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Adult Books -- Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Gardens in the Dunes
by Leslie Marmon Silko [Fiction/Silko]
This book takes the reader on a Grand Tour of England and Europe in the era of Henry James as seen through the eyes of a young Native American woman, Indigo, who is in flight from the destruction at the hands of the whites in her own tribal world.

Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
by Louise Erdrich [Fiction/Erdrich]
For more than a half century, Father Damien Modeste has served his beloved people, the Ojibwe, on the remote reservation of Little No Horse. Now, nearing the end of his life, Father Damien dreads the discovery of his physical identity, for he is a woman who has lived as a man.

River Out of Eden
by John Hockenberry [Fiction/Hockenberry]
A bizarre murder mystery set in the Colombian River basin where the Chinook people thrived before the hydroelectric dams came and changed their entire way of life.

Spirit Sickness
by Kirk Mitchell [Fiction/Mitchell]
CIA investigator Emmett Parker [Cherokee] and FBI agent Anna Turnipseed [Modoc] are called to a crime scene to track a psychotic killer who imagines himself to be the Gila Monster of Navajo myth. In the course of the investigation, they must confront their own ambivalence about Native American spirituality.

The Wailing Wind
by Tony Hillerman [Mystery/Hillerman]
A lost gold mine, a corpse in an abandoned pickup truck, and an eerie wailing heard on Halloween are among the delicious plot elements Tony Hillerman cooks up in his 15th novel featuring Navajo Cops Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.

Watermelon Nights
by Greg Sarris [Fiction/Sarris]
Told from the points of view of a twenty-year-old Pomo Indian named Johnny Severe, his grandmother, Elba, and his mother, Iris, this book uncovers the secrets behind each of these characters' extraordinary powers of perception.

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Nonfiction -- The Arts | History | Literature

The Arts

Encyclopedia of Native American Healing
by William S. Lyon [615.85 Ly]
Lyon presents an encyclopedic overview of shamanic healing in North America during the last 350 years.

A Guide to Hopi Katsina Dolls
by Kent McManis [745.592 McM]
More than 70 of the most prominent and intriguing katsinam who appear during the Hopi ceremonial year are described and depicted in full color photographs of both contemporary & historic katsina dolls.

A Guide to Navajo Sandpaintings
by Mark Bahti and Eugene Baatsoslani [759.1 Ba]
This book provides the best introduction to the religious images created by Navajo medicine men as part of traditional curing ceremonies.

A Guide to Navajo Weavings
by Kent McManis [746.7 McM]
A definitive introduction to one of the most popular American Indian Arts -- Navajo rug weaving. Of great help to the new collector is a list of standards in judging the quality of a rug and advice for its proper
care. Fully illustrated with stunning examples of over fifty rug types.

A Guide to Zuni Fetishes and Carvings, Vol. I: The Animals and the Carvers
by Kent McManis [730 McM]
A slim, useful guide to the delightful small animal carvings known as fetishes. Volume II: "The Materials and the Carvers."

Heartbeat of the People: Music and Dance of the Northern Pow-Wow
by Tara Browner [781.62 Br]
An insider's journey into the intertribal powwow through the dance, music, traditions and regalia of these vital cultural events.

Native America Collected: The Culture of an Art World
by Margaret D. Dubin [709.73 Du]
This book explores the connections between the collection, marketing, display, production, and criticism of Native American arts focusing on the way in which these processes are manipulated [wittingly and unwittingly] to modify definitions of what it is to be Native American and what it is to make art.

Spirit Beings and Sun Dancers: Black Hawk's Vision of the Lakota World
by Janet Catherine Berlo [978.3 Be]
In the winter of 1880-81 Lakota medicine man, Black Hawk, made 76 pen and colored pencil drawings of the Cheyenne River Reservation of South Dakota. Providing no description, Berlo and other Lakota historians interpret the drawings in this book which is a significant contribution to Native American art.

