Curated by Allyson Mower, Marriott Library and Tashina Barber, Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement

Enjoy this curated book list developed by Tashina Barber, program manager at the Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement and librarian Allyson Mower in honor of this year’s Native American Heritage Month. Also, be sure to check out this upcoming book event hosted by the Center for Native Excellence & Tribal Engagement.

The Missing Morningstar
By Stacey Denetsosie

Stacey Denetsosie’s The Missing Morningstar takes readers on a winding ride of short stories with ties to the Northern Navajo Nation, stories that are rugged, tender, and heart full. Each story is vivid and compelling that you will want to savor the entire collection in one sitting, best enjoyed with a warm cup of “tea” in hand.

Where Wolves Don’t Die
By Anton Treuer

Where Wolves Don’t Die by Anton Treuer takes the reader on a murder mystery centered on an Ojibwe teen who is caught between the chaos of city life and the pull of tradition. Filled with suspense, secrets, and cultural awakening, it is a powerful story of identity, survival, and hope for a brighter future.

The Sky Was Once a Dark Blanket
By Kinsale Drake

Kinsale Drake’s The Sky Was Once a Dark Blanket is a short collection that reads like a series of chants, each poem woven from memory, family, and the ache of belonging. Her voice carries the stories of lineage and the warmth of home.

Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age
By Joy Harjo

I looked for this book in the poetry section, but found it in the memoir section! It includes some of Harjo’s glorious original poetry but is primarily a memoir written in very short and uniquely titled chapters. She covers seminal topics such as fear, love, and even coins the phrase ‘historical empowerment’ to go alongside the more popular ‘historical trauma.’ It became my beside read the last few nights and her writing helped me grieve the recent death of my father.

We Survived the Night
By Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat is a weaver and this book artfully weaves personal history and broader cultural history of Indigenous people in the U.S. and Canada. Reading the book felt informative and healing at the same time – a beautiful story of how to know and acknowledge where you come from and a robust reporting on how to study and understand the impact of colonization and cultural genocide

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
By Stephen Graham Jones

In my opinion, this is Stephen Graham Jones’s best book. An origin story of a vampire is simply one of the most gratifying reads. Astoundingly creative, complex and engaging, the writing (and audio version) takes you to a new world, new perspective, and in the words of Good Stab “the story of America.” The ending explores justice in a way one might not expect and the author provides insight within the acknowledgments about how he came to it.