Draven Jackson
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While heritage and culture should be celebrated year-round, it's important to recognize national heritage days as an opportunity to embrace the wonderful and inspiring histories and stories of the people around us. November is Native American Heritage month, with November 25th representing Native American Heritage Day, so what better way to celebrate this national holiday and Indigenous Americans all over the country than with some amazing, award-winning books and products you can use with your family!
If you're not sure what books and products to start with for Native American Heritage Day, we've made it easy for you by including links and descriptions for some of our favorites!
White Skies Black Mingo
Written by Kevin D. Miller
“White Skies Black Mingo" tells the story of twelve-year-old Margaret, who flees a horrible epidemic plaguing her Ohio Seneca clan in 1854. She travels to Wheeling, Virginia, searching for a new life with her mother and grandmother, but finds herself orphaned and thrust into the wilderness alone during a winter storm.
Margaret struggles to survive the terrifying journey, and she faces numerous obstacles and painful betrayals throughout the story. But all of the horrible things she faces sets her on a path to becoming a medicine woman during the Civil War, where she meets a Union soldier and must choose between two very different worlds.
Not only will you fall in love with Margaret's spirit and courage throughout the story, but you will be on the edge of your seat during this thrilling adventure full of danger, history, love, and redemption.
Warrior Kids Podcast
A podcast designed for families, children, and educators to celebrate and teach everything Indigenous, "Warrior Kids Podcast" is a weekly podcast that shares interesting facts about Indigenous languages, cultures, traditions, and values. It looks at different Indigenous Nations all over North America!
Warrior Kids Podcast hopes to inspire kids of all backgrounds to become compassionate warriors for earth justice and social justice in order to make the world an inviting and wonderful place for all people.
The primary focus of this podcast is education for action, meaning they hope listeners will take what they learn during the podcast and put it into action to protect living things all over North America!
Native American ABC
Written by Lida Lechowicz, Colten Lechowicz
Want to teach your kids their ABCs while also helping them learn about different Indigenous American cultures, people, beliefs, and tribes? Then this is the perfect book for you!
This book is dedicated to Native American culture and the Indigenous American children that are its future. One dollar from the proceeds of each book sold is donated to the Rosebud Elementary School in Rosebud, South Dakota, which serves 300 students (98% of whom are Indigenous Americans).
If you want to learn more about Indigenous American culture and help donate to a hard-working school, then we hope you'll consider "Native American ABCs"!
Summer of Two Worlds
Written by J. Arthur Moore
“Summer of Two Worlds" follows the story of a young boy who is born to pioneer parents, orphaned at a young age, and grows up raised by a Sioux warrior. Among the Sioux tribe, he is known as Prairie Cub, and the name "Michael" is all he has of his ancestry.
The young boy lived with the Sioux warrior until his twelfth summer, when the course of history doomed the Indigenous people's way of life and his father sent his son back out into the white man's world in search of a different path.
Follow along on the young boy's life-changing adventure and read as he tries to traverse a life torn between two worlds.
Twelfth Winter
Written by J. Arthur Moore
If you enjoyed "Summer of Two Worlds," then make sure to check out its sequel, "Twelfth Winter."
This is the continuation of the story of a young boy forced to leave his Sioux warrior father and return to the white man's world to integrate himself back into the culture into which he had been born. This proves to be a difficult task after having lived his whole childhood as the son of a Sioux warrior.
With help from his friend Scot Robinson, Michael journeys east to start a new life with Jay Miller, a locomotive engineer living in Snow Shoe, West Virginia. Jay suggests that Michael take on the name Michael P.C. Freeman, and with Jay's help Michael finds a new home and a new life in Snow Shoe.
However, he continues to talk with friends from his old life, and wonders if he will ever see his family again.
Follow the continuation of Michael's journey to see what happens next!
Let's Sing Songs from Around the World!
Created by Good Folk Songs
"Let's Sing Songs from Around the World!" is a collection fo sing-along songs from different countries all over the worlds that can give children, families, and teachers a peek into other cultures and languages.
The music in this album include songs from Greece, China, France, Japan, Isreal, Spain, South Africa, Australia, and so much more! There are also Indigenous American rattle chants that can help encourage listeners to take a closer look at traditional Indigenous music and songs.
This album is a great way to not only teach your children about music from other cultures but also to introduce them to new languages and encourage them to broaden their knowledge of the world and learn more about the culture and language of the people around them!
About Draven Jackson
Draven is an avid writer and reader who enjoys sharing her opinions on movies, books, and music with the rest of the world. She will soon be working as a teacher in Japan and hopes to use her experience to connect with other teachers and students around the globe. Draven spends most of her time at home with her family, her dogs, and her ferret.
To see more, view all posts by Draven Jackson here.
One Comment on “Inspiring Products for Native American Heritage Day”
Oh! I have never heard of these books, thank you so much for the recommendations!