Uncommon Legacies: Native American Art from the Peabody Essex Museum
by John R. Grimes, Christian F. Feest and Mary Lou Curran [704.03 Gr]
A celebration of the power, significance, and exceptional artistic quality of one of the most important collections of early Native American art.

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History

American Nations: Encounters in Indian Country, 1850 to the Present
edited by Frederick R. Hoxie [970.1Am]
This collection of articles documents the experiences different tribes faced while dealing with the U.S. government.

Archaeology of Prehistoric Native America: An Encyclopedia
edited by Guy Gibbon [R970.01 Ar]
This two-volume set covers the Native American cultures prior to European contact.

The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717
by Alan Gallay [381 Ga]
This book discusses the little-documented practice of Native American slavery in colonial America.

Handbook of the North American Indians: Plains
edited by Raymond J. DeMallie [R970.1 Ha/Vol. 13]
This comprehensive volume documents almost 10,000 years of Native American life, covering the Rio Grande, the Rocky Mountain Region, the Saskatchewan River Valley, and the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Prehistoric Culture Change on the Colorado Plateau: Ten Thousand Years on Black Mesa
edited by Shirley Powell and Francis E. Smiley [979.1 Pr]
This scholarly work examines the evolution of the Navajo and Pueblo tribes.

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Literature

Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living Worlds
by Linda Hogan [897.4 Ho]
Written in the form of stories and suffused with a reverence for the earth, this collection of meditations explores the mysteries of the myths and rituals of Native American cultures.

Growing up Native American
edited by Particia Riley [897.5 Gr]
Native American writers bring childhood experiences into sharp focus speaking of pain, love, mischief, anger, betrayal and healing.

How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems
by Joy Harjo [811/ Harjo]
This collection of poems explores its title question in a style of sustaining grace.

In the Presence of the Sun: Stories and Poems, 1961-1991
by Scott Momaday [811/ Momaday]
The Pulitzer Prize-winner presents a luminous collection of poems, legends, drawings and paintings by the author himself.

Reinventing the Enemy's Language: Contemporary Native Women's Writing of North America
edited by Joy Harjo, et al [810.8/ Re]
A remarkable anthology that features a rich variety of poetry, fiction, memoir, and prayer by Louise Erdrich, Leslie Silko, Janet Campbell Hale, Wilma Mankiller, Linda Hogan, Winona LaDuke, and others.

Spider Woman's Granddaughters: Traditional Tales and Contemporary Writing by Native American Women
edited by Paula G. Allen [810.8 Sp]
According to Cherokee legend, Grandmother Spider brought the light of intelligence to the people. This title is a unique addition to feminist literature and a treasure trove for the ever-increasing audience for Native American works.

The Wisdom of the Native Americans: Includes the Soul of the Indian and other writings of Ohiyesa, and the Great Speeches of Red Jacket, Chief Joseph
edited by Kent Nerburn [897.4 Wi]
Revered Native Americans offer timeless, meaningful lessons and thought-provoking teachings on living and learning.

Woman Who Watches Over the World: A Native Memoir
by Linda Hogan [818 Ho]
Hogan offers a memoir rich with the texture of her life as a Chickasaw Indian.

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Adult Web Sites

Department of Defense - American Indian Heritage Month
http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/nativeamerican01/
Links to general resources and military sites including special sections on Navajo Code Talkers and Native American Medal of Honor Recipients.

Michigan Inter-Tribal Council
http://www.itcmi.org/
The official web site for Michigan's Federally Recognized Tribes.

Native American Authors
http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/
Created by the Internet Public Library, this website provides information on Native North American authors with bibliographies of their published works, biographical information, and links to online.

Native American Internet Resources
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/native.htm
A detailed and organized listing of Internet sites.

Native American Nations
http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/nations.html
Links to pages that have either been set up by the nations themselves or are pages devoted to a particular nation and are alphabetical by tribal name.

Native Web
http://www.nativeweb.org/
Well developed web site for resources to indigenous cultures around the world.

Smithsonian Institution - Native American History and Culture
http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmai/start.htm
Selected links to sites hosted by Smithsonian Institution museums and organizations.

