Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners will find ESL/ESOL/ELL/EFL reading/writing skill-building children's books, stories, activities, ideas, strategies to help PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12 students learn to read.
Books Recommended for American Indian Heritage Month
Writers present readers with historical fiction to tell of times past, contemporary tales to explore where we are now. They retell folktales and legends which explain why things are as they are and more. Meet Omakayas who lived long ago and Molly and Ray who may be the kids next door. Read tales that tell why there are stars in the sky and how the chipmunk got his stripes. Learn about jingle dancing and how to achieve balance, the middle way. Celebrate the rich heritage of Native Americans that you meet in the pages of these books.
Birchbark House
Omakayas, or Little Frog, is a likeable young girl who lives with her adopted family on an island in Lake Superior in the mid 1800s. Readers will come to know her as details of her 19th century Native culture are revealed during the year – four seasons.
Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself
Writer, storyteller and musician Joseph Bruchac grew up in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. He recalls his childhood, life with his grandparents, and the way his Abenaki background came to be known. His sometimes painful memoir is sprinkled with photographs and contextualizes this time in history.
Corn Is Maize: The Gift of the Indians
Did you know that corn is a grass? Early American Indian farmers figured out how to cultivate corn and shared their knowledge with the European settlers. Easy to read language and crisp illustrations provide a glimpse into the importance of corn throughout history.
How Chipmunk Got His Stripes
When Bear brags that he can do anything, Brown Squirrel challenges him to stop the sun from rising. Of course, Bear cannot stop the sun just as Brown Squirrel cannot stop teasing him. Bear chases Squirrel who just makes into his burrow but not before Bear rakes his back, leaving what is now known as the chipmunk's signature stripes. Brightly colored comic illustrations enhance this fluidly told tale.
Iktomi Loses His Eyes: A Plains Indian Story
Iktomi, the Lakota trickster, is himself tricked into losing his eyes. He then tricks Mouse and Buffalo into giving him one each of their eyes, but seeing the world through their eyes isn't quite what he expected. This tale is tricky, authentic — and very funny!
Indian Shoes
Ray is a Seminole-Cherokee who lives with his grandfather in contemporary Chicago. In each of six short stories, Ray meets universally recognizable challenges though remains cognizant of his Indian heritage. Short stories are told with humor and compassion.
Jingle Dancer
Jenna, a contemporary child, wants to dance in the powwow as her grandmother and other women in her family have. But she wonders: will she have enough jingles to make her dress sing? Traditional and contemporary activities come together in this appealing, clearly illustrated story of a modern girl and her background, based on the author's Muscogee (Creek) heritage.
Powwow
What do the colors, sights, and spectacle of a powwow mean to a present-day boy? A contemporary powwow transforms Anthony Standing Rock from a modern kid in a t-shirt to one with a rich, shared heritage and tradition at this Crow gathering in Montana.
Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story
Ira Hayes, a member of the Pima tribe, was one of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima catapulting him to celebrity status. His life became a struggle against fame, then against alcoholism and ended when he was only 32 years old. This picture book biography features evocative paintings and concluding with additional factual information and photographs.
Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest
Raven, a shape-shifting trickster, wanted to bring light to the people who lived in darkness. To do so, he changes shapes which allow him to be born of the Sky Chief's daughter. Though he changes shapes, his nature remains the same and ultimately the loveable trickster brings light and warmth back to earth. Bold, stylized illustration calls to mind the tale's Pacific Northwest origin.
Skeleton Man
Molly is left on her own when her parents vanish - that is, until a previously unknown "uncle" comes for her. What did he have to do with her parents' disappearance? Could he be the Skeleton Man of the Mohawk legend Molly's father had enjoyed telling? Scary and fast-paced, this novel combines folktale and contemporary characters for an irresistibly creepy read.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Junior is a basketball-playing, cartoon-drawing teenager living on the Spokane Indian Reservation. When he decides that it's time to start working towards a better future for himself, he leaves his school on the reservation for an all-white high school where he finds that the only other Indian there is the school mascot. With a sense of humor and a strong spirit, Junior remains determined to persevere in the face of tragedy and a complicated exploration of his own identity. Cartoon drawings accompany the text.
The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story
Seeing that man is sorry after arguing with his wife, Sun sends the first strawberries to the land. The sweet fruit slows the wife down, allowing her husband to catch up and apologize. To this day, strawberries remind people to be kind to each other. Rich illustrations add interesting details to this fluid telling of a traditional legend.
The Game of Silence
Omakayas' story continues in Game of Silence, where she and her insights reflect her growth and maturation. Both books are steeped in the traditions, beliefs and daily life pf the Ojibwa people.
The Magic of Spider Woman
When Wandering Girl learns to weave expertly from Spider Woman, she becomes known as Weaving Woman. But Weaving Woman looses herself when she forgets the Navajo middle way. Stunning illustrations capture the tone and spirit of the tale.
The Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale
Have you ever wondered how the Milky Way came to be? According to a Cherokee legend, it started when an old couple learned that their corn was being stolen by a Great Spirit dog. To get away, the spirit dog jumps into the sky, spilling the corn. And we can still see the results today in the night sky.
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