AICL'S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2024

 AICL'S YEAR IN REVIEW: 2024

As the last days of 2024 draw near, we are happy to share our annual list of books we read and recommended this year. Here's some photos: 

Photo by Jean

Sample of covers of electronic copies we read

Photo by Debbie

In the opening paragraphs of our annual lists, we usually point to significant moments of the year. If you want to jump to the list, please scroll down.

One topic that we started monitoring a few years ago is challenges to Native-authored books. We maintain a blog post (Banning of Native Voices/Books) of titles and reasons given for a book being challenged or banned. We invite you to take a look at our list and if you know of one that ought to be on our list, let us know. Debbie was invited to write about banned books for School Library Journal in 2023, and to speak about it with NPR's Code Switch in July of 2024. In November, PEN American interviewed her for its Banned Books series: Native American Heritage Now: An Interview with Debbie Reese. 

In October, Debbie, Jonna Paden (Acoma Pueblo, and President of the American Indian Library Association) and Cindy Hohl (Santee Sioux Nation, and President of the American Library Association) were leading voices in the media when a public library in Texas moved the nonfiction book, Colonization and the Wampanoag Story by Linda Coombs (Aquinnah Wampanoag) to the fiction shelves. That move drew national and international attention. In the end, the library reversed their decision. Her book was on our best books list, last year.

In November, Debbie and Jean were in Boston at the National Council for the Social Studies annual conference. We were joined by Dr. Natalie Martinez (Laguna Pueblo) and Dr. Dina Gilio-Whitaker (Colville Confederated Tribes) for a pre-conference clinic at Beacon Press. (Beacon published both An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (not Native) and our adaptation for young people.)* On the first day of the conference, Debbie and Jean went to the exhibit hall to see if we'd find books by Native writers on display. This was our first time going to an NCSS gathering. The exhibit floor was not as large as we've seen at other educator and librarian conferences but we were definitely encouraged by what we saw. The Penguin Random House booth had at least 13 books by Native writers! We were also delighted to see the painting of Maulian Bryant (Penobscot) at the booth for the organization, Americans Who Tell The Truth. She is well known for her activism about mascots. 

More good news! Back in March, Debbie was thrilled to see the announcement in Publisher's Weekly that Trish Moquino's (Cochiti, Ohkay Owingeh, and Kewa) first book, The Land We Live On, will come out in 2028 from Candlewick (we apologize for incorrectly naming Charlesbridge as the publisher). She is from the Tribal Nations of Cochiti Pueblo, Kewa and Ohkay Owingeh. Her book will be a family story about Pueblo people and our relationship to the land. Many (most?) people think that all Native peoples were forced off their homelands and put on reservations. That is true for some tribal nations but not for us. Pueblo peoples are on the lands we've always been on. Gonna be hard to wait three years for her book!

Now, we turn to information about how our list is created. 

Our emphasis is books by Native writers and illustrators whose Nations are on the continent we know as North America. Most are ones that came out in 2024. In some way, they've touched our hearts as parents of Native children or as former school teachers who want children to have accurate and honest books about Native peoples. As the number of books by Native writers grows, we are not able to read every one. If you are wondering about one that you don't see below, let us know. We may have not had a chance to read it. In the US there is a growing awareness of pretendianism (also known as "wannabe"). In short, it refers to a person who -- believing they have an ancestor that is Native -- acts on that belief by speaking and writing as if they are Native. Most people in the US and Canada take that person's word when they claim to be Native but with growing awareness, we are seeing more challenges to such claims. Case in point: In the adult romance genre, Colby Wilkins's claim to being of Choctaw and Cherokee descent was challenged. She subsequently issued a statement saying "until I can prove my ties beyond a shadow of a doubt and in alignment with the Cherokee Nation's statement on Sovereignty and Identity, I will no longer be writing Native stories." At AICL we did not read or write about her books. We encourage you to read two books in our "Crossover" category below that are works of fiction written by Native writers who address the issue of pretendianism.

Pretendianism is about a specific individual who makes a claim to an actual tribal nation, but there is also growing attention to entire groups of people claiming to be a tribal nation. The case most prominent in the news is four groups in Vermont that claim to be Abenaki. In mid-April, the Abenaki of Odanak and of W8linak went to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to speak about the Vermont groups. Later that month, the University of Vermont hosted an event about the issue. There, a personal letter of support from Maulian Bryant (Penobscot; currently serving as Executive Director of the Wabanaki Alliance) was read aloud. We encourage you to read her letter because it provides context that can help you understand why this issue is so important.

