Book Review: I Am Indigenous

People with Indigenous heritage throughout the Americas and the world might not always feel comfortable identifying as Indigenous or really know what it means or carry the traditions of their ancestors with them.

Anne Tenning, a member of the Stz’uminus First Nation on Vancouver Island, found in working with Indigenous young people they were not always confident to define themselves or understand their culture. She wrote this book, which is a poem about being Indigenous and being proud of who you are. It’s available in English and French.

The book is called I Am Indigenous, and it is illustrated by 13 Indigenous artists who reflect different aspects of and feelings about being Indigenous in their illustrations. There’s a wide range of art, from colorful designs with floral motifs to realistic looking family and school scenes.

The story reflects that Indigenous people don’t all look the same or come from the same place. They don’t have the same names or history and they might be connected to their ancestors and traditions or they might just be learning. They might live on a reservation or in a city far from where their ancestors lived. But they are all Indigenous.

This book is a call both to Indigenous kids and others that being Indigenous doesn’t mean one thing. You don’t have to act a certain way or know the language or participate in the music, dance and rituals of your people, though you can of course also do those things.

It’s aimed at young readers around kindergarten age (though some of the words might be a little complicated for that age group) but I think slightly older kids would get something out of this book too. It would be a nice one to have on the shelf if there are Indigenous kids in your classroom, and even if there aren’t as we get closer to Indigenous People’s Day and Thanksgiving, it’s a great way to talk about the fact that Indigenous people are still around and to look at Indigenous art from a bunch of artists all at once.

About the book: 40 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Orca Book Publishers. Suggested retail price $21.99.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year (because it celebrates the time period when several countries gained their independence) and it’s a great time to bring in some Hispanic inspired crafts and foods. For an overview on the celebration, the difference between Hispanic and Latino and the importance of the holiday, as well as a look at Latino art and famous Latinos and Latinas, check out this post and related information from the National Museum of the American Latino.

Spanish Playground has a great collection of craft ideas that you can do in Spanish class or with kids in any class or at home. It includes things like weaving, making mola (folk art from Panama; learn more at Kid World Citizen), doing an artist study of a Hispanic artist and more.

Crafty Chica has a great collection of crafts, coloring pages and printables for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with kids. I love this coloring page inspired by Amante bark painting, but there are also folk art stamps, corn husk dolls, tile painting ideas and more.

Papel picado is a classic folk art from Mexico that will feel familiar if you’ve ever made a paper snowflake. Learn how to make them from tissue paper with this video from Hispanic Society Museum and Library.

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month, get recipes and crafts from PBS Kids. I love this Peruvian siku flute, which can be made with old markers or paper straws.

While not exactly a craft, playing loteria (a Spanish language bingo game) is a fun thing to do with a group of kids. Free Kids Crafts has printable bingo cards with basic Spanish vocabulary and images for people who don’t already know these words.

And if you need a little snack when you’re done crafting, try these no bake mini tres leches cakes from Inspired by Family. They’re made with purchased pound cake so they’re pretty fast and easy.

Have you read?

Leave a Reply