She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Wilma Mankiller! Wilma Mankiller grew up with the knowledge that, as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, her people had long suffered mistreatment at the hands of the US government. As she got older and learned more about the injustices they had faced and continued to face, she dedicated her life to helping Native Nations and their citizens reclaim their rights. She went on to become the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Traci Sorell, readers learn about the amazing life of Wilma Mankiller--and how she persisted.&nbsp; &nbsp; Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Wilma Mankiller's footsteps and make a difference! &nbsp; And don't miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Maria Tallchief, Coretta Scott King, Harriet Tubman, and more!

Children's Books

Sorell, Traci

Clinton, Chelsea

Biographies

Philomel Books

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Wilma Mankiller! The descendant of Cherokee ancestors who had been forced to walk the Trail of Tears, Wilma Mankiller experienced her own forced removal from the land she grew up on as a child. As she got older and learned more about the injustices her people had faced, she dedicated her life to instilling pride in Native heritage and reclaiming Native rights. She went on to become the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Traci Sorell, readers learn about the amazing life of Wilma Mankiller--and how she persisted. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Wilma Mankiller's footsteps and make a difference!A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum. And don't miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted!

The true story of John Meyers and Charles Bender, who in 1911 became the first two Native pro baseball players to face off in a World Series. This picture book teaches important lessons about resilience, doing what you love in the face of injustice, and the fight for Native American representation in sports.\nCharles Bender grew up on the White Earth Reservation in Northwestern Minnesota. John Meyers was raised on the Cahuilla reservation in Southern California. Despite their mutual respect for each other's talents and their shared dedication to Native representation in baseball, the media was determined to pit them against each other.\nHowever, they never gave up on their dreams of being pro baseball players and didn’t let the supposed rivalry created by the media or the racism they faced within the stadium stop them. They continued to break barriers and went on to play a combined total of nine championships.\nWith text by Traci Sorell and illustrations by Arigon Starr that brings these two players to life, the stories of John Meyers and Charles Bender remain an inspiration for achieving and maintaining one’s dreams in the face of prejudice.

Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series

History

Kokila

A family, separated by duty and distance, waits for a loved one to return home in this lyrical picture book celebrating the bonds of a Cherokee family and the bravery of history-making women pilots. At the mountain's base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family -- loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them through trials on the ground and in the sky, as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war. With an author's note that pays homage to the true history of Native American U.S. service members like WWII pilot Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat, this is a story that reveals the roots that ground us, the dreams that help us soar, and the people and traditions that hold us up.

At the Mountain's Base

Literature & Fiction

We Are Grateful (English and Cherokee Edition)

Live Oak Media

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work. Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross's journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. In addition, the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all. "A stellar addition to the genre that will launch careers and inspire for generations, it deserves space alongside stories of other world leaders and innovators."--starred, Kirkus Reviews

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Millbrook Press ™

2019 Sibert Honor Book 2019 Orbis Pictus Honor Book NPR's Guide To 2018’s Great Reads 2018 Book Launch Award (SCBWI) Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2018 School Library Journal Best Books of 2018 2018 JLG selection 2019 Reading the West Picture Book Award The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah. "A gracious, warm, and loving celebration of community and gratitude"—Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW "The book underscores the importance of traditions and carrying on a Cherokee way of life"—Horn Book STARRED REVIEW "This informative and authentic introduction to a thriving ancestral and ceremonial way of life is perfect for holiday and family sharing"—School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW "An elegant representation"—Shelf Awareness STARRED REVIEW

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

Charlesbridge

In this uplifting, contemporary Native American story, River is recovering from illness and can't dance at the powwow this year. Will she ever dance again? River wants so badly to dance at powwow day as she does every year. In this uplifting and contemporary picture book perfect for beginning readers, follow River's journey from feeling isolated after an illness to learning the healing power of community. Additional information explains the history and functions of powwows, which are commonplace across the United States and Canada and are open to both Native Americans and non-Native visitors. Author Traci Sorell is a member of the Cherokee Nation, and illustrator Madelyn Goodnight is a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Powwow Day

Holidays & Celebrations

Product Description 
Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here!\nToo often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of relevant and ongoing. This companion book to the award-winning 
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people's past, present, and future. Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including: forced assimilation (such as boarding schools), land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination (the US government not recognizing tribes as nations), Native urban relocation (from reservations), self-determination (tribal self-empowerment), Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development (including casino development), Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood. 
 From School Library Journal 
Gr 4-6-Students at the Native Nations Community School share presentations about the history, present, and future of Indigenous communities. The vivid artwork features a simple, bold style. The narrative starts with a general introduction of Native Nations in the United States. Each presentation contains illustrations with the student's name, an overview of the subject, a brief list of the impact that the concept or historical moment had on Native American people, and the refrain "We Are Still Here!" The last pages show students and their families with a variety of skin tones and physical abilities studying the presentations on topics that include sovereign rights and relocation. Additional information, a time line, a glossary, sources, and an author's note offer further context. The lyrical text and jewel-tone illustrations elegantly work together to stirringly portray the ongoing fight for Native American recognition and rights. VERDICT An essential purchase for introducing the impact laws and treaties had and continue to have on Native Nations.-Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Lib., WAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. 
 Review 
♦ Students at the Native Nations Community School share presentations about the history, present, and future of Indigenous communities. The vivid artwork features a simple, bold style. The narrative starts with a general introduction of Native Nations in the United States. Each presentation contains illustrations with the student’s name, an overview of the subject, a brief list of the impact that the concept or historical moment had on Native American people, and the refrain “We Are Still Here!” The last pages show students and their families with a variety of skin tones and physical abilities studying the presentations on topics that include sovereign rights and relocation. Additional information, a time line, a glossary, sources, and an author’s note offer further context. The lyrical text and jewel-tone illustrations elegantly work together to stirringly portray the ongoing fight for Native American recognition and rights. VERDICT An essential purchase for introducing the impact laws and treaties had and continue to have on Native Nations. 
— 
School Library Journal, starred review\n♦ In this meticulously researched nonfiction picture book, Sibert honorees Sorell and Lessac team up once again to answer this question: What has happened to Native Nations and their citizens after the treaties with the U.S. government ended in 1871? 
 Lessac’s trademark colorful, folk-art–style illustrations show a Native American community school with a classroom of diverse students preparing for presentations at the Indigenous People’s Day assembly. Spread by spread, each child speaks, featured words and terms highlighting the journey Native Nations have taken to reclaim their land and rights. They show why Indigenous

We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know

Vann, a struggling stickball player, competes in a game on the Cherokee Nation. Can he help his team win? Written by award-winning Cherokee author Traci Sorell. Vann loves playing his tribe's stickball game, but he's not as skilled as his teammates. Vann stumbles, and he tries and fails to score. How can he help his teammates win?&nbsp; Exciting and fast-paced, Clack, Clack! Smack! reminds readers that sportsmanship and being a team player is just as important as being the star. Back matter explains the origins of Cherokee stickball.

Clack, Clack! Smack! A Cherokee Stickball Story (International Development in Focus)

Activities, Crafts & Games

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sorell, Traci. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Sorell, Traci

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sorell, Traci. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller

She Persisted: Wilma Mankiller

Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series

At the Mountain's Base

We Are Grateful (English and Cherokee Edition)

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

Powwow Day

We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know

Clack, Clack! Smack! A Cherokee Stickball Story (International Development in Focus)