We also encourage you to read a letter written by representatives of the Abenaki People of the Odanak First Nation and Wolinak First Nation. Their letter was to educators in Vermont, asking them not to platform or elevate specific individuals who are in the Vermont groups. They named Joseph Bruchac and his son Jesse, both of whom are known within children's literature. As Debbie's post in 2023 stated, we no longer recommend his books. Anthologies that include stories by him (and others who we no longer recommend) are a problem. In 2022, Ancestor Approved came out. It has a story in it by Bruchac. By then we were being cautious about several specific writers, and didn't feel comfortable recommending the book. There are, however, stories in it by writers that we do want you to know about. Look for a post about that in 2025. For now, you'll see "Indian Price" by Eric Gansworth in our list below.

For each book we recommend, we list the Tribal Nation of the author/illustrator and we encourage you to use that information when reading the book. For example, in the picture book category you'll see Stitches of Tradition (Gashkigwaaso Tradition). We encourage you to introduce the book by saying something like:

"Stitches of Tradition is written by Marcie Rendon, an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation. The illustrations are by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, who is a member of Wasauksing First Nation." 

Share that information in whatever way works for you. The main point is that we want you to be tribally specific. That means you specify the author's and illustrator's Tribal Nation(s). If possible, show students the websites of the author/illustrator and of their Tribal Nations. We encourage you to learn how to say personal and tribal names that are new to you. Teaching Books has a huge audio archive of writers telling you how to say their names, as is the case with Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. Sometimes they tell you how that name came to be, as you'll see with Eric Gansworth (enrolled member of the Onondaga Nation).

And do take care to use present tense verbs when talking about Native people!

In our list you will find an author’s Tribal Nation in parenthesis after their name. We use an author’s identity as they name it (and the spellings/capitalizations of their personal names) on their own website (sometimes we write to them to ask for clarification). If they do not have a website, we use what their publisher uses.  We are happy to make edits as needed! Let us know.

Though our list is organized by age/grade levels (plus a multi-age section for comics/graphic novels), we encourage you to use picture books with readers of any age, and we want every teacher and librarian to read all the books. They are far better than the books about Indigenous people most people read in their childhood. We welcome your questions and comments about these introductory paragraphs, or the books we list, below. Our list is incomplete. We're reading as much as we can. Our list is not a comprehensive. It is to tell you what we read. One example? Debbie is currently reading Richard Van Camp's (Tłı̨chǫ Dene) new young adult novel, Beast, and is waiting for some beautiful board books to arrive. Jean is also waiting for a shipment. These books will likely be on our 2025 list.

____________

*At AICL we strive to include a person’s identity, relative to being Indigenous, whenever we name a person. For example, we say Debbie Reese (Nambe Owingeh) and Jean Mendoza (not Native). When we note that we have failed to do so, we edit the post to reflect the person’s identity.

We also feel it important to address questions regarding Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s identity. When her book, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States came out, Debbie saw that leading scholars and Native writers had endorsed it. Sometime later, she accepted an invitation to adapt the book for young readers. 

In her book Dunbar-Ortiz said her mother was “part Indian, most likely Cherokee.” During the adaptation work, we began to see concerns about Dunbar-Ortiz’s identity and subsequently asked her about it. Dunbar-Ortiz decided to remove that information from the biographical note for the adaptation. We hoped she would make a public statement but to our knowledge, she has not. 

****

Comics and Graphic Novels

Ballantyne, Sonya (Swampy Cree) and Michael Redhead-Champagne (Shamattawa First Nation). Little By Little You Can Change the World, illustrated by Rhael McGregor (Metis heritage) and Toben Racicot (not Native). Highwater Press (2024). Canada.

Crazyboy, Gitz (Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot)). The Rez Doctor, illustrated by Veronika Barinova (not Native), Azby Whitecalf (Plains Cree), and Toben Racicot (not Native). Highwater Press (2024). Canada.

McLeod, Albert (Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation/Metis), Elaine Mordoch (not Native), and Sonya Ballantyne (Swampy Cree). Between the Pipes, illustrated by Alice RL (Ojibwe heritage). Highwater Press (2024). Canada.

