Read Native - Middle Grade | East Lansing Public Library

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb41416075

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Upper Skagit author; fiction. "It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training an...Show more Upper Skagit author; fiction. "It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions. Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up. But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?" - from author's webpage Show less

I Can Make This Promise

by Day, Christine

Book - 2019

Upper Skagit author; fiction. "All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about ...Show more Upper Skagit author; fiction. "All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers. Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,” and photos of a woman who looks just like her. Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?" - author's webpage Show less

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The Brave

by Bird, James

Book - 2020

Ojibwe author; fiction. "Collin can't help himself—he has a unique condition that finds him counting every letter spoken to him. It's a quirk that ma...Show more Ojibwe author; fiction. "Collin can't help himself—he has a unique condition that finds him counting every letter spoken to him. It's a quirk that makes him a prime target for bullies, and a continual frustration to the adults around him, including his father. When Collin asked to leave yet another school, his dad decides to send him to live in Minnesota with the mother he's never met. She is Ojibwe, and lives on a reservation. Collin arrives in Duluth with his loyal dog, Seven, and quickly finds his mom and his new home to be warm, welcoming, and accepting of his condition. Collin’s quirk is matched by that of his neighbor, Orenda, a girl who lives mostly in her treehouse and believes she is turning into a butterfly. With Orenda’s help, Collin works hard to overcome his challenges. His real test comes when he must step up for his new friend and trust his new family." - Macmillan Show less

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Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories For Kids

by Smith, Cynthia L.

Book - 20210209

Muscogee Creek author; non-fiction, short stories and poetry. "A collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow that bursts with hope, joy, resil...Show more Muscogee Creek author; non-fiction, short stories and poetry. "A collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow that bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride. In a high school gym full of color and song, Native families from Nations within the borders of the U.S. and Canada dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. They are the heroes of their own stories." - author's webpage Show less

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Apple Skin to the Core

A Memoir in Words and Pictures

by Gansworth, Eric L.

Book - 2020

Onondaga author; autobiography and poetry. "The term 'Apple' is a slur in Native communities across the country. It’s for someone supposedly 'red on ...Show more Onondaga author; autobiography and poetry. "The term 'Apple' is a slur in Native communities across the country. It’s for someone supposedly 'red on the outside, white on the inside.' Eric Gansworth is telling the story of his family, of Onondaga among Tuscaroras, and of Native folks everywhere. From the horrible legacy of the government boarding schools, to a boy watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to a young man fighting to be an artist who balances multiple worlds. Eric shatters that slur and reclaims it in verse and prose and imagery that truly lives up to the word heartbreaking." - Levine Querido Show less

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The Grizzly Mother - By Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) and Illustrated By Natasha Donovan

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb40236114

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Gitxsan author and Métis illustrator; this book is part of the Mothers of Xsan series if you would like to read more; non-fiction told as a story. "A...Show more Gitxsan author and Métis illustrator; this book is part of the Mothers of Xsan series if you would like to read more; non-fiction told as a story. "An engaging look at how the animals, people, and seasons within an ecosystem are intertwined. To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the grizzly is an integral part of the natural landscape. Together, they share the land and forests that the Skeena River runs through, as well as the sockeye salmon within it. Follow mother bear as she teaches her cubs what they need to survive on their own." - Highwater Press Show less

A Girl Called Echo, Vol. 1, Pemmican Wars By Katherena Vermette

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb37506847

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Métis author; graphic novel; currently four volumes in the series. "The Manitoba Act’s promise of land for the Métis has gone unfulfilled, and many M...Show more Métis author; graphic novel; currently four volumes in the series. "The Manitoba Act’s promise of land for the Métis has gone unfulfilled, and many Métis flee to the Northwest. As part of the fallout from the Northwest Resistance, their advocate and champion Louis Riel is executed. As new legislation corrodes Métis land rights, and unscrupulous land speculators and swindlers take advantage, many Métis begin to settle on road allowances and railway land, often on the fringes of urban centres. For Echo, the plight of her family is apparent. Burnt out of their home in Ste. Madeleine when their land is cleared for pasture, they make their way to Rooster Town, squatting on the southwest edges of Winnipeg. In this final instalment of Echo’s story, she is reminded of the strength and resilience of her people, forged through the loss and pain of the past, as she faces a triumphant future." - Highwater Press Show less

