In November of 2010 I did a blog post that consisted of the top 100 best selling books at Amazon in the "Children's Native American Books" category. At that time, three Native authors appeared on the list (several books by Joseph Bruchac are on the 2010 list but given recent research, I no longer recommend his books). The three authors had four different books on the list:
- #1 and #35 was Sherman Alexie, for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (I didn't include info on why it was on there twice but my guess is that the two listings reflect hardback/paperback, or e-copy).
- #63 was The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdrich.
- #84 was The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich.
- #98 was Guests by Michael Dorris.
Today, October 22 of 2025 -- almost 15 years later, there's a huge difference!
- #2 is Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Maillard
- #3 is We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
- #5 is Keepunumuk: Weeachumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, and Alexis Brown.
- #8 is Native American Stories for Kids by Tom Pecore Weso
- #10 is An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People adapted by Debbie Reese
- #11 is We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell
- #15 is The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (audiobook)
- #16 is Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- #17 is Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers
- #28 is Powwow Day by Traci Sorell
- #25 is Colonization and the Wampanoag Story by Linda Coombs
- #26 is Birdsong by Julie Flett
- #28 is Remember by Joy Harjo
- #36 is We Are Still Here by Traci Sorell
- #37 is Moon Song by Michaela Goade
- #38 is Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
- #29 is This Land by Ashley Fairbanks
- #43 is The Seminoles by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve
- #45 is I Can Make this Promise by Christine Day
- #48 is Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child
- #49 is Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young
- #52 is Berry Song by Michaela Goade
- #53 is Eagle Drums by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
- #57 is My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom
- #60 is Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan
- #61 is We All Play by Julie Flett
- #63 is Wings of an Eagle by Billy Mills
- #68 is Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson
- #73 is In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III
- #75 is Finding My Dance by Ria Thundercloud
- #77 is Stealing Little Moon by Dan SaSuWeh Jones
- #78 is If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell
- #79 is Thunder Boy Jr by Sherman Alexie
- #84 is Ancestor Approved edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
- #86 is A Kid's Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis
- #87 is We Still Belong by Christine Day
- #88 is Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis
- #90 is Who Was Wilma Mankiller by Andrea Page
- #93 is I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett
- #94 is Grandmother Moon by Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason
- #96 is The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
- #98 is Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing by Deidre Havrelock
- #99 is The First Glade of Sweetgrass by Suzanne Greenlaw
That is over 40 books in 2025 that are by Native writers! My quick look at the list tells me there's over 30 new voices contributing to the body of children's books by Native writers.
Wait! Here's something interesting! I set my computer aside for a few hours and when I came back the list had already changed. This time, Laurel Goodluck's outstanding Rock Your Mocs is at #47 and Tim Tingle's How I Became a Ghost is at #53. Simon Ortiz's The People Shall Continue is at #57. I see Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen at #62 and Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom at #63. Brandon Hobson's The Storyteller is at 69, and Kaitlan B. Curtice's Winter's Gifts is at 71. And A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers is at #75. Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning by Chief Jake Swamp is at #80 and The Gift of the Great Buffalo by Carole Lindstrom is at #83. Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris is at 86, and Brian Young's Heroes of the Water Monster is at #89. Maria DesJarlait's I am Not a Costume is at 91.
If I add the ones that have turned up on the list a few hours later, I count 56 different books. Fifty six different books! The difference in the list from early morning to mid-afternoon makes it hard to offer precise numbers but the change from 2010 is stunning! From 3 to over 50! I'm delighted! And I hasten to add that there's several books missing from the list. Angeline Boulley's three young adult novels aren't there. Eric Gansworth's wonderful middle-grade books aren't there either. I wonder if there's a middle-grade or YA list they're on? Dawn Quigley's terrific early reader series about Jo Jo aren't there either. Marcie Rendon's picture book might be too new yet to show up on this list.
Wait! Here's something interesting! I set my computer aside for a few hours and when I came back the list had already changed. This time, Laurel Goodluck's outstanding Rock Your Mocs is at #47 and Tim Tingle's How I Became a Ghost is at #53. Simon Ortiz's The People Shall Continue is at #57. I see Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen at #62 and Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom at #63. Brandon Hobson's The Storyteller is at 69, and Kaitlan B. Curtice's Winter's Gifts is at 71. And A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers is at #75. Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning by Chief Jake Swamp is at #80 and The Gift of the Great Buffalo by Carole Lindstrom is at #83. Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris is at 86, and Brian Young's Heroes of the Water Monster is at #89. Maria DesJarlait's I am Not a Costume is at 91.
If I add the ones that have turned up on the list a few hours later, I count 56 different books. Fifty six different books! The difference in the list from early morning to mid-afternoon makes it hard to offer precise numbers but the change from 2010 is stunning! From 3 to over 50! I'm delighted! And I hasten to add that there's several books missing from the list. Angeline Boulley's three young adult novels aren't there. Eric Gansworth's wonderful middle-grade books aren't there either. I wonder if there's a middle-grade or YA list they're on? Dawn Quigley's terrific early reader series about Jo Jo aren't there either. Marcie Rendon's picture book might be too new yet to show up on this list.
The point of this post: For years Native people and non-Native folks interested in Native voices have worked hard to promote these books. This informal assessment tells me it is working! Let's keep doing all we can to get books by Native writers into the hands of children.