Magoon, Kekla (not Native) and Cynthia Leitich Smith (citizen, Muscogee Creek Nation). Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice-Principal Problem, illustrated by Molly Murakami. Candlewick Press (2024). US.

Spillett, Tasha (Inninewak (Cree and Trinidadian). Surviving the City: Volume 3. We Are the Medicine, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Metis). Highwater Press (2024). Canada.

Starr, Arigon (enrolled member, Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma). Super Indian, Volume Three, illustrated by the author. Wacky Productions (2024). US.

Storm, Jen (Ojibwe). Little Moons, illustrated by Ryan Howe (not Native), Alice RL (Ojibwe), Nicholej Villiger (not Native). Highwater Press (2024). Canada. [Our apologies for the error we made in Jen Storm's tribal affiliation. It is correct now.]

Van Camp, Richard (Tłı̨chǫ Dene). Roth: Wheetago War, illustrated by Christopher Shy. Renegade Arts Entertainment (2024). Canada.

Board Books

Sorell, Traci (citizen, Cherokee Nation). On Powwow Day, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw). Charlesbridge (2024). 

Sorell, Traci (citizen, Cherokee Nation). We Are Grateful: Seasons: Fall - Uligohvsdi; Winter - Gola; Spring - Gogeyi; Summer - Gogi, illustrated by Frané Lessac (not Native).  Charlesbridge (2024). [Note: this is a boxed set of four board books.] 

Picture Books 

Fairbanks, Ashley (White Earth Anishinabee). This Land: The History of the Land We're On, illustrated by Bridge George (Anishinaabe from Kettle and Stony Point First Nation). Crown Books for Young Readers/ imprint of Penguin Random House (2024). US.

Flett, Julie (Cree-Metis). Let's Go! haw ekwa!, illustrated by the author. Greystone Kids (2024). Canada.

Goodluck, Laurel (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara). Too Much: My Great Big Native Family, illustrated by Bridget George (Anishinaabe, from Kettle and Stony Point First Nation). Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (2024). US.

Honyouti, Mavasta (Hopi). Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story, illustrated by the author. Levine Querido (2024).

Mills, Billy (Oglala Lakota) and Donna Janell Bowman (not Native). Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2024). US.

Pawis-Steckley, Mangeshig (member of Wasauksing First Nation). Boozhoo! Hello! illustrated by the author, translation by Mary Ann Corbiere (Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory). Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press. Canada.

Rendon, Marcie (enrolled member of the White Earth Nation). Stitches of Tradition (Gashkigwaaso Tradition), illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (Anishinaabe; member of Wasauksing First Nation). Heartdrum/Imprint of HarperCollins (2024). US. 

Rogers, Andrea L. (citizen of the Cherokee Nation). Chooch Helped, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Knuz (citizen of the Cherokee Nation). Levine Querido (2024). US.

Rogers, Andrea L. (citizen of the Cherokee Nation). When We Gather/Ostadahlisiha: A Cherokee Tribal Feast, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Citizen of the Cherokee Nation). Heartdrum/Imprint of HarperCollins (2024). US.

Rogers, Kim. (Wichita) I Am Osage: How Clarence Tinker Became the First Native American Major General, illustrated by Bobby Von Martin (Choctaw). Heartdrum/Imprint of HarperCollins (2024). US. 

Sorell, Traci (Cherokee Nation). Being Home, illustrated by Michaela Goade (Enrolled member of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and of the Kiks.adi Clan). 

Thomas, Rebecca (Mi'kmaw). I'm Finding My Talk, illustrated by Pauline Young (not Native). Nimbus Publishing (2019). Canada.

Vandever, Daniel W. (Diné). We Weave, illustrated by Deonoveigh Mithcelle (Diné). South of Sunrise Creations (2024). US.

Early Chapter Books

Burbank, Danielle C. (Diné). Navajo Code Talkers. Dorling Kindersley (2024). US.

Quigley, Dawn (citizen, Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe). Jo Jo Makoons: Rule School, illustrated by Tara Audibert. Heartdrum/Imprint of HarperCollins (2024). US. 

Vandever, Daniel W. (Diné). Behind Every Rug, illustrated by Lynne Hardy (Diné). Scholastic (2024). 