Indian No More

by McManis, Charlene Willing

Book - 2019

Umpqua/Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde and Cherokee authors; historical fiction. "Regina Petit's family has always been Umpqua, and living on the...Show more Umpqua/Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde and Cherokee authors; historical fiction. "Regina Petit's family has always been Umpqua, and living on the Grand Ronde Tribe's reservation is all ten-year-old Regina has ever known. Her biggest worry is that Sasquatch may actually exist out in the forest. But when the federal government enacts a law that says Regina's tribe no longer exists, Regina becomes "Indian no more" overnight--even though she lives with her tribe and practices tribal customs, and even though her ancestors were Indian for countless generations. "Now that they've been forced from their homeland, Regina's father signs the family up for the federal Indian Relocation Program and moves them to Los Angeles. Regina finds a whole new world in her neighborhood on 58th Place. She's never met kids of other races, and they've never met a real Indian. For the first time in her life, Regina comes face to face with the viciousness of racism, personally and toward her new friends. "Meanwhile, her father believes that if he works hard, their family will be treated just like white Americans. But it's not that easy. It's 1957 during the Civil Rights era, and the family struggles without their tribal community and land. At least Regina has her grandmother, Chich, and her stories. At least they are all together." - author's webpage Show less

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The Birchbark House

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2002

Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 1 in the Birchbark series. "Omakayas and her family live on the land her people call the Island of the Go...Show more Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 1 in the Birchbark series. "Omakayas and her family live on the land her people call the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. Although the "chimookoman," white people, encroach more and more on their land, life continues much as it always has: every summer they build a new birchbark house; every fall they go to ricing camp to harvest and feast; they move to the cedar log house before the first snows arrive, and celebrate the end of the long, cold winters at maple-sugaring camp. In between, Omakayas fights with her annoying little brother, Pinch; plays with the adorable baby, Neewo; and tries to be grown-up like her big sister, Angeline. But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever-- but that will eventually lead Omakayas to discover her calling." - author's webpage Show less

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The Game of Silence

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2005

Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 2 in the Birchbark series. "Her name is Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop, and s...Show more Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 2 in the Birchbark series. "Her name is Omakayas, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop, and she lives on an island in Lake Superior. It is 1850, and the lives of the Ojibwe have returned to a familiar rhythm: they build their birchbark houses in the summer, go to the ricing camps in the fall to harvest and feast, and move to their cozy cedar log cabins near the town of LaPointe before the first snows. The satisfying routines of Omakayas's days are interrupted by a surprise visit from a group of desperate and mysterious people. From them, she learns that all their lives may drastically change. The chimookomanag, or white people, want Omakayas and her people to leave their island in Lake Superior and move farther west. Omakayas realizes that something so valuable, so important that she never knew she had it in the first place, is in danger: Her home. Her way of life." - author's webpage Show less

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The Porcupine Year

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2008/09/01

Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 3 in the Birchbark series. "When Omakayas is twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowin...Show more Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 3 in the Birchbark series. "When Omakayas is twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowing journey. They travel by canoe westward from the shores of Lake Superior along the rivers of northern Minnesota, in search of a new home. While the family has prepared well, unexpected danger, enemies, and hardships will push them to the brink of survival. Omakayas continues to learn from the land and the spirits around her, and she discovers that no matter where she is, or how she is living, she has the one thing she needs to carry her through." - author's webpage Show less

