An insightful book that will be of great assistance to classroom teachers who are interested in how Indigenous perspectives may be resident in fiction intended for children and youth. Indigenous education is a developing field of study and practice for which this work is a valuable contribution. Given that primary and secondary school educators are interested in providing students with materials that will enhance their learning of the Indigenous people’s experience and other topics that are germane to reconciliation, Philpot’s books will be a valuable resource. Philpot offers readers an important exploration of how fiction may appropriately reflect Indigenous culture, knowledge, and protocols. A great book!

Frank Deer, professor, Canada Research Chair and Associate Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

Indigenous Novels, Indigenized Worlds by Don K. Philpot, is a fascinating look at Indigenous culture, values, and traditions. The distinctiveness of the worldview and customs of Indigenous people is captured in this work. This book makes a significant contribution to the value of Indigenous knowledge and brings light to the world of Indigenous thought and story. The cultural values and traditions are authentic and well researched. The exploration of how these novels can provide deeper insight into Indigenous life is timely and supports understanding of Indigenous identity.

Angelina Weenie, PhD. Associate Professor, First Nations University of Canada, Indigenous Education Program Coordinator, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Anyone who still associates early Hollywood’s version of American Indians on a skinny horse pulling a travois across the desolate plains should find this book richly educational. Indigenous Novels, Indigenized Worlds by Don K. Philpot, is encyclopedic in information yet highly readable. Meticulously written, the book is an intriguing analysis and compilation of 24 Indigenous-authored (Native American and First Nation Canadian) novels for young people. Philpot fleshes out some 150 indigenizing features from Indigenous communities distinct in geographies, cultures, languages, eras and circumstances. He focuses on diverse cultural accomplishments and expressions, both material and nonmaterial, and the “lived experiences” of Indigenous peoples. The book offers a framework for understanding the complexities of Indigenous literatures, histories and contemporary issues. A significant contribution for educators from a wide variety of fields.

Emma LaRocque, PhD, Professor, Indigenous Studies, University of Manitoba

With its comprehensive attention to the indigenized worlds internal to 24 North American novels for young people, Don K. Philpot addresses a significant gap in available scholarly work. The additional features involving information about the Indigenous authors who created these novels, as well as an annotated bibliography of titles, make this an especially valuable resource for librarians, in-service and pre-service teachers, teacher educators, educational researchers, English literature scholars, and Indigenous writers seeking to create new novels that break patterns of stereotype and colonialism in resources for young people. The spotlight on this focus group of books, and their specific contents, will definitely support their successful introduction into myriad learning environments.

Beverley Brenna, PhD, Professor Emerita, College of Education, Children's Literature and Literacy, University of Saskatchewan

Indigenized Novels, Indigenized Worlds is a valuable resource for educators wishing to instill an understanding of Indigenous literatures and world views in classrooms with 10-16 year old readers. The book examines works of Indigenous fiction from a broad cross-section of nations and cultures, emphasizing their textual features and common themes/tropes. Philpot does not make the mistake of using a “Pan-Indian” approach in his analysis. The wide variety of languages and cultures represented in the texts emphasizes the heterogeneity of Indigenous experiences, as well as what these fictionalized worlds of Indigenous experience have in common. The books that Philpot draws from span Canadian and US contexts. This breadth is not often found in discussions of North American Indigenous literatures, which tend to focus on either the Canadian or the American experience exclusively. Indigenized Novels is well organized and provides educators, especially those with little background in Indigenous literatures, with a functional teaching tool. The annotated references and descriptions of the novels make it a very useful and practical guide. Of particular note is Philpot’s section on “Language Use, Stories, and Storytelling.” Ironic in the most positive sense of the word, here the author shows an understanding of Indigenous knowledge making in terms of story, while simultaneously unpacking other narratives, including those of Western style educational discourse.

Blanca Schorcht, PhD, Professor Emerita, Comparative Literature, University of Northern British Columbia