Wells, Stacy (member of the Choctaw Nation). Tana Cooks With Care, illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama Dos Santos (not Native). Picture Window Books (2024). [Note: we will likely add the other books in the series: Tana Cooks to Say Thanks, Tana Cooks a Valentine Surprise, Tana Cooks for a Special Veterans Day.]

For Middle Grades 

Bruegl, Heather (citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first-line descendant of Stockbridge Munsee). Boarding Schools: Racial Justice in America, Indigenous Peoples series. Publisher (2024). US. [Note: We will likely recommend additional books by Bruegl in this series, including 

Duncan, Violet (Plains Cree and Taino from Kehewin Cree Nation). Buffalo Dreamer. Nancy Paulsen Books (2024).

Gansworth, Eric (enrolled member of the Onondaga Nation). "Indian Price" in Ancestor Approved. Heartdrum/HarperCollins. [Note: we do not recommend the book in its entirety. Some of the stories in it are by people whose claims to being Native have been challenged.]

Hetxw'ms Gyetxw/Brett D. Huson (Gitxsan), The Bee Mother, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Metis). Highwater Press (2024), Canada. 

Hutchinson, Michael (citizen of the Misipawistik Cree Nation). The Case of Rigged Race. Second Story Press (2022). Canada.

Hutchinson, Michael (citizen of the Misipawistik Cree Nation). The Case of the Pilfered Pin. Second Story Press (2024). Canada.

Robertson, David (Norway House Cree),  The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage. Highwater Press (2024). Canada.

Smith, Cynthia Leitich (citizen, Muscogee Creek Nation). On a Wing and a Tear. Heartdrum/Imprint of Harper Collins (2024). US.

For High School 

Cobell, K. A. (enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation). Looking for Smoke. Heartdrum/HarperCollins. US.

Rogers, Andrea L. (citizen of the Cherokee Nation). The Art Thieves. Levine Querido (2024). US.

Treuer, Anton (Ojibwe). Where Wolves Don't Die. Cover and interiors drawn by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (member of Wasauksing First Nation). Levine Querido (2024). US.

Crossover Books (written for adults; appeal to teens/young adults)

Peters, Amanda (Mi'kmaq). The Berry Pickers. Penguin Random House (2023). US.

Rogers, January (Mohawk/Tuscarora from Six Nations of the Grand River.). Blood Sport. Turtle Back Publishing (2023).

vermette, katherena (tribe). real ones. Hamish Hamilton (2024).

Highly Recommended: BIINDIGEN! AMIK SAYS WELCOME

Biindigen! Amik Says Welcome

by Nancy Cooper (Chippewas of Rama First Nation)

Illustrations by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (Wasauksing First Nation)

Published in 2023

Publisher: Owl Kids (Canada)

Reviewer: Jean Mendoza

Review Status: Highly Recommended

This is a short-and-sweet review of a cool picture book from the shelves of one of my favorite local places, the Urbana Free Library in Urbana, Ilinois. It's a pleasure to know they offer some of the most current books by and about Indigenous people. 

Here's what the publisher, Owl Kids, says about Biindigen!:

It’s a special day for Amik the beaver and her little sister, Nishiime. Their cousins are coming to visit! Amik is excited, but Nishiime feels nervous about meeting new people, and when the cousins finally arrive, Nishiime disappears.

Lively, immersive illustrations show Amik and her cousins as they search the woods for Nishiime. Each creature they encounter, introduced to readers using their Anishinaabe names, reveals how beavers help the forest community. A fish thanks them for digging canals in the mud that they swim through. A deer thanks the beavers for cutting down trees so they can reach the tastiest leaves. None of the creatures have seen Nishiime, but keen-eyed kids will have spotted her hiding in the background throughout the story....With the perfect blend of fact and fun, this salute to the industrious beaver is also an energetic celebration of Indigenous perspectives, languages, and diversity.

Reason #1 to recommend this book: the illustrations. AICL has reviewed several books illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, including Sharice's Big Voice. Readers will notice differences in how Pawis-Steckley approaches the subjects in each of the books. In Biindigen! the animals' bodies have some of the stylized lines and forms seen in Boozhoo! Hello!, but they have a somewhat different "feel."  They are plump, sleek, and lively-looking. And it's fun looking for Nishiime after she vanishes from her sister's sight.

