is the author of the picture book Buffalo Wild!. She lives in Canada with her family, and invites you to visit her online at: children.deidrehavrelock.com

Edward Kay is an award-winning writer who loves comedy and science, especially together. His work includes fiction and nonfiction as well as live-action and animated television for both children and adults. He is the author of the Gross Science nonfiction book series for middle grade readers. Edward was a staff writer and producer for Canada’s most popular political satire show, the International Emmy–nominated This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He lives in Toronto, Canada, and invites you to visit him online at: edwardkay.com
 

Editorial Reviews

05/08/2023

In this approachable work, Saddle Lake Cree Nation author Havrelock (Buffalo Wild!) and Kay (the Gross Science series) focus on “precontact North American Indigenous STEM. That is, the traditional knowledge that Indigenous people were already using before 1492.” Via authoritative, meticulously researched prose, the creators detail Native peoples’ significant strides in scientific pursuits. Outlining ongoing advancements and detailing informational STEM practices, chapters cover sustainable land management and ecology, communications technology, transportation, health sciences, architecture and civil engineering, and more. In a chapter highlighting agriculture and food technology, the authors note how, 9,000 years ago, Mesoamerican Indigenous farmers genetically engineered select grass seeds to create corn as it is known today. By connecting Indigenous peoples’ overlooked endeavors to the concepts’ modern-day counterparts—for example, coats made of animal intestines, which the Inuit called annuraaq, were eventually adopted by British colonizers, who called them anoraks—Havrelock and Kay showcase Native tribes’ continual and enduring impact. Photographs, as well as interactive activities detailing recipes and science experiments, feature throughout, lending a hands-on approach to this clear and concise work. Back matter includes tribal territories, a glossary, a list of Indigenous science organizations, and more. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Amy Tompkins, Transatlantic Literary. (May)

Publishers Weekly

2023-02-25
A comprehensive unveiling of the “rich scientific legacy” of Indigenous Peoples.

Havrelock (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) and Kay address misunderstandings about Indigenous Peoples and their ways of knowing. They reveal significant Indigenous contributions in the areas of ecology and sustainability, transportation, health sciences, mathematics, and more. Readers are called to action “to come together and build a mutually respectful and healthier future.” A conversational tone invites readers to engage with this monumental collection and explore the forward thinking of numerous Indigenous nations, each credited for their ideas by name. Curious readers will learn facts unique to individual tribal groups while gaining knowledge of STEM/STEAM concepts such as friction, biochemistry, papermaking, musical instruments, and more. Each chapter highlights how Indigenous inventions have long-lasting legacies. For example, the authors explore how Indigenous designers created the continent’s first metal fishhooks along with the precursors to anoraks and crampons, to name a few. Modern and historical photographs adorn the text seamlessly, enhancing the reading experience. An ancient counting system is hidden in plain sight throughout, which observant readers discover in a later chapter. Minibiographies of contemporary Indigenous role models shine in sidebars, including artists, scientists, and other innovators. Young readers will delight in simple science experiments sprinkled throughout. Final art not seen.

An ambitious, appealing, and accessible work documenting and protecting valuable knowledge. (cultural areas and peoples referenced, glossary, Indigenous science organizations, bibliography, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 9-16)

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Indigenous Ingenuity:
An NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
An American Association of Geography Recommended Book
A National Education Society Read Across America Selection
Winner of the Nerdy Book Club Award for Best Longform Nonfiction
A Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Gift Guide Selection
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Recommended Reading on Indigenous Rights by The American Society of International Law 

"An astonishing, exuberant treasure trove of history, science and hands-on activities that repeatedly begs the question: "Why didn't I know this?" Essential for kids and adults. We need this book." —Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov

"This book will amaze readers and teachers as it demonstrates how pervasive and critical the history of Indigenous people is. A completely unique and important narrative not to be missed; readers and teachers will come away with a new appreciation for the myriad contributions Indigenous people have made."—SLJ, starred review

"A conversational tone invites readers to engage with this monumental collection . . . Curious readers will learn facts unique to individual tribal groups while gaining knowledge of STEM/STEAM concepts. An ambitious, appealing, and accessible work documenting and protecting valuable knowledge."—Kirkus Reviews

"Engaging and informative, this will be welcomed by both STEM and social studies curricula to help to correct prevailing narratives about Indigenous technology." 
 —Booklist, starred review

"Via authoritative, meticulously researched prose, the creators detail Native peoples’ significant strides in scientific pursuits . . . [and] showcase Native tribes’ continual and enduring impact. Photographs, as well as interactive activities detailing recipes and science experiments, feature throughout, lending a hands-on approach to this clear and concise work."—Publishers Weekly

"This book is a valuable contribution to efforts to decolonize learning and introduce readers to the breadth of indigenous knowledge as practiced in widely disparate geographic zones."—Canadian Review of Materials

"An engaging and cleverly compiled guide to North American and Mesoamerican Indigenous innovation. STEM topics (housing, medicine, clothing, agriculture, and hunting among them) are compellingly and conversationally discussed."—Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher