Books on Indigenous Peoples for Young Readers

If the limited one-dimensional representation of Indians at Thanksgiving bothers you, hear about four books for young readers that offer different, broader perspectives on indigenous peoples. Carol Roberts, head of Young People’s Services at Troy Public Library, suggests four books, each by an indigenous author. “Encounter” (Brittany Luby, ill. Michaela Goade, 2019) reimagines Jacques Cartier’s initial visit to what is now Canada from the perspective of a native person, animals, and even the moon, in a beautiful picture book. The non-fiction book “Indigenous Ingenuity: A Celebration of Traditional North American Knowledge” (Havrelock and Kay, ill. Fuller, 2023) compiles information on native scientific discoveries, with activities suggested for exploration. “Rez Ball” (Byron Graves, 2023) is a young adult novel of a teenage boy living on a Chippewa reservation in MInnesota who loves basketball, graphic novels, and dating. And “We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga” (Traci Sorrell, ill. Frane Lessac, 2018) weaves a history of the Cherokee people, with a “syllabary” of many Cherokee terms. For more details, visit www.thetroylibrary.org. Produced by Brea Barthel for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.