My only concern is that the inking on some of the pages in the copy I have is so dark that details can be hard to see. In the sample pages on the Owl Kids web site,  the illustrations seem much brighter.

Reason #2: centering Indigenous knowledge. Author Nancy Cooper reveals in a non-didactic (yet accurate) way how beavers operate as a keystone species in the environments they occupy. This is an important understanding for children, as many people mistakenly view beavers as destructive -- cutting down trees, blocking streams, and so on. But the other animals that appear in the story express gratitude for the ways beaver activity benefits them.

Another fact implicit in Cooper's storytelling is that Native Nations interacted with each other for millennia, across distance and language differences, often using water routes on their journeys. The Beaver cousins do the same thing -- traveling far to get together, carrying or wearing items from their homelands and nations. That's something to point out when sharing the book with children.

Reason #3: promotion of Indigenous languages. The beavers know each other by their names in the languages of the places they come from, including Anishinaabemowin, Inuktitut, and Ayajuthum. Cooper's storytelling incorporates several Anishinaabe words (the meanings are apparent in context) and provides pronunciations and English definitions in the back matter. Seeing their language in good books is a big positive for Native children, and learning about Indigenous languages is important for non-Native kids, as well.

Reason #4: portraying shyness as okay. Amik and the cousins are eager to get together. Nishiime thinks she is, but is overtaken by shyness. She watches instead, as many young children do in new situations. She returns to Amik only when the cousins are about to depart, after she has determined that she will feel safe with them. Instead of scolding her or pointing out the joy she missed by not joining in, the older beavers are happy to see her and answer her questions before they head for home. 

Biindigen: Amik Says Welcome can be an asset in several areas of the primary curriculum. I hope teachers and librarians will follow the example of my favorite library and get a copy -- or more than one -- for the bookshelves.

 

Highly Recommended! BOOZHOO! HELLO! by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

 

Boozhoo! Hello! 

Written and illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (member 

of Wasauksing First Nation)

Translated by Mary Ann Corbiere (Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory)

Published in 2024

Publisher: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press

Reviewer: Debbie Reese

Review Status: Highly Recommended

****

As you see, we are giving this book a 'highly recommended' review. But... 

Some books are delightful! 

I could also say 'delightfully recommended' because it is precisely the sort of book I would have used back when I was teaching kindergarten and first grade, and that I would have read to our daughter when she was little. Most elementary school teachers know this style of book. Questions are posed and answers given in the text but we can answer as we please, in the moment! 

Cast your eyes up to the cover, above, and look at that wolf's smile as it looks over its shoulder. See the joy in its face? That's where the delight is. The style of Pawis-Steckley's art is called Woodland. In an author's note he tells us he began drawing this book for his newborn daughter. As she grew, he shared the art he was creating. She would clap and smile. I read that author's note after I read the book. I had felt something special as I read it, and now that I have read the author's note, I get it. His illustrations are infused with his daughter's clap, and her smile. 

The format for Boozhoo! Hello! is this: on the left side of the double-paged spread is a page filled with an illustration. Facing it is a page of text in large font. Those words, as you might guess by the book's title, are in Anishinaabemowin at the top half of the page and English at the bottom half, as shown below.

This marvelous book begins with a rising sun and moves through a day's journey. On that first page, it is morning in the woods. "What" I imagine myself saying enthusiastically to a group of children, "do you see?" The sun! Flowers! Trees! Someone would say 'there's an animal behind the trees.'  It is the wolf! When we turn the page we see this:

One of my favorite pages is the one with a young otter on its back in the water, splashing, smiling, playing. A dear one in my own family loves otters. I think he's gonna like that page. 

See why I'm so delighted? 

As we near the end of the book, we see a page where three "little ones" (children) are asked what they hear. Turn the page and we see these words:

gookookoo debtaagzit

dbaajmat dbikak?

Shhh! Mbe nbaak!

Nahaaw, gookookoo.

Gga-waabmin.

an owl hooting

goodnight?

Shhh! It's time to sleep 

now.

Goodnight, owl. 

Imagining myself again, reading that last page in a quiet voice and pointing out the moon, the stars, the owl's closed eyes...  

