Title: Did You Hear Wind Sing Your Name?

An Oneida Song of Spring

Author: Sandra De Coteau Orie
Illustrator: Christopher Canyon
Grade: PreK-3 grade
ISBN: 0-8027-7485-7
Copyright Date: 1995
Summary: This book is a representation of what the Oneida Indians view of the
cycle of spring is. This book also pays respect to the historical symbols that
represent the unity of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, which includes
the Oneida, Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Tuscarora. The
representations in this book are also for the importance of the celebration of the life
cycle, flowers giving people beauty, and the importance of the Hawk in the Six
Nations Native American culture.

Questions

Yes

No

N/A

Are the characters of the story

from a variety of cultures and/or
backgrounds?
-Native American/American
Indian
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-White
-African American/Black
-People with Disabilities
-Religion
Does it represent multiple
perspectives?

Is the language used free of

stereotypes?
Are there stereotypes about
family relationships?
Does this book show the points
of view for a particular group?
Is the book free of racial
stereotypes?
-White
-African American/Black
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-Native American/American
Indian
Are there stereotypes in the
illustrations?
Is this book free of female
stereotypes?
-Are the women in the book
cooking, stay at home moms,
cleaning.
Is this book free of male
stereotypes?
-Leader of the home
-Family member who makes the
money

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

The book is
about Native
American
culture and
nature.
X
X
X
X

X
X

This book is
about
nature/spring
This book is
about
nature/spring

Does this book use inclusive

language?
-Does the language show that all
people are treated with respect?
Does this book portray a specific
group in a positive manner?
Is the author qualified to write
this book?
-Does the author have
background knowledge of the
related topic?
Comments:

X
X

This book
does a great
job of talking
about the
importance
of nature in
the Oneida
Nation
culture. This
book also
shows the
respect that
the Oneida
Nation has
for the hawk,
and the life
cycle

Title: Northwoods Cradle Song: From a Menominee Lullaby

Author: Douglas Wood
Illustrator: Lisa Desimini
Ages: 3 and up
ISBN: 0-689-80503-9
Copyright: 1996
Summary: This story is of a Menominee lullaby, the restful song of the whippoorwill, the
wings of the moths, and the heron watching for the moon to all come together to lull a
little warrior to sleep. This text is soothing and has great imagery of pine forests and
peaceful lakes and is perfect way for families to share regarding a different culture from
their own.
Questions
Are the characters of
the story from a variety
of cultures and/or
backgrounds?
-Native
American/American
Indian
-Asian American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

-White
-African
American/Black
-People with
Disabilities
-Religion
Does it represent
multiple perspectives?
Is the language used
free of stereotypes?
Are there stereotypes
about family
relationships?
Does this book show
the points of view for a
particular group?
Is the book free of racial
stereotypes?
-White
-African
American/Black
-Asian American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-Native
American/American
Indian
Are there stereotypes in
the illustrations?
Is this book free of
female stereotypes?
-Are the women in the
book cooking, stay at
home moms, cleaning.
Is this book free of male
stereotypes?
-Leader of the home
-Family member who
makes the money
Does this book use
inclusive language?
-Does the language
show that all people are

The book is
about Native
American
culture
X
X
X
The
characters in
this book
have tan skin
and long
black hair

X
X

treated with respect?

Does this book portray
a specific group in a
positive manner?
Is the author qualified
to write this book?
-Does the author have
background knowledge
of the related topic?
Comments:

X
X

This book does a

great job about
describing some of
the traditional songs
that the Menominee
tribe feels is
important. If the
students do not have
much knowledge on
the Menominee tribe,
however, the
students will need to
be more informed
about this topic.

Title: Buffalo Woman

Author: Paul Goble
Illustrator: Paul Goble
Grade: 2-5
ISBN: 0-6897-1109-3
Copyright:1987
Summary: This story is about a young Buffalo Nation woman who marries a man from a
different tribe who is later shunned from the tribe. The man then sets out to find his
woman and son. This book is about the power of love and the quiet respect for nature.
Questions
1

2
3

Yes

Are the characters of the story

from a variety of cultures
and/or backgrounds?
-Native American/American
Indian
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-White
-African American/Black
-People with Disabilities
-Religion
Does it represent multiple
X
perspectives?
Is the language used free of
X
stereotypes?

