K – 2nd Grade Literary Picks

A curated list of works on Maine Native History written for youngsters with rich stories, curious characters, and beautiful illustrations.

Book cover showing a drawing of a small island in a bay with flowers in the foreground. Text: Little People of the Dawn.
Little People of the Dawn is a beautiful Passamaquoddy story about a girl, Lili, who comes upon the Little People while on a visit to Second Island. Lili sets out to meet them, and along the way must learn her tribal language and ways if she is to communicate with them. The story reminds us of the importance of knowing our ways and caring for the earth.
Image of a book cover. A girl sits on the ground in a meadow braiding grass.
In The First Blade of Sweetgrass Musquon must overcome her impatience while learning to distinguish sweetgrass from other salt marsh grasses. This sweet, authentic story from a Maliseet mother and her Passamaquoddy husband includes back matter about traditional basket making and a Wabanaki glossary.
Image of a book cover with an owl, a man with dark hair and a small blond boy, both carrying bundles of grass.
Remember Me is the story of United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s boyhood summers on Campobello Island, where he met and befriended Tomah Joseph, a Passamaquoddy elder and former chief.
Image of book cover with man and boy sitting under a birch tree.
The Canoe Maker is the story of Tobias and his father, David Moses Bridges, looking for the perfect birch and gathering spruce roots, cedar, and spruce gum to build a canoe in the “old ways.” In this book, David weaves Native American storytelling into the ancient art and spirituality of canoe making, including the legend of the partridge, the first canoe maker.
Thanks to the Animals is the story of Little Zoo Sap who was separated from his family and how the animals protected him until his father returned for him.
Image of the cover of a book. A drawing of a small boy, hands weaving a basket, and the title "Kunu's Basket"
Kunu’s Basket is the story of the boy Kunu, who wants to make a pack basket like the other men on Indian Island but has trouble until his grandfather intervenes.
Book cover - drawing of two young people in Native American dress.
The Mi’kmaq focuses on the heritage of the Mi’kmaq people. This book is divided into four sections: Abundant Forest, Rivers of Fish; Family and Community; Traditional Mi’kmaq Skills; and Medicine and Magic & includes many illustrations.
Book cover - drawing of a supernatural being with moth antennae holding a lightening bolt.
The Thundermaker is the story of how Big Thunder teaches his son, Little Thunder, about the important responsibility of making thunder for his people. Little Thunder learns about his Mi’kmaw identity through his father’s teachings and his mother’s traditional stories.