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Youth Books -- Picture Books | Fiction | Nonfiction

Picture Books

Jingle Dance
by Cynthia L. Smith [EASY/Smith]
Jenna, a member of the Muscogee, or Creek Nation, borrows jingles from the dresses of several friends and relatives so that she can perform the jingle dance at the powwow.

The Legend of the Lady Slipper
Kathy-Jo Wargin [EASY/ Wargin]
One winter, when the people of her village become terribly ill, Running Flower braves the snow and freezing cold to race to a village on the other side of the forest for medicine.

Star Boy
Paul Goble [EASY/Goble]
This Blackfoot Indian legend describes how Star Boy gains the Sun's forgiveness for his mother's disobedience and is allowed to return to the Sky World.

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Fiction

Adaline Falling Star
by Mary Pope Osborn [YA Fiction/Osborn]
Feeling abandoned by her deceased Arapaho mother and her explorer father, Adaline Falling Star runs away from the prejudiced cousins with whom she is staying and comes close to death in the wilderness.

Bone Dance
by Martha Brooks [YA Fiction/Brooks]
When her father wills her a cabin on land in rural Manitoba, Alexandra meets a young man who shares her Indian heritage and her experience of being haunted by spirits.

Celou Sudden Shout, Idaho, 1826
by Kathleen.Duey [J/Duey]
Celou Sudden Shout, who is half-French and half-Shoshone, attempts to rescue her mother and two younger brothers from the Crow warriors who kidnapped them.

Children of the Longhouse
by Joseph Bruchac [J/Bruchac]
Eleven-year-old Ohkwa'ri and his twin sister must make peace with a hostile gang of older boys in their Mohawk village during the late 1400s.

Echohawk
by Lynda Durrant [J/Durrant]
A white boy, adopted and raised by Mohicans in the Hudson River Valley during the 1730s, is sent with his younger brother to an English settlement for schooling.

Kirsten on the Trail
by Janet Beeler Shaw [J/Shaw]
Kirsten keeps her friendship with a Sioux Indian girl a secret until her little brother becomes lost in the woods.

Mystery on Mackinac Island
by Anna Hale [J/Hale]
Hunter Martineau, an Ottawa Indian, and his tourist friends, Rusty and Jancy, investigate the mystery of stolen bicycles on Mackinac Island.

Sacajawea: The Story of Bird Woman and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
by Joseph Bruchac [YA Fiction/Bruchac]
Told in alternating points of view by Sacajawea and Clark, this historical novel is a compelling story that inspires, educates, and entertains.

Who Will Tell My Brother?
by Marlene Carvell [YA Fiction/Carvell]
A public issue comes close to home in this story of Evan Hill, a part-Mohawk high-school senior who protests against his school's use of Indian mascots.

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Nonfiction -- Folklore

American Indian Clothes and How to Make Them
by Alex. Whitney [J/745.5 Wh]
Offers instructions for making and adorning articles commonly worn by Indians, such as breeches, shirts, dresses, belts, moccasins, headdresses, armbands, anklets, jewelry, and pouches.

American Indian Foods
by Jay Miller [J/641.5973 Mi]
Describes foods that are important to various North American Indian cultures and explains the rituals surrounding harvesting, hunting, food preparation, and meals.

As Long as the Rivers Flow: The Stories of Nine Native Americans
by Paula Gunn Allen [J/920 Al]
These biographical sketches reveal the strength and perseverance of several Native Americans who have made great contributions to arts, politics, sports, and other aspects of American life.

Before the Storm: American Indians Before the Europeans
by Allison Lassieur [J/ 970.1 La]
Describes the history of various Indian people of North America and their way of life before encountering Europeans.

Buffalo Days
by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith [J/970.3 Ho]
Describes life on a Crow Indian reservation in Montana and the importance these tribes place on the buffalo.

The Circle of Thanks
by Joseph Bruchac [J/ 811 Bruchac]
Offers fourteen poems with themes like thanksgiving and an appreciation of nature that are based on traditional Native American songs and prayers.