No

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

4
5
6

7
8

10

11
12

Are there stereotypes about

family relationships?
Does this book show the
points of view for a particular
group?
Is the book free of racial
stereotypes?
-White
-African American/Black
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-Native American/American
Indian
Are there stereotypes in the
illustrations?
Is this book free of female
stereotypes?
-Are the women in the book
cooking, stay at home moms,
cleaning.
Is this book free of male
stereotypes?
-Leader of the home
-Family member who makes
the money
Does this book use inclusive
language?
-Does the language show that
all people are treated with
respect?
Does this book portray a
specific group in a positive
manner?
Is the author qualified to
write this book?
-Does the author have
background knowledge of the
related topic?

X
X
X

X
X

X
X

The woman
is cooking
and making
different
articles of
clothing
The males
are hunting
and getting
food for the
family

Title: The First Strawberries

Author: Joseph Bruchac
Illustrator: Anna Vojtech
Grade: PreK-1st grade
ISBN: 0-1405-6409-9
Copyright: 1998
Summary: This book represents a Cherokee legend that explains how strawberries
came to be. The first man and first woman were fighting and as the woman stormed
off the Sun sent many tempting berries to Earth to slow the woman down as she is
walking away.
Questions
1

Are the characters of

the story from a variety
of cultures and/or
backgrounds?
-Native
American/American
Indian
-Asian American

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

2
3
4
5
6

7
8

10

Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-White
-African
American/Black
-People with
Disabilities
-Religion
Does it represent
multiple perspectives?
Is the language used
free of stereotypes?
Are there stereotypes
about family
relationships?
Does this book show
the points of view for a
particular group?
Is the book free of
racial stereotypes?
-White
-African
American/Black
-Asian American
Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-Native
American/American
Indian
Are there stereotypes
in the illustrations?
Is this book free of
female stereotypes?
-Are the women in the
book cooking, stay at
home moms, cleaning.
Is this book free of
male stereotypes?
-Leader of the home
-Family member who
makes the money
Does this book use
inclusive language?
-Does the language
show that all people

X
X
X
X

Native
Americans

X
X

11
12

are treated with

respect?
Does this book portray
a specific group in a
positive manner?
Is the author qualified
to write this book?
-Does the author have
background knowledge
of the related topic?
Comments:

X
X

This story would

be great in
teaching students
not only about
Native American
culture but
different stories
that were told for
different tribes.
This story also
shows the
importance of love
and how there is
always a way to fix
things.

Title: How Raven Stole the Sun

Author: Maria Williams

Illustrator: Felix Vigil
Grades: 1-3
ISBN: 0-7892-0163-8
Copyright: 2001
Summary: This is a Tlingit tribe story that is brought to life with illustrations that
convey a sense of the traditional life of the Northwest Coast people. There was a
pure white raven, just like fresh snow, who wanted to have more than light from
campfires and the chief kept the stars, moon and the sun, locked up in carved boxes.
The shape-shifting Raven resourcefully transformed himself into the chiefs
grandson and tricked him into opening the boxes and releasing the starlight and
moonlight. One day he transformed back into his normal self and the chief caught
him and locked him in his house. The raven was forced to escape through a small
smoke hold and that is now why ravens are black as smoke instead of as white as
snow.
Questions
1

2
3
4
5
6

Are the characters of the story

from a variety of cultures
and/or backgrounds?
-Native American/American
Indian
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-White
-African American/Black
-People with Disabilities
-Religion
Does it represent multiple
perspectives?
Is the language used free of
stereotypes?
Are there stereotypes about
family relationships?
Does this book show the
points of view for a particular
group?
Is the book free of racial
stereotypes?
-White
-African American/Black
-Asian American
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
depicts a
Native
American
tribe

X
X
X
X
X

Native
Americans

7
8

10

11
12

-Native American/American
Indian
Are there stereotypes in the
illustrations?
Is this book free of female
stereotypes?
-Are the women in the book
cooking, stay at home moms,
cleaning.
Is this book free of male
stereotypes?
-Leader of the home
-Family member who makes
the money

X
X

The main
character is
a raven
The chief
was the
head of the
tribe and
controlled
the whole
tribe

Does this book use inclusive

X
language?
-Does the language show that
all people are treated with
respect?
Does this book portray a
X
specific group in a positive
manner?
Is the author qualified to
X
write this book?
-Does the author have
background knowledge of the
related topic?
Comments: This book would be very good in showing students different stories that
specific tribes told their people. I feel this book would be a great book to describe
different Native American cultures but also different stories that children may not
have heard.