National Indigenous History Month: a reading list

An eagle representing First Nations, a narwhal representing Inuit, and a violin representing Métis. These illustrations are placed around the sun and surrounded by multicoloured smoke that represents Indigenous traditions, spirituality, inclusion and diversity. There are three books, and text reading National Indigenous History Month.

Join us this June as we honour and appreciate Indigenous history, heritage, resilience, and diversity. Discover powerful narratives, insightful memoirs, and thought-provoking works that shed light on the extraordinary contributions and experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. 

Forever Our Home by Tonya Simpson

Forever Our Home by Tonya Simpson

A lullaby of reconciliation and reclamation, celebrating the ancestral relationship between Indigenous children and the land that is forever their home. Ages 3-5.

We Belong To The Drum by Sandra Lamouche

We Belong To The Drum by Sandra Lamouche

The drum represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. We all belong to the earth and we all belong to the drum. Ages 3-5.

The Song That Called Them Home by David Robertson

The Song That Called Them Home by David Robertson

A cinematic fantasy-adventure story inspired by Indigenous legends. Ages 4-8.

Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis

Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis

Children learn about the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act. Ages 6-8.

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

Ten long years since the steady supply of food and fuel from the south became a thing of the past, how can one survive? Pick up this highly anticipated sequel to Moon of the Crusted Snow!

The First Astronomers: How Indigenous Elders Read the Stars by Duane Hamacher

The First Astronomers: How Indigenous Elders Read the Stars by Duane Hamacher

Duane Hamacher takes us on a journey across space and time to reveal the wisdom of the first astronomers. These living systems of knowledge challenge conventional ideas about science's nature and oral tradition's longevity.

Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott

Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knott

In her highly anticipated second book, Knott exceeds the highest of expectations with a chronicle of grief, love, and legacy. Having lost her mom and grandmother in just over six months, Knott realizes she must let go, not just of them, but of whom she thought she was.

God Isn't Here Today: Stories by Francine Cunningham

God Isn't Here Today: Stories by Francine Cunningham

Driven by desperation into moments of transformation, Cunningham’s characters are presented with moments of choice—some for the better and some for the worse. A young man visits God’s office downtown for advice, and a woman discovers she is the last human on Earth. Enjoy this short story collection of impressive breadth!

Buffalo is the New Buffalo: Stories by Chelsea Vowel

Buffalo is the New Buffalo: Stories by Chelsea Vowel

These eight short stories of "Métis futurism" explore Indigenous existence and resistance through the specific lens of being Métis. Expansive and eye-opening, Buffalo is the New Buffalo rewrites our shared history in provocative and exciting ways.

Enfants du lichen by Maya Cousineau-Mollen

Enfants du lichen by Maya Cousineau-Mollen

Dans ce recueil, la voix de la poète se fond dans la mémoire du territoire, de la culture, de ses racines, la mémoire du corps intime autant que celle, atrophiée, de l’Histoire.

Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law: Kinamaadiwin Inaakonigewin and the Treaty Right to Education by Leo Baskatawang

Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law: Kinamaadiwin Inaakonigewin and the Treaty Right to Education by Leo Baskatawang

In Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law, Leo Baskatawang traces the history of the neglected treaty relationship between the Crown and the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3 (northwestern Ontario) and the Canadian government's egregious failings to administer effective education policy for Indigenous youth.

Midnight Storm Moonless Sky: Indigenous Horror Stories by Alex Soop and Patricia Soop

Midnight Storm Moonless Sky: Indigenous Horror Stories by Alex Soop and Patricia Soop

Through these enthralling stories of reality mixed with terror, readers get a wicked glimpse into the genre of Indigenous horror — a combination of First Nations legends, dark fantasy, apocalyptic and paranormal enchantment, and monstrous secrets.