Honoring Indigenous Peoples Day

At Detroit Prep, we are committed to honoring Native and Indigenous communities as well as celebrating their rich traditions and diverse cultures. There are many ways to honor Indigenous peoples everyday and I am excited to share some of my favorite books that focus on Indigenous characters. 

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

Written By: Kevin Noble Millard and Juana Martinez-Neil

Fry Bread is an award-winning picture book that focuses on the love of a family and how so much of culture and tradition centers around food. It is a great depiction of what it means for these characters to grow up as a Native American family and how they intertwine traditions into their daily lives. 

We are Water Protectors

Written By: Carole Lindstrom 

We Are Water Protectors follows the story of a young Indigenous child and activist as she fights alongside her family and friends to save the Earth's water supply from human negligence and harm. This book is a great example of coming together with one's community to protect our natural resources. This book also happens to be my favorite to read with students. 

Bowwow Powwow

Written By: Brenda Child

In this story, Windy Girl gathers stories of traditions, dancing and gratitude from her Uncle. When Uncle and Windy Girl attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins the family around the campfire. This book allows readers to experience traditions alongside the characters while learning about their culture as well.  

We are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

Written By:Traci Sorell

This story follows a Cherokee community throughout a year, where they show us how to live with thankfulness and celebration. Written by a member of the Cherokee Nation, this book uses many Cherokee terms that allow the reader to connect to the language.

The Water Lady 

Written By: Alice McGinty 

For many of us, access to clean water is something that we don’t think about daily. Based on true events, in this story, Cody’s family relies on the service of Darlene Arviso to deliver water to their home. This is a heartfelt and meaningful story that focuses on the importance of community.