Book List for Native American theme

Did you know the fourth Friday in September is celebrated as Native American day.
This year it took place on September 24, 2010. The Native American tribes of South
Dakota and non-Indians set aside this day of tribute to the rich history and culture of
the Plains Native Americans and their contribution to North America.

The Native Americans are the first people of North America. There presence is
pervasive from the outer most regions of Canada and Alaska to the Yucatan region
of Mexico. Native Americans were the first people of the United States which includes
Alaska and Hawaii. There are various education web sites produced by Native
Americans that provide information geared to various ages. There resources on
American Indians for Children and Teachers at: Native American Facts for Kids
http://www.native-languages.org/kids.htm

Most Native Americans named four points of the earth, the four directions of the
compass--north, south, east, and west--and assigned a color to each one. Among
the Cherokee, north was blue, south was white, east was red, and west was black.
Colors could also mean life or death, wax or peace, female or male, night or day. For
example, the Navajo thought black represented men and blue, women. The Hopi
thought that the color blue was the most sacred and used it to honor their gods.

Here are some of the other meanings attached to colors:

Color Meaning for Native Americans

night, underworld, male, cold, disease,
Black
death
sky, water, female, clouds, lightning,
Blue
moon, thunder, sadness
Green plant life, earth, summer, rain
wounds, sunset, thunder, blood, earth,
Red
war, day
White winter, death, snow
Yellow sunshine, day, dawn

Book List compiled by Sandra - Little Sprouts Academy

a Monkey See Monkey Do creation 2010 Page 1 of 5
NOTE: Helpful information to consider when teaching children about Native
Americans.

It may be best to teach your children about one specific tribe in your area rather
than lump all tribes as one group. Lumping all Native Americans together does not
allow children to see the diversity. There are separate nations and Native groups with
different names, languages, and cultures. When teaching about Native People, keep
in mind not all native people wore headbands. The wearing of headdresses in some
tribes is only worn by the Chief of a tribe. The wearing of a headdress is considered
scared.

It is important to note that you do not teach a stereotype of Native Peoples. Native
Americans are not extinct, in fact they are very much alive today. Native Americans
are often spoken of in "past" tense. There are about 800,000 Native people in the U.S.
today, yet many books and filmstrips still have titles such as, How The Indians Lived.
Many children think Native Americans look like movie Indians. Since Indians come
from different nations and have often inter-married with other nationalities, they often
do not fit into the "western" stereotype so often associated with them. Challenge
television stereotypes of Native Americans. Discuss with children the meaning of
stereotypes and offer a true representation of Native People through
the learning about their culture, foods, music and crafts.

Most important in today's world is the Native American philosophy of life. . . respect
for land, every form of life and for living in harmony with nature.

As a part Native American (Apache) myself, I felt it necessary to post this

informational note. Thank you.

Listed below are a list of books grouped in selections by selected ages.

For you convenience, I have grouped Baby to Preschool in one list, ages
4 to 8 in another and ages 9 to 12 in the last group.

The books listed can be used for doing a theme unit on the subject of the
Native Americans. Most of these books listed can be found at your local
library.

Book List compiled by Sandra - Little Sprouts Academy

a Monkey See Monkey Do creation 2010

Page 2 of 5
Books for Baby to Toddler

Dreamcatcher by Audrey Osofsky

The First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac

The Legend of Sleeping Bear by Kathy-jo Wargin

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse

On Mother's Lap by Ann Herbert Scott

Powwow’s Coming by Linda Boyden

A Story about the First Thanksgiving by Laura Krauss Melmed

Talking with Mother Earth/ Hablando con Madre Tierra by Lucia Angela
Pérez.

Ten Little Rabbits by Virginia Grossman

Turkey and Giant by Nedra Emery

Wisahkecahk Flies to the Moon by Freda (Cree)

Zipitio. translated by Elisa Amado, color illustrations by Gloria Calderón.

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Books for ages 4 to 8
A Boy Called Slow by Joseph Bruchac

Corn Is Maize (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by Aliki

The Gift of the Sacred Dog (Reading Rainbow Book) by Paul Goble

Grandmother's Dreamcatcher by Becky Ray McCain

How Chipmunk Got His Stripes by Joseph Bruchac

How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend by Jerrie Oughton

Igloos (Bridgestone Books: Native American Life) by June Preszler

More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity Guide to Traditional North

American Indian Life (A Kid's Guide series) by Laurie Carlson

North American Indians by Douglas Gorsline

Northwoods Cradle Song: From a Menominee Lullaby by Douglas Wood

The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale by Lydia Dabcovich

This Land is My Land by George Littlefield

Sacagawea: American Pathfinder (Childhood of Famous Americans) by

Flora Warren Seymour

Squanto and the First Thanksgiving by Joyce K Kessel.

Storm Boy by Paul Owen Lewis

Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times by Kate

Waters

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Books for ages 9 to 12
Between Earth & Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places by
Joseph Bruchac

Children of Native America Today by Yvonne Wakim Dennis

If You Lived With The Cherokees (If You?) by Peter Roop

If You Lived With The Hopi Indians (If You.) by Anne Kamma

If You Lived With The Indians Of The Northwest Coast by Anne Kamma

If You Lived With The Iroquois (If You.) by Ellen Levine

If you lived with Sioux Indians by Ann McGovern

Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma (My World:

Young Native Americans Today) by Genevieve Simermeyer

Meet Lydia: A Native Girl from Southeast Alaska (My World: Young Native
Americans Today) by Miranda Belarde-Lewis

Meet Mindy: A Native Girl from the Southwest (My World: Young Native
Americans Today by Susan Secakuku

Native American Tales and Legends by Allan A. Macfarlan

North American Indian (DK Eyewitness Books) by David S. Murdoch

Sacagawea: Girl of the Shining Mountains by Peter Roop

The Very First Americans (Reading Railroad) by Cara Ashrose

Who Was Sacagawea? (Who Was...?) by Judith Bloom Fradin

Book List compiled by Sandra - Little Sprouts Academy

a Monkey See Monkey Do creation 2010

Page 5 of 5