Kids

With lyrical verse and powerful emotion, Dawn Quigley (Ojibwe) tells the story of urban Native kids who find strength in connection with those who came before and in the hope that lets them take flight.

Ariel and Tomah have lived in the city's intertribal housing complex all their lives. But for both of them, this Dagwaagin (Autumn) season is different than any before.

From his bench outside the front door of his building, Tomah watches his community move around him. He is better at making people laugh than he is at schoolwork, but often it feels like his neighbor Ariel is the only one who really sees him, even in her sadness.

Ariel has always danced ballet because of her Auntie Bineshiinh and loves the way dance makes her feet hover above the ground like a bird. But ever since Auntie went missing, Ariel's dancing doesn't feel like flying.

As the seasons change and the cold of winter gives way to spring's promise, Ariel and Tomah begin to change too as they learn to share the rhythms and stories they carry within themselves.

This first middle grade novel by Dawn Quigley is a tour de force. She is known for her American Indian Youth Literature Award-winning Jo Jo Makoons chapter book series and young adult novel Apple in the Middle.

Give Red Bird Danced to readers who love Jasmine Warga and Christine Day!

Two kids from two different worlds form an unexpected friendship in this lens into the interworking of empathy. Told in alternating narratives, The Other Side of Perfect is infused with themes of identity, belonging, and compassion, reminding us that we are all more than our circumstances, and we are all more connected than we think.

Cody's home life is a messy, too-often terrifying story of neglect and abuse. Cody himself is a smart kid, a survivor with a great sense of humor that helps him see past his circumstances and begin to try to get himself out. Autumn is a wealthy girl from an indigenous family, who has found herself in with the popular crowd even though it's hard for her to want to keep up.

But one night, while returning home from a movie, Autumn comes across Cody, face down in the laneway behind her house. All Cody knows is that he can't take another encounter with his father like the one he just narrowly escaped. He can't go home. But he doesn't have anywhere else to go. When Autumn agrees to let him hide out in her dad's art studio, Cody's story begins to come out, and so does hers.

Melissa Cristina Márquez returns with a new underwater story perfect for young readers! When the ocean goes dark, Maren the whale shark and her best friend, Remy the remora, set out to find answers and to provide light for those they encounter in this encouraging picture book.

Maren the whale shark loves her life as the biggest, brightest fish in the sea. She spends her days exploring the water around her and finding fresh new snacks as she travels. But one day, the ocean goes dark and Maren’s adventures come to a halt. With only the glow from the scales on her back and her best friend, Remy the remora, by her side, Maren sets out on her greatest quest yet—to cross the ocean and ask the Aztec goddess Huixtocihuatl about the darkness and to figure out how to bring back the light. Along the way she meets new friends and exemplifies the power of sharing!

Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, globally renowned shark scientist, and author of Mother of Sharks, is back to introduce a variety of fish and other fun sea creatures in this picture book celebrating community, friendship, and supporting others in times of need. Brought to life by Rocío Arreola Mendoza’s stellar illustrations, this ocean adventure is sure to educate and excite young readers about the sea while passing along positive lessons to be used on land.

From Indigenous creative team Deidre Havrelock and Aly McKnight comes a powerful and exuberant story about the heritage, joy, and healing power of the Jingle Dress Dance--a perfect read-aloud picture book.

It's a special day--the day of the Jingle Dress Dance! Before the big powwow, there's a lot to do: getting dressed, braiding hair, packing lunches, and practicing bounce-steps.

But one young girl gets butterflies in her stomach thinking about performing in front of her whole community. When the drumbeats begin, though, her family soothes her nerves and reminds her why she dances.

Emerging historically in response to the global influenza pandemic of 1918-19, the Jingle Dress Dance is a ceremonial dance of healing and prayer that still thrives today in many Indigenous and First Nations communities across North America.

Lyrically and rhythmically written with lush, full-color illustrations, Why We Dance is a joyous celebration of a proud Indigenous tradition that inspires hope, resilience, and unity.

Nothing welcomes spring like a wild onion dinner!

As the dirt warms and green sprouts poke up, a Cherokee girl joins her family in the hunt for green onions. Together, they pick enough to bring to a feast, which is cooked with love and shared by their community.

Idalisdayvhvga!

Let's all eat!

Written with simple, sensory lyricism by Andrea Rogers (Cherokee) and featuring warm, vibrant art by Madelyn Goodnight (Chickasaw), this picture book celebrates the spring tradition of wild onion dinners--and the community and comfort that are shared when we gather.

Maggie Lou's grandpa doesn't call her Firefox for nothing. She's always finding ways to make life more interesting -- even if this means getting into big trouble.

