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Native Languages of the Americas:
American Indian Literature

This page is our collection of links to good books by Native American writers for sale online. If you would like to recommend an American Indian book for this list or think one of the ones here should be removed, please contact telling us why.

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Anthologies of Native American Writing

Image Nothing But The Truth * Native American Literature:
     Two excellent anthologies of American Indian writing from the tribes of North America.
Image Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry:
     Compilation of contemporary literature written by Native American poets.
Image Changing Is Not Vanishing: A Collection of American Indian Poetry to 1930:
     A great anthology of older Native American literature, which was recorded from many different tribal traditions.
Image Coming to Light: Contemporary Translations of the Native Literatures of North America:
     Examples of traditional poems, chants, stories, songs, and other oral art forms of Native American societies.
Image Red Indian Road West: Native American Poetry from California:
     Anthology of writings from 29 Native California tribes.
Image Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community:
     Anthology of poetry and prose by contemporary Native women.
Image Walking the Clouds:
     Interesting collection of indigenous magical realism and science fiction stories.
Image This Place:
     Graphic novel anthology of ten stories depicting different aspects of the First Nations experience.
Image That Dream Shall Have a Name: Native Americans Rewriting America:
     Profiles of five major Native American authors and their contributions to American literature.

Literature in Native American Languages

Image Earth Movements/Jewed 'I-Hoi * When It Rains/Mat Hekid O Ju
     Bilingual poetry collections by Tohono O'odham author Ofelia Zepeda.
Image Beautiful Words: The Complete Ahtna Poems:
    Collection of poetry written in the Ahtna language and translated into English.
Image Ancient American Poets:
    Introduction to pre-Columbian classical poetry from the Aztec, Inca and Mayan civilizations.
Image Like A New Sun: New Indigenous Mexican Poetry:
    Modern poetry in Nahuatl, Maya, Zapotec and other Native Mexican languages.
Image Poetry of the Earth: Mapuche Trilingual Anthology:
    Contemporary South American poetry with translations into English and Spanish.
Image This Is How I Know:
    A lovely bilingual picture book in English and Anishinaabe.

Books by Native American Authors

Image House Made of Dawn: * Way to Rainy Mountain: * The Ancient Child: * In the Presence of the Sun:
     The Man Made of Words: * The Names: * Conversations With N. Scott Momaday:
     Novels, stories, poems and memoirs by Pulitzer Prize-winning Kiowa author N. Scott Momaday
Image Smoke Signals: * The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven: * Reservation Blues: * Ten Little Indians:
     First Indian on the Moon: * The Business of Fancydancing: * Indian Killer:
     Screenplay, stories and poems by acclaimed Spokane/Coeur d'Alene writer Sherman Alexie
Image Custer Died For Your Sins: * Spirit and Reason: * Red Earth, White Lies:
     Essays and criticism by Standing Rock Lakota thinker Vine Deloria Jr.
Image Fools Crow: * The Heartsong of Charging Elk: * Winter in the Blood: * Riding the Earthboy 40:
     Novels and poems by Blackfoot/Gros Ventre writer James Welch
Image Ceremony: * Storyteller:
     Novels, stories and poems by Pueblo Indian author Leslie Silko.
Image Love Medicine * Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse * Original Fire * The Red Convertible:
     Tracks: * The Round House: * Tales of Burning Love: * Antelope Woman:
     Novels, poetry, and stories by Turtle Mountain Chippewa writer Louise Erdrich.
Image The Hiawatha: * Little:
     Novels by Leech Lake Ojibwe writer David Treuer.
Image Walking the Rez Road:
     Short stories by Fond du Lac Ojibwe writer Jim Northrup.
Image Black Eagle Child: * Remnants of the First Earth: * The Rock Island Hiking Club:
     Poetry and stories by Meskwaki author Ray A. Young Bear
Image We Are The Dreamers:
     Recent and early poetry by Mi'kmaq poet Rita Joe.
Image Indian Singing:
     Poems by Onondaga-Micmac writer Gail Tremblay.
Image Absentee Indians and Other Poems : * Trailing You:
     Poems by White Earth Ojibwe writer Kimberly Blaeser.
Image Briefcase Warriors: * Survivor's Medicine:
     Stories and plays by Fond du Lac Ojibwe writer E. Donald Two-Rivers.
Image The Surrounded: * Wind From an Enemy Sky: * Runner in the Sun:
     Books on American Indian life by Cree author D'Arcy McNickle.
Image The Rez Sisters: * Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing: * Kiss of the Fur Queen:
     Contemporary plays and a novel by Cree author Tomson Highway.
Image In Search of April Raintree: * Spirit of the White Bison: * In the Shadow of Evil:
     Novels and stories written by Canadian Metis author Beatrice Mosionier.
Image Sojourners and Sundogs: * Daughters Are Forever: * Ravensong:
     Novels and short stories by Metis author Lee Maracle.
Image Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth: * The Baby Blues: * Motorcycles & Sweetgrass:
     Curve Lake Ojibway playwright/essayist Drew Hayden Taylor.
Image Halfbreed:
     Wrenching autobiography of Metis writer Maria Campbell.
Image Dirt Road Home:
     Poems by Abenaki writer Cheryl Savageau.
Image Postcolonial Love Poem:
     Book of poetry by Mojave author Natalie Diaz.
Image American Indian Stories:
     Classic collection of semi-autobiographical tales of 19th-century Indian life by Lakota Sioux author Zitkala-Sa.

