Storytelling is an Indigenous way of knowing. A tradition rooted in listening as much as in narrating. Each year, writers bring vital stories to the world, honoring lessons, battles, and joys passed through kin and community. From searing poetry to thrilling fiction and gentle tales for children and families, these new books by indigenous authors illuminate the ever-deepening circularity of native storytelling. Every one is a testament to the resilience, humor, and imagination that keep traditions old and new very much alive.
Below are 13 essential reads published in 2025, for you to add to your reading list.
"Grandmother Moon"
By Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason (Schaghticoke/HoChunk), illustrated by Trisha B. Waters
“Grandmother Moon” is a tender picture book that celebrates the bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter during their weekly drive. As the young girl wonders why the moon seems to follow them, her grandmother shares stories and teachings about Grandmother Moon, her power, her presence, and her place in Indigenous traditions. Through poetic storytelling and warm, luminous illustrations, this book beautifully weaves ancestral wisdom into everyday life, reminding readers that Grandmother Moon always watches over us with love and protection.
"Nothing More of This Land"
By Joseph Lee (Aquinnah Wampanoag)
In Nothing More of This Land, award-winning journalist Joseph Lee offers a profound and personal exploration of Indigenous identity and the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous peoples worldwide. Centered on Lee’s Wampanoag community in Martha’s Vineyard—a place transformed by tourism and displacement—the book weaves his family’s story with broader narratives from Indigenous activists and communities across North America and beyond.
"Sisters in the Wind"
By Angeline Boulley (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)
Lucy Smith is an 18-year-old foster teen navigating the trauma of losing her father and the harsh realities of the foster care system. When Jamie Jameson, connected to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), reveals to Lucy her Ojibwe heritage and that she has a sister she never knew, her life is thrust into a complex fight for identity and family. This taut YA mystery explores the dark side of child welfare, illegal adoption schemes, and the ongoing struggle for tribal sovereignty. Boulley’s vivid storytelling weaves cultural authenticity with a gripping tale of resilience, revealing the true cost of belonging and the lengths one will go to reclaim it.
"Bud Finds Her Gift"
By Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi), illustrated by Naoko Stoop (Ainu).
From the author of the bestselling “Braiding Sweetgrass,” this gentle and beautifully illustrated picture book invites readers to slow down and notice the gifts of the Earth. Bud wonders what her own special gift might be as she explores the world around her with warmth, curiosity, and gratitude. With themes of reciprocity, belonging, and respect for nature, it serves as a perfect introduction for readers of all ages to Indigenous wisdom and the importance of listening deeply to the land and to one another.
"All the Little Monsters: How I Learned to Live with Anxiety"
By David A. Robertson (Norway House Cree Nation)
In this deeply honest memoir, award-winning author David A. Robertson shares his lifelong journey living with chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and bouts of depression. Using warmth, humor, and heartfelt candor, he reveals the toll mental health challenges have taken on his mind, body, and family. Blending Indigenous wisdom with Western medicine, Robertson writes about the hard-earned tools and community support that help him carry on. His story invites readers suffering from anxiety and depression to find hope, resilience, and the courage to keep moving forward—even when peace feels out of reach.
"Beast"
By Richard Van Camp (Dogrib/Tlicho Nation)
Set in a northern Canadian town during the 1980s, “Beast” follows Lawson and his family navigating fragile peace treaties while an ancient evil spirit rises to threaten their community. Van Camp blends Indigenous tradition, friendship, and horror to create a gripping story of survival against both supernatural and human threats.
"Love Is a War Song"
By Danica Nava (Muscogee)
Pop star Avery Fox finds herself retreating from scandal to her grandmother’s Muscogee ranch where she rekindles her connection to family, culture, and love. Nava delivers a heartwarming contemporary romance that explores heritage, healing, and second chances.
"The Buffalo Hunter Hunter"
By Stephen Graham Jones (Blackfeet)
Blending historic horror with Indigenous survival, this novel tells of a Blackfeet man who cannot die, connected to the brutal Marias Massacre. Jones crafts a chilling story where history's ghosts come back with vengeance and justice.
"The Haunting of Room 904"
By Erika T. Wurth (Apache/Chickasaw/Cherokee)
Olivia Becente, a paranormal investigator, confronts haunting deaths in Denver’s Brown Palace hotel, uncovering family secrets and ghosts alike. Wurth’s novel interweaves supernatural thrills and Indigenous resilience, drawing readers into a world of mystery and healing.
"Big Chief"
By Jon Hickey (Anishinaabe, Lac du Flambeau Band)
Mitch Caddo steps into tribal government amidst tense elections and divided loyalties. Hickey’s sharp debut explores the complexities of Indigenous leadership, family bonds, and community trust with humor and vivid insight.
"The Whistler"
By Nick Medina (Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana)
Henry Hotard was on the brink of fame with his ghost-hunting videos when a tragic accident left him a quadriplegic, forcing him to return home to recover. Haunted by a mythological specter tied to Native superstition—never whistle at night—Henry struggles with both his new reality and a dark presence stalking him relentlessly. His girlfriend believes it’s trauma, but Henry knows he must confront the haunting and his past to find peace. Blending Indigenous folklore with raw emotional depth, The Whistler explores grief, resilience, and the shadows both seen and unseen in a gripping supernatural tale.
"Broken Fields"
By Marcie R. Rendon (White Earth Anishinabe Nation)
In "Broken Fields," set in 1970s Minnesota, Ojibwe investigator Cash Blackbear discovers a murdered farmer and a terrified child hiding nearby. As she searches for the missing family and uncovers unsettling truths about the community, another body turns up, turning her search into a race against time. Rich with tension and heart, this gripping novel weaves mystery with the realities of Indigenous life, injustice, and women’s resilience in a changing America.
"We Survived the Night"
By Julian Brave NoiseCat (Canim Lake Band Tsq'secen of the Secwepemc Nation)
In "We Survived the Night," Julian Brave NoiseCat, writer, activist, and director of the Oscar®-nominated film "Sugarcane" blends memoir, journalism, and oral history to explore Indigenous survival, love, and resurgence. Tracing his own journey between Oakland’s urban Native community and his Secwépemc and St’at’imc homelands in British Columbia, NoiseCat weaves together stories of family, loss, and rediscovery. Through his travels across North America, he confronts the erasure of Indigenous histories while amplifying movements for cultural, environmental, and political renewal. Both a personal reconciliation and a reclamation of identity, this powerful narrative reawakens ancestral storytelling traditions to illuminate the resilience of Indigenous people today