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Chickadee

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2013

Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 4 in the Birchbark series. "Twin brothers Chickadee and Makoons have spent every day side by side and hav...Show more Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 4 in the Birchbark series. "Twin brothers Chickadee and Makoons have spent every day side by side and have done everything together since they were born—until the day the unthinkable happens and the brothers are separated. Desperate to reunite, Chickadee and his family must travel across new territories, forge unlikely friendships, and experience both unexpected moments of unbearable heartache as well as pure happiness. And through it all, Chickadee has the strength of his namesake, the chickadee, to carry him on." - author's webpage Show less

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Makoons

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2016

Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 5 in the Birchbark series. "Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, h...Show more Chippewa author; biographical fiction; book 5 in the Birchbark series. "Named for the Ojibwe word for little bear, Makoons and his twin, Chickadee, have traveled with their family to the Great Plains of Dakota Territory. There they must learn to become buffalo hunters and once again help their people make a home in a new land. But Makoons has had a vision that foretells great challenges—challenges that his family may not be able to overcome." - author's webpage Show less

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In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse

by Marshall, Joseph

Book - 2015

Lakota/Sioux author; fiction. "Jimmy McClean is a Lakota boy, though you wouldn’t guess it by his name. His mother is Lakota, and his father is half ...Show more Lakota/Sioux author; fiction. "Jimmy McClean is a Lakota boy, though you wouldn’t guess it by his name. His mother is Lakota, and his father is half white and half Lakota. Over summer break, Jimmy embarks on a journey with his grandfather, Nyles High Eagle. While on the road, his grandfather tells him the story of Crazy Horse, one of the most important figures in Lakota, and American, history." - Abrams Books Show less

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My Name is Not Easy - By Debby Dahl Edwardson

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb22277287

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Author's husband and community is Inupiaq; historical fiction. "Luke knows his I'nupiaq name is full of sounds white people can't say. He knows he'll...Show more Author's husband and community is Inupiaq; historical fiction. "Luke knows his I'nupiaq name is full of sounds white people can't say. He knows he'll have to leave it behind when he and his brothers are sent to boarding school hundreds of miles from their Arctic village. At Sacred Heart School things are different. Instead of family, there are students -- Eskimo, Indian, White -- who line up on different sides of the cafeteria like there's some kind of war going on. And instead of comforting words like tutu and maktak, there's English. Speaking I'nupiaq -- or any native language -- is forbidden. And Father Mullen, whose fury is like a force of nature, is ready to slap down those who disobey. Luke struggles to survive at Sacred Heart. But he's not the only one. There's smart-aleck Amiq, a daring leader -- if he doesn't self destruct; Chickie, blond and freckled, a different kind of outsider; and small quiet Junior, noticing everything and writing it all down. Each has their own story to tell. But once their separate stories come together, things at Sacred Heart School -- and in the wider world -- will never be the same." Show less

Navajo Code Talkers: Top Secret Messengers of World War II - By Blake Hoena

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb40536666

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Graphic novel; non-fiction; history. "During World War II U.S. forces had to keep battle plans and other top secret information out of the enemy's ha...Show more Graphic novel; non-fiction; history. "During World War II U.S. forces had to keep battle plans and other top secret information out of the enemy's hands. Coded messages were often used, but secret codes could be broken. To solve this problem, the U.S. military turned to an unexpected source to create an unbreakable code. The Navajo people spoke a complex language that few outsiders knew how to speak. Several Navajo soldiers were recruited to develop a code based on the Navajo language. The result was a complex code that could not be solved by the enemy. Learn all about the brave Navajo Code Talkers and how their unbreakable code helped defeat the enemy and win the war." - Capstone Show less

http://search.mel.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb17676569

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Non-fiction; history. "On the Pacific front during World War II, strange messages were picked up by American and Japanese forces on land and at sea. ...Show more Non-fiction; history. "On the Pacific front during World War II, strange messages were picked up by American and Japanese forces on land and at sea. The messages were totally unintelligible to everyone except a small select group within the Marine Corps: the Navajo code talkers-a group of Navajos communicating in a code based on the Navajo language. This code, the first unbreakable one in U.S. history, was a key reason that the Allies were able to win in the Pacific." - Walker & Company Show less

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