Native Americans have been featured in numerous works of children's literature. Some have been authored by non-Indigenous writers, while others have been written or contributed to by Indigenous authors.
The Lightning Thief is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel by Rick Riordan. The opening installment in the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the book was recognized among the year's best for young adults. Riordan followed the novel with various books and spin-off series, spawning the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles media franchise.
The Titan's Curse is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan. It was released on May 1, 2007, and is the third novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and the sequel to The Sea of Monsters. It is about the adventures of the 14-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends go on a dangerous quest to rescue his 14-year-old demigod friend Annabeth Chase and the Greek goddess Artemis, who have both been kidnapped by the titans.
The Sea of Monsters is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and the sequel to The Lightning Thief. This book chronicles the adventures of thirteen-year-old demigod Percy Jackson as he and his friends rescue his satyr friend Grover from the Cyclops Polyphemus and save Camp Half-Blood from a Titan's attack by bringing the Golden Fleece to cure Thalia's poisoned pine tree.
Richard Russell Riordan Jr. is an American author, best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million copies in the United States. 20th Century Fox adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series as part of a series of films in 2010 and 2013. In 2023, a television series adaption was released on Disney+ entitled Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Riordan's books have also spawned other related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.
The Marvelous Effect is a science fiction novel by Troy CLE first published in May 2007. It is the first book in the Marvelous World series.
Turquoise Rose is a 2007 independent drama film co-written and directed by Holt Hamilton that takes place on the Navajo Nation. Turquoise Rose was filmed primarily on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance, Arizona, as well as in Phoenix, Arizona. The film is one of the only American films to feature an indigenous Native American lead role for an actress, played by Navajo actress Johnson.
Smile is an autobiographical graphic novel written by Raina Telgemeier. It was published in February of 2010 by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. The novel provides an account of the author's life, characterized by dental procedures and struggles with fitting in, from sixth grade to high school. The book originated as a webcomic, which was serialized on Girlamatic. It is most appropriate for readers between fourth and sixth grade. Smile has had a pedagogical impact, and reviews have been written on this novel.
Arilla Sun Down is a 1976 children's novel by Virginia Hamilton and is about the life experiences of Arilla, a young girl of African American and American Indian parentage.
Rebecca Roanhorse is an American science fiction and fantasy writer from New Mexico. She has written short stories and science fiction novels featuring Navajo characters. Her work has received Hugo and Nebula awards, among others.
Trail of Lightning is a 2018 fantasy novel, the debut novel by Rebecca Roanhorse. After a supernatural disaster destroys most of North America, Navajo monster-slayer Maggie Hoskie must navigate a world of monsters and gods. The novel won the 2019 Locus Award for Best First Novel and was nominated for the Hugo, World Fantasy, and Locus Awards for Best Novel.
Debbie Reese is a Nambé Pueblo scholar and educator. Reese founded American Indians in Children's Literature, which analyzes representations of Native and Indigenous peoples in children's literature. She co-edited a young adult adaptation of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States with Jean Mendoza in 2019.
Rick Riordan Presents is a book imprint of Disney-Hyperion that was launched in 2018 and is led by Stephanie Owens Lurie. The line publishes books that utilize the mythology of various cultures and countries in its storytelling akin to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians. The first book published under the imprint, Aru Shah and the End of Time, was released on March 23, 2018.
Naayééʼ Neizghání is a mythical hero from Navajo mythology who, along with his brother Tóbájízhchíní, rid the world of the Naayééʼ. He is considered by some to be the Navajo god of war, although evidence for this is flimsy.
The Tristan Strong series is a mythology book trilogy written by Kwame Mbalia. The series currently consists of three books. The first book, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, was published on October 15, 2019, and the second installment, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, was released a year later on October 6, 2020. Book three, the last in the trilogy, Tristan Strong Keeps Punching, was announced on February 8, 2021, and is set to be released on October 5, 2021. All three books are about African-American folktales.
Dragon Pearl is a middle grade novel written by Yoon Ha Lee and published on January 15, 2019, by Disney Hyperion under their "Rick Riordan Presents" publishing imprint. The book is a mix of Korean mythology and science fiction as the main character travels the galaxy. A short story by Lee about the characters in the book was featured in the anthology book The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a 2019 middle grade fantasy-adventure novel written by Kwame Mbalia. Published under the "Rick Riordan Presents" imprint, the novel is focused on African American folktales and West African mythology. The story follows teenager Tristan Strong, who is struggling with guilt after his best friend's death. Tristan accidentally creates a rift that transports him to Alke, a parallel world where myths are real, and must survive the evil forces that threaten Alke's people and discover his own abilities.
Between Earth and Sky is a fantasy novel series by American writer Rebecca Roanhorse. It currently comprises two novels: Black Sun (2020) and Fevered Star (2022). It is an epic fantasy series inspired by various pre-Columbian American cultures. Black Sun won the 2021 Alex Award and the 2021 Ignyte Award for Best Adult Novel; it was additionally nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, and Hugo Award for Best Novel.
When We Were Alone is a children's book written by David Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett and published December 1, 2016 by HighWater Press. The book is published in English, and one edition include text in Swampy Cree syllabics and Roman orthography, translated by Alderick Leask.
Kinsale Drake is an American poet, playwright, performer, and writer. Drake is Diné and a citizen of the Navajo Nation. In September 2023, Drake was one of five winners of the 2023 National Poetry Series for her debut poetry collection The Sky Was Once a Dark Blanket.