Highly Recommended: JO JO MAKOONS, THE USED-TO-BE BEST FRIEND by Dawn Quigley; illustrations by Tara Audibert

 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

Jo Jo Makoons, The Used-to-Be Best Friend

Written by Dawn Quigley (Citizen, Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe)

Illustrated by Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey)

Published by Heartdrum

Publication Year: 2021

Reviewed by Debbie Reese

Review Status: Highly Recommended

****

Today's Short and Sweet Rec is for Dawn Quigley's Jo Jo Makoons, The Used-to-Be Best Friend. For starters, here's the description of the book (from the publisher):

Hello/Boozhoo—meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is.

Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.

Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she’s worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore…

And now, the Short and Sweet Rec:

First: It is a first! By that, I mean that it is the first Native-authored early chapter book series that I know of! If you have children, you know what these "early" books are about. They're the ones that kids who are starting to read on their own look for, and then hold close to their hearts because of the sense of accomplishment, confidence, and joy that independent reading delivers. What sets this one apart from all others is that it is about an Ojibwe kid. I've seen far too many early reader books with stereotypical words and illustrations of Native people. Books like that hurt a Native reader and they misinform a non-Native reader. They do a lot of harm. But this book... it makes my heart soar! We've got an Ojibwe girl in the present day, living her life, which leads to my second point.

Second: Native children who grow up with their Native communities say things. They do things. They know things. All those things are unique to their specific community. In Jo Jo Makoons you will see Ojibwe words that Jo Jo uses, just because they're part of her life. Instead of grandpa, she says Mooshoom. And right there on page 3 when you first see "Mooshoom" you also get Jo Jo, talking to the reader in the way that people talk to each other (p. 3):

Do you wanna know what mooshoom means? It means "grandpa" in the Michif language. 

Just before that passage, Jo Jo tells readers "My name is Jo Jo Makoons Azure." But she also asks readers if they want to know how to say that sentence, in her language:

Try saying: "Jo Jo Makoons Azure nindizhinikaaz." 

Jo Jo acknowledges that some will feel challenged by the "big last word" and reminds them that they learned how to say Tyrannosaurus rex, and that they can also learn how to say nindizhinikaaz. 

Third: On page 6, we read that Jo Jo's mooshoom died the year before and that her kokum (grandmother) moved in with them. That is very common within Native communities. Grandparents are a significant presence in the life of Native children--and Jo Jo's kokum is a big part of her life. 

Fourth: This last is, perhaps, coincidental. When I first read Jo Jo Makoons (I've been recommending it in just about every workshop and lecture I've done this year), the final paragraphs of chapter one did not stand out but they sure do now! In them, Jo Jo hears her mom and kokum talking about Jo Jo's cat needing shots. Jo Jo remembers back to the summer before, when she needed shots. Her kokum told her (p. 9):

My girl, shots help you to be healthy. There are many sicknesses out there, and shots give good protection.

Obviously, that stands out to me now because across the U.S., children are getting shots to protect them from COVID. I hope that little bit there helps kids know these shots are necessary for their well-being. I don't know what Quigley intended when she wrote that passage but it strikes me as more of the care that permeates the world of Jo Jo and her family. It feels a bit like concentric circles of care. 

As I write this review, newspapers are filled with reports of parents challenging books that make them uncomfortable. At present we are seeing a terrific growth of diversity in what is being published and embraced by educators, librarians, and readers. Diversity feels like a threat, to those who are unsettled by it, but I hope that books like Jo Jo Makoons -- with the care infused throughout it -- can help those parents see that care of each other, and care of community, is central to the well-being of everyone.

Get a copy! Feel that care. And share it with others.  

______

*A Short and Sweet Rec is not an in-depth analysis. It is our strategy to tell you that we recommend a book we have read. We will definitely refer to it in book chapters and articles we write, and in presentations we do. Our Short and Sweet Recs include four reasons why we recommend the book.

Highly Recommended: Gitige - She/he Gardens

Gitige - She/he Gardens

by Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Anishinaabe consultants Tom Jack, Tara Dupuis, Marcus Ammesmaki, Jodie Locking
Photographs by Autumn Aubu't

Published in 2019

Published by Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing

Reviewed by Jean Mendoza

Review Status: Highly Recommended

The first lines of Gitige - She/he Gardens are, "Here is a story about gardening and what happens with a little watering, sunshine, and children's special care." It's a story that unfolds in the photographs, as it follows young children in their garden through a growing season.

