Books to Celebrate American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Poet Warrior 
Joy Harjo
Poet Warrior, an exuberant, thoughtful memoir, and bookend companion to her magnificent Crazy Brave, sings of a life moving toward wisdom. In a powerful mix of poetry and prose, infused with a grace of memory, a gift of dream and vision, Joy Harjo walks us through a landscape of individual and collective suffering, the ways of justice and injustice, and the legacies of power and conflict, while at once listening carefully to what can be learned through empathy, connection, belonging, gratefulness, and humor.

The Sentence 
Louise Erdrich
The inimitable and award-winning voice of Louise Erdrich is back, and this time she is taking on a tumultuous year with the help of a lovable, quirky cast of characters. An unexpected ghost story that is both a timely novel with laugh-out-loud moments as well as a beautiful commentary on identity. Funny, big-hearted, and profound, this book feels like the perfect time capsule for 2020 and cements Erdrich as one of America’s greatest living authors.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Braiding Sweetgrass is a book to focus the eyes, open the heart and stretch the imagination about our appropriate relationships within the natural world. Hundreds of thousands of readers have turned to Kimmerer’s words over the decades since the book’s first publication, finding these tender, poetic, and respectful words, rooted in soil and tradition, intended to teach and celebrate. This is a storyteller’s book; we do well to listen and take the guidance to heart. As Kimmerer tells us, “We have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again.”

 Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman’s Search for Justice in Indian Country 
Sierra Crane Murdoch
Sierra Crane Murdoch constructs a deep and affecting work of research in her depiction of Lissa Yellow Bird. In turn, Lissa Yellow Bird’s search for both murder victim and killer has us reading with fascination. Lissa Yellow Bird is complex and dynamic. Her dedication to finding a missing oil worker is matched perfectly to her dedication to her family, her reservation, and her own salvation. A truly rewarding read.

My Heart Is a Chainsaw
Stephen Graham Jones
We could not stop raving about Jones’ prior book, The Only Good Indians. We are delighted to say the praise continues for My Heart is a Chainsaw as well. Jones checks ALL the boxes on your #HorrorTok reading list. Pop culture references, horror movies, “growing up” — it’s all there. This homage to classic slasher tropes “will give you nightmares. The good kind, of course” (BuzzFeed). A thrill ride from start to finish.

 New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian
Freddie Bitsoie, James O. Fraioli
From the head chef at the National Museum of the American Indian Mitsitam Cafe, a modern look at Native American cuisine. It’s a beautiful book featuring original artwork and 100 recipes of Indigenous culinary traditions from coast to coast. “An exceptional guide, showing off the vibrant, regional native cooking of what is now the United States, giving context to the people who created it while showing off the beautiful ingredients of a truly exciting and diverse cuisine.” —Noah Galuten, chef and contributing author of On Vegetables

Firekeeper’s Daughter
Angeline Boulley
Debut author Angeline Boulley has crafted an immersive and heart-stopping thriller told through the eyes of 18-year-old Daunis, a biracial, unenrolled member of the Ojibwe tribe. With crystal meth abuse on the rise in her community, Daunis uses her knowledge of science and native medicine to go undercover as a confidential informant with the FBI, but what she uncovers makes her question everything she’s ever known. Boulley’s authentic depictions of the complexities of Native communities and the trauma and strength of Native women, specifically, make this book a complete standout for YA and adult readers alike.

Elatsoe
Darcie Little Badger
Part fantasy, part mystery, and entirely engrossing, Elatsoe is a unique story about a 17-year-old girl in an alternate version of America who possesses the ability to raise animal spirits from the dead. When her cousin dies in a mysterious accident, Ellie sets out to uncover the truth. Firmly rooted in Lipan Apache lore, Elatsoe is a true homage to the art and power of storytelling.

Race to the Sun
Rebecca Roanhorse
Author Rebecca Roanhorse has crafted an enthralling adventure of epic proportions in Race to the Sun. Traditional Navajo mythology is the inspiration for this rich, modern tale of Nizhoni Begay, a seventh-grader from New Mexico thrust into danger when her dad’s new boss unleashes an array of ancient monsters – and it’s up to her to defeat them. Race to the Sun is the perfect read for fans of Rick Riordan.

We Are Water Protectors
Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
In an appropriately forceful and inspirational call to action, Carole Lindstrom’s lyrical picture book about defending Earth’s natural resources is a must-read regardless of age. Inspired by Indigenous-led movements across the United States, and particularly the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, Lindstrom’s powerful words are matched with Michaela Goade’s stunning illustrations to create a reading experience that will resonate for years to come.