Books That Deepen Understanding of Indigenous Canada

By Yolanda T. Marshall

These books by Indigenous writers give readers a chance to learn, reflect, and celebrate Indigenous experiences and perspectives. Bob Joseph explores Indigenous self-government and what the future could look like beyond the Indian Act. Adrian Sutherland shares personal stories about life in Attawapiskat. Melanie Florence tells a warm story about family, gardening, and Cree traditions in Benjamin Grows a Garden. Each book highlights resilience, culture, and community. Together, they help readers of all ages better understand Indigenous histories and today’s experiences, while offering inspiring stories.

21 Things You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act

Written by Bob Joseph.

“From the bestselling author of21 Things(tm) You May Not Know About the Indian Act comes a powerful new book on dismantling the Indian Act and advancing Indigenous self-governance. Bob Joseph’s21 Things(tm) You May Not Know About the Indian Act captured the attention of hundreds of thousands of Canadians by shining a light on the Indian Act and the problems associated with it. In that book, readers learned that the Consolidated Indian Act of 1876 has controlled the lives of Indigenous Peoples in Canada for generations, and despite its objective to assimilate Indians into the economic and political mainstream, it has had the opposite effect: segregation. They live under different laws and on different lands. People came away from that book with questions such as “Can we get rid of the Indian Act?” and “What would that look like? Would self-government work?” These are timely questions, given that 2026 will mark 150 years since the Consolidated Indian Act of 1876. The short answer to these questions is, yes, we can dismantle the Act, and there are current examples of self-government arrangements that are working. With his trademark wisdom, humility, and deep understanding, Bob Joseph shows us the path forward in21 Things(tm) You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government: A Conversation About Dismantling the Indian Act, in which Indigenous self-governance is already happening and not to be feared—and negotiating more such arrangements, sooner rather than later, is an absolute necessity.” – Page Two Books, Inc., Sept. 2025.

The Work of Our Hands: A Cree Meditation on the Real World

Written by Adrian Sutherland.

“Life is hard in Attawapiskat. Outsiders see the poverty and despair, the sagging, mold-filled houses with generations packed into each one. The substance abuse and the suicides. The decaying water system, that has come to symbolize the everyday injustice faced by First Nations communities.

So why does Juno-nominated Cree musician Adrian Sutherland live there? The Work of Our Hands reveals a dimension of his own experience that headlines cannot capture and outsiders cannot see. The answer to why? Is the answer to how? By exploring his world through the concrete experience of his hands, as they hold a guitar, a hammer, a rifle, or a cannister used to carry water to his family home, and the materials from which the traditional Cree sweat lodge is constructed, Sutherland not only paints a portrait of a world few of us have ever seen, he also lays out the way the world itself can teach us right and wrong as clearly as we can detect a musical note that is off-key. Everyday life in Attawapiskat means choosing a difficult path, learning from the contours and hard edges of the world, and striving to do what is right. That is freedom. How many of us can say we are free? Gritty, personal, and above all attuned to the meaning that we can discern only when we carefully hold the physical world in our hands, Sutherland’s story pulls us away from the abstractions and false promises of the disembodied reality we have stumbled into to approach deeper truth and meaning.” – Viking, December 2025.

                                                                                                                                                        Benjamin Grows a Garden

Written by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Hawlii Pichette.

“Benjamin loves springtime. The grass grows bright green, the birds sing sweet songs and, best of all, Benjamin and his mother start their garden. In just the right order, they plant mahtâmin (corn), pîmiciwacis (beans), and osawipak (squash) for Three Sisters Soup. They plant strawberries to serve with bannock, then zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers. Benjamin and his mom lovingly tend to the garden and watch it grow into a plentiful harvest with enough to share. Throughout the whole summer, Benjamin dreams about the fall, when they’ll have all the ingredients for a feast – and everyone will be invited! In this heartwarming story, award-winning author Melanie Florence evocatively portrays the pleasures and rewards of growing and sharing food. The steps of the gardening process – digging holes, planting seeds, watering – are carefully described, and the yearly cycle of growing, harvesting, eating and then starting again the next year is emphasized. Special attention is paid to the tradition of planting corn, beans and squash together so that each plant by its nature helps the others grow. Benjamin and his mother use Cree words throughout the story, and a pronunciation guide is included at the back of the book for further inquiry. Vivid illustrations by Hawlii Pichette make this a perfect follow-up to the author and illustrator duo’s previous book, Benjamin’s Thunderstorm.”- Kids Can Press, Sept. 2025.

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