Gitige is the latest of several delightful board books Fond du Lac Band has created that incorporate  words in Anishinaabemowin (or Ojibwemowin). The others have all been reviewed or mentioned on AICL: Boozhoo/Come Play With Us, The Story of Manoomin, niimiwin/Everyone Dance, and Our Journey. Like several of them, Gitige is illustrated with photos of children from the Fond du Lac community. They show preschool-age children involved in the real work of gardening: digging, watering, working with adults, appreciating their plants, and sorting harvested food, as well as dressing up as flowers.

The photos on each page are labeled in English and Anishinaabemowin. At the end of the book is a page showing all the translations. One strength of the book is that the two languages are side-by-side on each page. There are nouns, verbs, phrases, and whole sentences for children to hear, see, and say.

Adults sharing the book can use the words in the captions to start conversations about the pictures,  encouraging children's oral literacy in either language.

An adult who wants to hear the pronunciations of many of these words can find audio by native speakers on The Ojibwe People's Dictionary web site.

Anyone expecting to see a Three Sisters garden in the book may be disappointed. These kids are growing sunflowers, carrots, and a riotous assortment of flowers as well as corn and squash. I found only one problem with the book. On the first page, it looks like the English equivalent of zhoomiingweni has been left off inadvertently. I don't know if that's true for every copy or if mine is the only one. In any case, with adult help, children can do the detective work of figuring out via the glossary which English word belongs there.

You can order Gitige - She/he Gardens and those other great board books from the Fond du Lac Head Start Web site. [Editing on 1/30/2020 to report that until Fond du Lac Head Start is able to update their books page, you can order the book by emailing jeannesmith@fdlrez.com. Thanks, Sam Bloom for letting me know about that problem!]

And ...

Are you a Native writer or artist with an idea for a story? Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing would like to hear from you! Black Bears and Blueberries is a small Native-owned independent press dedicated to developing Native-themed books by Native authors and illustrators. They published and help to market Gitige. See their page of author info, or contact Betsy Albert-Peacock directly at balbert@d.umn.edu.

Indigenous #KidLitWomen

My contribution to the month-long #KidLitWomen campaign is to lift Indigenous women who have written books for children and teens.

If we were sitting in a classroom or a lecture hall, I'd ask you to name a picture book about a Native woman or girl. Chances are most of you would name a book by Paul Goble or Scott O'Dell. I drew a line through their names to tell you... NO! Not books by those guys! Inside, I'd be cringing to hear you give me those answers. And I'd explain that books by those men have many many many many (how many times shall I write that word?!) problems.

My solution-oriented challenge for you, for the #KidLitWomen campaign is this: Next time you're at the bookstore, reach for books written by Indigenous women. And ask for them at the library! And if your children bring that Goble or that O'Dell book home, arrange a meeting with the teacher to talk about books by Indigenous Women.

Here's my list. Take it with you to the book store, to the library... to your next book club meeting!

Board Books

• Wild Berries by Julie Flett (Cree-Métis), Simply Read Books, 2013.
• Boozhoo: Come Play With Us by Deanna Himango (Ojibwe), Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior, Chippewa, 2002.
• My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith (Cree, Lakota and Scottish), Orca, 2016.

Picture Books

• Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell (Nle7kepmx, Nsilx and Métis), Groundwood Books, 2005.
• The Good Luck Cat by Joy Harjo (Mvskoke), Harcourt Brace, 2000.
• Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk (Inuit), Inhabit Media, Incorporated, 2014.
• Powwow Summer: A Family Celebrates the Circle of Life by Marcie Rendon (White Earth Anishinaabe), Minnesota Historical Society, 2013.
• Girls Dance, Boys Fiddle by Carole Lindstrom (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), Pemmican, 2013.
• Hungry Johnny by Cheryl Minnema (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2014.
• The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson (Ojibwe), Orca, 2017.
• Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), Morrow, 2000.

Middle Grades

• I Am Not A Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis (Nipissing), Second Story, 2016.
• The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), Hyperion, 1999.
• Indian Shoes by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee (Creek), HarperCollins, 2002.
• Super Indian, Vol. One and Vol. Two, by Arigon Starr (Kickapoo), Wacky Productions, 2012.

