Dedicated to guiding teachers in choosing books that reflect thoughts, beliefs, and experiences of American Indians past and present, these publications are listed below. This bibliography focuses primarily on materials for elementary and secondary students, although it has grown to include publications of interest to the general public. Sections are organized by culture area and tribe, and are further divided into non-fiction and fiction, biographies, and traditional stories. The bibliography concludes with an author and title index. Many excellent publications by native writers, sometimes from little known publishers, provide new perspectives on the values, struggles, and aspirations of native people, or relate traditional stories that vividly describe the creation of the world or the attributes of living creatures.
Balance is an important factor to consider in reviewing books.
We found that some books that were strong in certain aspects were weak in others. For example, a well-written book might contain poor or inappropriate illustrations. Or some books that are considered classics reflect attitudes and language of their time, which may be considered inappropriate or offensive today. Including the disappointing with the excellent provides an opportunity for teachers and students to learn the difference between poorly researched and carelessly written books and those that provide accurate and culturally sensitive material. The questions listed below provided the framework for our evaluations of books on American Indians.