A Close Look at CCBC's 2016 Data on Books By/About American Indians/First...
Eds. note: See AICL's list for 2016. On February 15, 2017, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) at the University of Wisconsin released its statistics on the numbers of children's books by/about...
View ArticlePublished in 2016: Books by/about Native peoples
We will be updating this page whenever we read something published in 2016.If you compare what I have here with the CCBC list, you will notice that AICL received some books that CCBC did not, and vice...
View ArticleNot recommended: THE DREAMCATCHER by Barrett
Due out from Sapphire Books, in 2017, is The Dreamcatcher by Barrett (no first name provided). Here's the description:High school is rarely easy, especially for a tall, somewhat gangly Native American...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not recommended: SCAR: A REVOLUTIONARY WAR TALE by J. Albert Mann
You know that advice.... or that teaching... where you're supposed to look for the good? Where you're supposed to highlight the good and not focus on the bad?It sounds like good advice, but it is also...
View ArticleSource notes in NORTHWOODS CRADLE SONG by Douglas Wood
On Feb 8, 2017, I was in Milwaukee at the Wisconsin State Reading Association's annual conference. I gave a session about sovereignty and why it is important that teachers include it in their...
View ArticleWhy is Navajo gr-gr-grandmother in THE KILLER IN ME by Margot Harrison
Margot Harrison's The Killer In Me is amongst the books the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) listed in 2016, as having significant Native content. Here's the description:Hasn't he lived long...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not recommended: THE LAST THING YOU SAID by Sara Biren
Earlier this year, a reader wrote to ask me about The Last Thing You Said, by Sara Biren. It is published by Amulet Books, and due out on April 4, 2017. The reader pointed me to the review in School...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Recommended! Jordan Wheeler's JUST A WALK
A few years ago, I read--and laughed aloud, as I read--Jordan Wheeler and Christopher Auchter's Just A Walk. Those of you who like Numeroff and Bond's If You Give A Mouse A Cookie will enjoy this book,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
AICL's Best Books of 2016
Comics and Graphic Novels:Nelson, Jonathan. (2016) The Wool of Jonesy. Native Realities, USStarr, Arigon (ed.). (2016) Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Native Realities, USVan Camp, Richard. (2016)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not Recommended: DREAMLAND BURNING by Jennifer Latham
See note below about the red X.Jennifer Latham's Dreamland Burning is about racism in 1921, and racism in the present day. The story is told from two points of view. Published by Little Brown,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Jokes and Riddles in Books for Kids
This morning on Twitter, I saw a tweet from a Native parent that included an image from a joke book her child was reading last night. The book is from their local library. I've asked her for more...
View ArticleLibrarians Noting Problems in Nonfiction Series: First Peoples of North...
One of the more gratifying kind of emails I get is from librarians who are bringing a critical lens to nonfiction.Recently I had an email from a librarian in Oklahoma who was looking over Cassie...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not Recommended: THE SECRET PROJECT by Jonah Winter and Jeanette Winter
A reader wrote to ask if I've seen The Secret Project by Jonah Winter and Jeanette Winter. It was going into my "Debbie--have you seen series" but when I looked it up, I got a copy right away. Why?...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not recommended: VIVIAN AND THE LEGEND OF THE HOODOOS by Jennings and Saroff
A reader wrote to ask me about Vivian and the Legend of the Hoodoos, written by Terry Catasus Jennings and illustrated by Phyllis V. Saroff. Published by Arbordale Publishing, it came out in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What happened to "A Second Perspective" at All The Wonders?
First, a brief overview of what happened to my "Second Perspective" post at the All the Wonders website (more on who they are, later):On Wednesday (March 22, 2017), I reviewed The Secret Project by...
View ArticleAlternatives to Aaron Carapella's "Tribal Nations Map"
A few years ago, Aaron Carapella launched his Tribal Nations Maps website. At first glance, the project seemed terrific, but a close look revealed a lot of problems.People--some who are scholars,...
View ArticleDebbie--have you seen BEAUTY OF THE BROKEN by Tawni Waters?
A reader wrote today, to ask if I've seen Beauty of the Broken by Tawni Waters. It came out in 2014 from Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster. Here's the description:In this lyrical, heartwrenching story...
View ArticleBeverly Slapin's review of UNDEFEATED: JIM THORPE AND THE CARLISLE INDIAN...
Editor's Note: Beverly Slapin submitted this review of Steve Sheinkin's Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team. It may not be used elsewhere without her written permission....
View ArticleClik here to view.
A public thank you to Weezie, and to Rick Riordan regarding "spirit animal"...
Yesterday (April 25), Weezie, the Mvskoke person who tweets from @WeeziesBooks, tagged me on a tweet about a page from Rick Riordan's The Sword of Summer*. Here's a screen cap of the tweet. Below the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES
Back in 1951 (and again in 1961) a new edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses, was released, with illustrations by Alice and Martin Provensen. That book is back out this year,...
View Article