November Library Books

plus some resources for sourcing picture books about Native American Heritage

November is Native American Heritage Month and because my kids are still likely to dress up as Pilgrims at school in preparation for Thanksgiving, I’m taking the opportunity at home to introduce them to a different view of history. I didn’t find many library books while casually browsing the shelves of our local branch, so I’m sharing a few roundups from the Internet if you’d like to create your own TBR list of books about Native Americans to share with your family.

36 Children’s & YA Books That Celebrate Native American Heritage from Brightly

Books by School Age Level from Tribal Nations Maps

Native American Children’s Literature Recommended Reading List from First Nations Development Institute

Classroom Children’s Books About Native Americans from Scholastic

And a few book lists about Thanksgiving from Substack…

Booksgiving List

Children's books for Thanksgiving 🦃

Our November Picture Book Haul

Most of these are backlist titles from the library but I’ve linked to Bookshop.org when available below. Every purchase through Bookshop.org supports independent booksellers and puts a few pennies in my pocket at no extra cost to you.

Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua by Gloria Amescua

A lyrical picture book biography of an Indigenous Nahua woman from Mexico who taught and preserved her people's culture through modeling for famous artists.

Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold

All the Huffles are fast asleep, except for Jack. Unable to sleep because of snoring he can’t quite pinpoint, Jack and his dog go searching. After checking in on his family, all the Huffles follow their ears toward a surprising culprit.

My Father's House by Kathi Appelt

From woodland halls to painted desert walls, from mountain porches wrapped in snow to rain forest attics catching clouds, this exquisitely beautiful poetic tribute to Earth’s creator is grand in its gratitude and sure of the love found throughout the natural world.

Pete the Cat: Three Bite Rule by Kimberly and James Dean

Pete the Cat is whipping up a delicious dish for his class's potluck. Pete can't wait to share his banana casserole with his classmates. But it turns out that his friend Grumpy Toad hates bananas. How can he hate bananas if he's never tried one before? Pete shows Grumpy trying something new can be supercool and groovy with the "Three Bite Rule."

Bedtime for Beasties by Leslie Staub

For any child who has trouble going to sleep, here is a funny, imaginative, and ultimately empowering bedtime book about a girl who takes control of her nightmare and shows a group of monsters that she's the boss of her dreams.

Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts? by Jane Kurtz

During a visit to the zoo with his mother, a young boy asks his mom if kangaroos have to wear seat belts too. This book is a rhyming, humorous, yet gentle look at child safety using animals as a good example.

Minnie and Moo and the Thanksgiving Tree by Denys Cazet

All the animals in the barnyard ask the cows Minnie and Moo to hide them so that they will not become Thanksgiving dinner.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

A young girl and her box of magical yarn transform a community in this stunning picture book. With spare, gently humorous illustrations and a palette that moves from black-and-white to a range of color, this modern fairy tale has the feel of a new classic.

Love the Fur You’re In from Sesame Street

Brought to you by Sesame Street and illustrated with 50 years of art from Sesame Street children's books, this is a wise and funny guide to life that's just right for fans of all ages, especially those who grew up with Sesame Street.

Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf by Judy Sierra

Big Bad Wolf, now old and residing in the Villain Villa Senior Center, is invited to a tea by a children's librarian. His best friend, a toothsome crocodile, warns him that he will have to mind his manners, so B. B. Wolf makes up a song to help.

Karen's Kittycat Club: A Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novel by Ann M. Martin

Karen's best friend Hannie just got an adorable new kitten. Their neighbor Amanda has a cat, too, and Karen has grumpy old Boo-Boo. Now that they all have cats, Karen comes up with a great idea. She wants to start a Kittycat Club! Karen can't baby-sit like her big sister Kristy... but she can cat-sit!

The Nuts: Keep Rolling by Eric Litwin

Hazel Nut and Wally Nut's playtime roll down a muddy hill turns into a hilarious chase when they get covered in so much muck that they get bigger... and bigger... until they're big as ELEPHANTS! Can anyone help get the Nuts back down to size? Eric Litwin offers an upbeat and inspiring message: What do you do when you roll into trouble? Keep rolling!

Before I bring out our own collection of Thanksgiving and Native American books from the closet, here’s a peek at another themed book list from the OBM archives.

With a thankful heart,

Elsewhere on the Internet: Goodreads / Storygraph / Pinterest

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