Drumbeat ... Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow
by Susan Braine [J/970.1 Br]
The customs, dances and traditions surrounding this unique Native American event are described.

First Houses: Native American Homes and Sacred Structures
by Jean Guard Monroe [J/970.1 Mo]
Presents a variety of North American Indian creation myths and discusses how the "first houses" described in these stories set the pattern used by tribes for their own homes and ritual structures.

Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition
by Sally M. Hunter [J/635.6 Hu]
Twelve-year-old Russell learns how to grow and dry corn from his Winnebago grandfather.

Literature of the American Indian
by A. Lavonne Brown Ruoff [J/ 970.1 Ru]
The rich history and the evolution of American Indian literary traditions are examined covering the range from oral storytelling to written works.

Native American Women
by Suzanne Clores [J/ 970.1 Cl]
Examines the lives and roles played by Native women in their communities and how these women adjusted to the arrival of Europeans.

The Rattle and the Drum: Native American Rituals and Celebrations
by Lisa Sita [J/970.1 Si]
Explores and explains the rich and colorful variety of Native American ceremonies and celebrations.

The Relocation of the North American Indian
by Don Nardo [J/ 970.5 Na]
Describes how the American government forcibly relocated American Indian tribes that resulted in tribal warfare, broken treaties, and the brutal march known as the Trail of Tears.

Soaring Spirits: Conversations with Native American Teens
by Karen Gravelle [J/970.2 Gr]
Listen to the voices of living Native American teenagers from different backgrounds and regions who speak openly about their lives.

We Rode the Wind: Recollections of Native American Life
edited by Jane D. Katz [J/970.1 We]
Read excerpts taken from accounts dictated by Plains Indians to chroniclers describing their lives.

When the Rain Sings: Poems by Young Native Americans
edited by Francis Lee [YA/811.54 When]
Provocative, well-crafted poems by contemporary teens.

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Folklore

Legends of Landforms: Native American Lore and the Geology of the Land
by Carole Garbuny Vogel [J/398.2Vo]
Presents the stories created by various native peoples to explain such natural wonders as the Hot Springs of Arkansas, the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls, Crater Lake, and the Hawaiian Islands.

Little Firefly: An Algonquian Legend
by Terri Cohlene [J/398.2Co]
Retells the Algonquian Indian legend that describes how a young girl, badly mistreated by her sisters, becomes the bride of a great hunter.

Moon Mother: A Native American Creation Tale
by Ed Young [J/398.2Yo]
Retells a traditional Native American myth in which the Spirit that made animals and people falls in love with a Woman Spirit who becomes the moon he carries through the sky each night.

Spider Spins a Story: Fourteen Legends from Native America
edited by Jill Max [J/398.2Sp]
The spider character features prominently in these tales from various native peoples, including the Kiowa, Zuni, Cherokee, Hopi, Lakota, and Muskogee.

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Youth Web Sites

The First Americans
http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/intro.html
Mid-elementary school information on different Native American cultures.

First Nations History
http://www.tolatsga.org/Compacts.html
Learn about fifty native tribes, from the Abenaki of New England to the Winnebago of Wisconsin.

HomeworkSpot.com -Native American Heritage
http://www.homeworkspot.com/features/nativeheritage.htm
Learn about the history of American Indian Heritage Month and the heritage of American Indians.

Native North America
http://emuseum.mankato.msus.edu/cultural/northamerica/index.shtml
Find information about native people of the United States and Canada.

The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery: Native Americans
http://www.npg.si.edu/col/native/
Portraits of famous Native Americans from the Smithsonian.

Yahooligans: Native Americans
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc3/yahooligans/nativeamericans/
Yahooligans does its usual great job of creating detailed and comprehensive listings of Internet sites by subjects for children and their homework assignments.

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Artwork:
How the Stars Got in the Sky [clay]
by Shirley M. Brauker
www.cbpu.com/moonbear