When her grandfather Moshôm finally agrees to teach her how to box, she decides that the rank odors, endless drills and teasing won't stop her from wearing a tutu to the gym. Joining her father's construction crew uncovers a surprising talent -- besides learning how to use a broom -- and a great source of scrap wood to build a canine hotel for her dogs. And when she turns thirteen, she figures out an ingenious way to make some smokin' good camouflage to wear on her first deer hunt, where she joins a long family tradition.

Through it all she is surrounded by her big extended gumbo soup of a family, pestered by annoying younger siblings, and gently guided by her strong female relatives - her mother, her kohkom and her ultra-cool cousin Jayda. "Keep taking up space," Maggie's mother says. "You're only making room for the girls behind you."

A heroine for today, Maggie Lou discovers that with hard work and perseverance she can gain valuable new skills, without losing one iota of her irrepressible spirit.

Everyone is welcome in the circle.

In this warmhearted book, we join Molly at the Intertribal Community Center, where she introduces us to people she knows and loves: her grandmother and her grandmother's wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins, and her treasured friends.

They dance, sing, garden, learn, pray, and eat together. And tonight, they come together for a feast! Molly shares with the reader how each person makes her feel--and reminds us that love is love.

Through tender prose and radiant artwork, author Monique Gray Smith (Cree/Lakota) and illustrator Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) show how there is always room for others in our lives. Circle of Love is a story celebrating family, friends, community, and, most of all, love.

Includes an author's note, contextual notes, and glossary.

An inspiring introduction to capture-and-release research, this mother-daughter story about owl conservation will spark curiosity in young nature, bird, and science lovers.

Sova’s mother is a scientist who studies birds and their migratory patterns. Each night she goes into the woods to conduct research, and finally Sova is old enough to join her. Securing headlamps, Sova and her mother head into the woods to capture, measure, and release saw-whet owls. Through the quiet night, Sova learns about the patience, persistence, and excitement that comes with conservation efforts and scientific research.

This heartwarming mother-daughter story is the perfect primer to conservation, science, and amazing owls!

From New York Times bestselling author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Bridget George comes a must-read companion to the powerful, award-winning picture book We Are Water Protectors. Telling the story of reall-ife water protectors, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior celebrates Autumn Peltier and her great-aunt Josephine Mandamin, two Indigenous Rights Activists inspiring a tidal wave of change.

The seventh generation is creating
A sea of change.

It was a soft voice, at first.
Like a ripple.
But with practice it grew louder.

Indigenous women have long cared for the land and water, which in turn sustains all life on Earth—honoring their ancestors and providing for generations to come. Yet there was a time when their voices and teachings were nearly drowned out, leaving entire communities and environments in danger and without clean water.

But then came Anishinaabe elder Grandma Josephine and her great-niece, Autumn Peltier.

Featuring a foreword from water advocate and Indigenous Rights Activist Autumn Peltier herself, this stunning picture book encourages young readers to walk in the footsteps of the water warriors before them.

A 2023 Horn Book Fanfare title * A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of 2023 * A CCBC Choices Best Book of 2023


A heartwarming look at how the comfort of tradition and story can create a true sense of belonging, told through an Indigenous lens.

When Ojiig moves to the city with his family, he misses everything they left behind. Most of all, he misses the sparkling night sky. Without the stars watching over him, he feels lost.

His parents try to help, but nothing seems to work. Not glow-in-the-dark sticker stars, not a star-shaped nightlight. But then they have a new idea for how to make Ojiig feel better -- a special quilt stitched through with family stories that will wrap Ojiig in the warmth of knowing who he is and where he came from. Join this irresistible family as they discover the power of story and tradition to make a new place feel like home.

Have you ever wondered why Rabbit has such long ears? Or why Raccoon is wearing a mask?

In this collection of funny and unique short stories, young Skye enlightens us in a number of Indigenous teachings, passed down to her from her Ojibway Grandfather. Through her natural gift of storytelling, Skye encourages other children to embrace the art and become storytellers, too!

Medicine Wheel Publishing is committed to sharing diverse voices and perspectives, creating a platform for stories that celebrate Indigenous cultures and inspire understanding and respect among readers of all ages.

Have you ever wondered why Rabbit has such long ears? Or why Raccoon is wearing a mask?

In this collection of funny and unique short stories, young Skye enlightens us in a number of Indigenous teachings, passed down to her from her Ojibway Grandfather. Through her natural gift of storytelling, Skye encourages other children to embrace the art and become storytellers, too!

Medicine Wheel Publishing is committed to sharing diverse voices and perspectives, creating a platform for stories that celebrate Indigenous cultures and inspire understanding and respect among readers of all ages.