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 Notes
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

This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

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
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?

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

X
X

X
X
X

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

Comments:

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

Yes

No

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
Does this book use inclusive language?

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

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

-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 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
4

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

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

X
X
X

5
6

7
8

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

10

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?

11
12

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
-Hispanic/Latino/Latina
-White
-African American/Black
-People with Disabilities

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
represents
Native
American
culture.

2
3
4
5
6

7
8
9
10
11
12

-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 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
X
X

Native
Americans

X
X
X
X
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

7
8
9

10
11
12

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

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

Yes

No

N/A

Notes
This story
depicts a
Native
American
tribe

X
X
X
X

Native
Americans

X
X

X
X
X

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

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.