Children's Literature

Image When the Rain Sings: Poems by Young Native Americans:
     Poetry by Native American elementary and middle school students presented by the National Museum of the American Indian.
Image Ancestor Approved:
     Excellent collection of short stories for kids celebrating Native American communities and traditions.
Image Arrow Over The Door * The Winter People * My Name Is Sepeetza * The Birchbark House *Mary and the Trail of Tears:
    Historical fiction books teaching about different time periods in history, written by Native American authors.
Image Rain Is Not My Indian Name * The Heart of a Chief * Eagle Song: * Muskrat Will Be Swimming
    Contemporary novels discussing the lives of Native American kids and teenagers today.
Image Dreamcatcher * Powwow Summer: * Old Father Story Teller: * Jingle Dancer:
     Picture books for young children about American Indian culture.
Image Sharice's Big Voice:
    Inspirational story book based on the life of a real Native American congresswoman.
Image Code Talker:
    Young adult novel by a Native author based on the true story of the famous Navajo marines of World War II.
Image A Girl Called Echo:
    Comic book series about a time-traveling Metis teenager.

Mythology and Traditional Storytelling

We have more extensive resources about Native American mythic and ceremonial literature available at our Native American Myths website, where you can read online information and stories from each tribe as well as book recommendations. But if you are trying to find a more general type of Native American mythology book to start out with, here are some of the best collections we know of:

Image American Indian Myths and Legends:
     Diverse collection of traditional stories of Native America organized by themes. (Like any other body of mythology,
     some of the stories involve adult situations, so be sensible about which ones you share with young children.)
Image Trickster: Native American Tales:
    American Indian stories about trickster animals, this collection is child-appropriate.
Image And It Is Still That Way:
    Charming book of traditional legends told by Arizona Indian children.
Image Algonquian Spirit:
    Rich anthology of folklore, songs, and oral history from the NorthImageeast Woodland tribes.
Image American Indian Genesis:
     Creation myths explored by a Blackfoot author.
Image Spirits of the Earth:
     Book describing the characteristics and symbolism of animal totems in the mythology of different indigenous tribes.

Literature From Specific Native American Tribes and Nations

ImageAbenaki ImageAlabama ImageAleut ImageAlgonquin ImageApache ImageArapaho ImageArikara
ImageAssiniboine ImageBlackfeet ImageCaddo ImageCatawba ImageCayuga ImageChehalis ImageCherokee
ImageCheyenne ImageChickasaw ImageChinook ImageChoctaw ImageChumash ImageCoeur d'Alene ImageComanche
ImageCree ImageCreek ImageDakota ImageDelaware ImageFlathead ImageFox ImageGabrielino
ImageGros Ventre ImageHaida ImageHavasupai ImageHo-Chunk ImageHoopa ImageHopi ImageHuichol
ImageIllinois ImageInuit ImageInnu ImageIowa ImageIroquois ImageKansa ImageKickapoo
ImageKiowa ImageKlamath ImageKwakiutl ImageLumbee ImageLummi ImageMaidu ImageMakah
ImageMandan ImageMapuche ImageMaya ImageMenominee ImageMiami ImageMiccosukee ImageMi'kmaq
ImageMiwok ImageMohawk ImageMohegan ImageMohican ImageMojave ImageMunsee ImageNanticoke
ImageNarragansett ImageNatchez ImageNavajo ImageNez Perce ImageNootka ImageOhlone ImageOjibwa
ImageOkanagan ImageOneida ImageOnondaga ImageOsage ImageOtoe ImageOttawa ImagePaiute
ImagePawnee ImagePassamaquoddy ImagePenobscot ImagePonca ImagePomo ImagePotawatomi ImagePowhatan
ImagePueblo ImageQuapaw ImageQuechan ImageQuinault ImageSauk and Fox ImageSeminole ImageShawnee
ImageShoshone ImageTanana ImageTarahumara ImageTlingit ImageTohono Oodham ImageTsimshian ImageUmatilla
ImageUte ImageWalla Walla ImageWampanoag ImageWashoe ImageWichita ImageWintu ImageWiyot
ImageWyandotte ImageYakama ImageYaqui ImageYavapai ImageYurok ImageZapotec ImageZuni

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