Native American Nonfiction

November is Native American Heritage Month. Learn from Native American nonfiction authors and experience the history and culture as well as the resilience they never should have had to face. Take a look at these memoires and these distant and modern histories to better establish the framework for the rich traditions and hard-fought triumphs of the diverse tribes, nations, and peoples of Native Americans.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist and Citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, explores science in relation to her culture and reveals how strengthening our reciprocal relationship with plants can inspire gratitude and fulfillment. Kimmerer attributes plants and animals to be our oldest teacher and invites readers to learn from them as well.

The Blue Jay's Dance: A Birth Year by Louise Erdrich

Blue Jay’s Dance is a memoir and exploration of Erdrich’s experience after giving birth to her child and pondering the early months of motherhood and her life in relation to the world–other humans, other women, the woods, the plants, and the animals surrounding her. Her descriptions are lyric and rich in detail.

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

Take a broad look into pre-colonization, the genocide program, and further attempts to marginalize Native Americans in the United States. This book is a great starting point for learning about the dark history Native Americans have faced over the past hundreds of years.

Our History is the Future by Nick Estes

Explore the traditions and history of resistance in Native American culture. This includes native sovereignty, anticolonial struggles, and the water is life movement taking place in North Dakota at Standing Rock. This book takes a dive into intergenerational protest and organization.

Visit the library to take a look at the Native American Heritage Book displays and ask your librarians for more reading recommendations! Or Request a Book Bundle, a hand-picked selection of items your librarians think you would like!

You can also visit our online catalog from our website or our SHARE Mobile Library application for access to books from all 500+ libraries in our area!

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