High School

• #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited By Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale, Annick Press, 2017.
• The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (Georgian Bay Métis), Dancing Cat, 2017.
• Murder on the Red River by Marcie Rendon, (White Earth Anishinaabe), Cinco Puntos, 2017.
• The Round House by Louise Erdrich, (Turtle Mountain Chippewa). Harper, 2012.

Coming in 2018 and 2019…

• The Summer of Split Feather Fever by Christine Day (Upper Skagit), HarperCollins.
• Apple In the Middle by Dawn Quigley (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), North Dakota State University Press.
• We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci L. Sorell (Cherokee), Charlesbridge.
• Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), Candlewick.

SLJ's 2013 Focus On "Resources and Kid Lit about American Indians"

School Library Journal has a "Focus On" series in its Collection Development category. Each "Focus On" is devoted to a single topic. This month, I'm the author of the Focus On column. For it, I provided an annotated list of over 30 children's and young adult books and apps. Most are by Native authors of the U.S. or Canada. The column this month is Resources and Kid Lit about American Indians.

I love the book cover layouts SLJ's staff put together to go with the column. I love them so much, that I am reproducing them here. I would love to see these books on display in every library in the country! As I look at each cover, I remember vividly where I was when I read each one. That's because these books are outstanding. 

I'll take a moment, too, to thank members of the American Indian Library Association for their help in locating apps. I couldn't include all of them, but plan to write about those that I list below, and some that I learned about too late to include for the article. 

I'll also take a moment to point you to my previous Focus On column for SLJ. Published in 2008, it was the prompt for me to come up with my "Top Ten" lists (see top right column of AICL for links to those Top Ten lists). I'll be adding the books in the 2013 Focus On column to the Top Ten lists, too. 

Thanks, SLJ, for providing me with an opportunity to put these terrific books in front of a wide audience!

Please take time to go directly to the article and read the annotations. They're brief, but I've written--or will write about--each one of them on AICL. Here's the list. For previous/future posts on them, look for them in the 'label's section (far right column towards the bottom) or simply type the book title (in quotation marks) in the search bar (top left corner right).

BOARD BOOKS

Baby's First Laugh, by Beverly Blacksheep

Boozhoo, Come Play with Me, by Deanna Himango

Cradle Me, by Debby Slier

Little You, by Richard Van Camp

Good Morning World, by Paul Windsor

ELEMENTARY

Whale Snow, by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Chickadee, by Louise Erdrich

Kunu's Basket: A Story from Indian Island, by Lee DeCora Francis

Chikasha Stories, Volume One: Shared Spirit, by Glenda Galvan

Fatty Legs: A True Story, by Christy & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Greet the Dawn: The Lakota Way, by S. D. Nelson

Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story, by S. D. Nelson

The Christmas Coat: Memories of my Sioux Childhood, by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness Into Light, by Tim Tingle

Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story, by Donald Uluadluak

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection, edited by Matt Dembicki

My Name is Not Easy, by Debby Dahl Edwardson

If I Ever Get Out of Here, by Eric Gansworth

Triple Threat, by Jacqueline Guest

Under the Mesquite, by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Walking on Earth, Touching the Sky: Poetry and Prose by Lakota Youth at Red Cloud Indian School, edited by Timothy P. McLaughlin

Native Writers: Voices of Power, by Kim Sigafus and Lyle Ernst

Super Indian: Volume One, by Arigon Starr

How I Became a Ghost, by Tim Tingle

HIGH SCHOOL

Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson

Killer of Enemies, by Joseph Bruchac Update on Sep 30 2023: I (Debbie Reese) no longer recommend Bruchac's work. For details see Is Joseph Bruchac truly Abenaki?

The Round House, by Louise Erdrich

House of Purple Cedar, by Tim Tingle

Code Talker Stories, by Laura Tohe

The Moon of Letting Go: And Other Stories, by Richard Van Camp

Robopocalypse, by Daniel H. Wilson

APPS

Anompa: Chickasaw Language Basic, Chickasaw Nation

Bramble Berry Tales--The Story of Kalkalilh: Book One, Rival Schools Media Design

Navajo Toddler, Isreal Shortman

Ojibway, Ogoki Learning Systems

WEBSITES

Chickasaw Kids, Chickasaw Nation

Infinity of Nations Culture Quest, National Museum of the American Indian

We Shall Remain, PBS