4 must-read books about indigenous peoples for young readers

Small publishers have known for years that there is an audience for young adult books by and about indigenous peoples. The Minnesota Historical Society, for example, recently published “How the Birds Got Their Songs.” But if this spring is any indicator, larger publishers are also targeting this market.

Here are four new books worth checking out:

“Where wolves don’t die” by Anton Treuer, has the potential to be a surprise hit. The page-turner by the Ojibwe professor at Bemidji State is a young adult book in the sense that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird would also be classified as a young adult book if it were published now. Ezra, the teenage hero of Wolves, lives in northeast Minneapolis but is kidnapped across the Canadian border when arson breaks out in the home of a classmate/enemy, leaving two people dead. Ezra is not exactly a suspect, but is repeatedly questioned by the police, so his father (like Treuer, an Ojibwe professor) sends him to live with Ezra’s grandparents in Canada. There he can help his grandpa with housework and study remotely, while at the same time mourning his girlfriend – or is she more? Nora – from afar. At first, “Wolves” seems destined to be a murder mystery, but Ezra’s ability to investigate the deaths leaves Minneapolis as he does. At this point, “Wolves” becomes a compelling introduction to the traditions of Ezra’s clan, including the way they pay respect to the creatures they kill and, in particular, how they treat wolves, with whom they feel a soul mate connection. Eventually, Ezra learns the surprising truth about what happened in Minneapolis and what might be in store for him next. (Levine Querido, $18.99)

“Be at home”, by Traci Sorell and Michaela Goade, could appeal to any child who is afraid of moving. The heroine of Sorell’s book is, like the author, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and her idea of ​​home is in flux. She moves from an unfamiliar city to her ancestral home, where she looks forward to reconnecting with all her relatives. It’s a simple, sweet story, and Goade’s starry-colored illustrations in various media are as joyful as the moving girl. Goade, a woman of the Tlingit Nation, is the first Native American illustrator to win the prestigious Caldecott Medal. (Penguin/Random House, $19.99)

“A family tree,” by Staci Lola Drouillard and illustrated by Kate Gardiner, is based on a true story of the Drouillard family. It is about a child named Francis who is the same age as a white spruce tree named Gaawaandagoonce that was planted in her grandmother’s garden. Like “Being Home,” “A Family Tree” deals with the theme of moving. When Francis’ grandmother moves from Grand Portage to live with her family, Gaawaandagoonce goes with her. In an author’s note, Drouillard, who lives in Grand Marais and is a direct descendant of the Ojibwe tribe of Grand Portage, writes, “Like the little spruce tree, we continue to adapt and change while retaining the wisdom and knowledge of the forest taught to us by our elders who learned from those who came before them.” (Harper Collins, $19.99)

“Loaf the cat goes to the powwow”, by Nicholas DeShaw and illustrated by Tara Audibert, is aptly summed up by its title. The St. Paul author’s picture book is about a stowaway cat who experiences a powwow while readers learn about the musicians, grass dancers and storytellers there. DeShaw, who is Anishinaabe and Migiziwan Odoodeman, introduces young readers to some Ojibwe words in a story that can serve as a personal connection for young Indigenous children or an introduction to a beautiful culture they may know little about. (Penguin, $18.99)