Welcome to Litsy!

Four #NativeAmerican authors that I have read and enjoyed-
Top is Sherman Alexie and Lisa Charleyboy;
Bottom is Joy Harjo and Darci Little Badger

#NovemberNarrative @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

A collection of poems, art, essays, photography, and quotes from Native American women covering ground from stereotypes to sexual violence, building community to self-love. Beautifully designed and enlightening. A quick read for anyone wanting to learn more about contemporary indigenous culture and experiences.

I think this is labeled as a YA book, but it‘s an important read for all ages. Experiences of indigenous American and Canadian girls and women through poetry, art, anecdotes, and stories. The conversation with a massage therapist above is maddening. Learn that saying things like that is inconsiderate, uninformed, and racist.

I loved this book. It really opened my eyes to things. Important book. Powerful, passionate,must read. The pictures are so beautiful. The stories are thought provoking,heartbreaking.

This morning before getting ready for work, I had a chance to finish this. Another one for my #readharderchallenge read a YA nonfiction #readharder

You are loved
You are worthy of love and respect
And you can be loved,
Even on the days when you believe you are nothing.
People will come and go
Some are cigarette break
Others are forest fires.
And not everything you lose is a loss
I also need you to remember that:
You are allowed to cry
You are allowed to scream
But you are not allowed to give up.
If you ever need a hero
Become one.

A book by an indigenous women ✔
I underestimated this title. I thought, oh this will be a quick easy read to complete a task. Wrong. I have Native American blood in my own family line and yet I have allowed society to cloud my lense on people I know little about. I'm humbled. Art, poetry, interviews, and more, this collection definetly made me rethink what I know and what I thought I knew about a culture as old as it is modern.

This was an interesting nonfiction multimedia book with photography, paintings, drawings, collage, poetry, and personal narratives. It‘s all about the portrayals of indigenous women in the US and Canada.

This is an incredibly important and relevant book. Told in a combination of verse and art, this is a mixed media and non-linear storytelling collage of the experiences and identity of Native American women in today‘s world. Very much worth reading not only for the beauty of their words but also to educate.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5)

Not sure why my library classifies this as YA, as I think it speaks to any age group. This compilation of artwork and prose seeks to break stereotypes of Indigenous women in both the US and Canada, empower them and give them a voice. As someone who tries to be an ally to marginalized groups, It is prudent to listen and hear from them speak from their perspective. There is power and strength in the artwork and poems, especially.

The artwork in this book is amazing.
This piece: Memories by Aura Last (Oneida)
#readingwomenchallenge indigenous author #diversereads #librarybook

Saturday mornings I pick my oldest up from jujitsu and the two of us go to the library. Lately, the new books shelf has had some good choices. Just last week I saw they finally got a copy of Crazy Rich Asians. 😁 Today, I saw this and would have checked it out if it weren't for the two books I already have checked out via Overdrive. I try not to check out books till I am ready to read them, so I have to wait a bit for this one. #blameitonlitsy

This book is beautiful. The contributors celebrate their achievements and mark their struggles as Indigenous women through poetry, art, comics, profiles, and personal essays. It's an important and affecting work, and a must-read for North Americans.

This was powerful and eye opening.

So incredibly amazing! I couldn‘t put it down and now have so many other directions to read in using this as a launching off point. All of the women contributors are fabulous and in turns sucker punched me or had me fist pumping the air. 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This compilation of Native American and Canadian stories, poems, and artwork expresses what it's like to be an indigenous female in today's society. It shatters stereotypes, sheds light on the crimes of colonisation, and gives hope for a brighter future. As part of the white majority, this helps me understand how we are all much more alike than we are different. An excellent quick but thought-provoking read.

somewhere we learned how to create an asylum
for the very things
that plague our dreams
somewhere we learned blind eyes and buried skeletons
provide just enough relief
to live just enough
without ever really living

this is what needs to be said, needs to be shown, and needs to be told
because our daughters will one day grow old
and maybe they'll be women
with short-term memories
practicing daily burial ceremonies
focused on forgetting
-Helen Knott

#notyourprincess is the voices of Native American women telling their stories of the many struggles and issues they face. It is a must read in the talk about diversity.

Excellent compilation. A must read for Indigenous ya, all young adults. #notyourprincess, #notyourpocahontas, #notyourmascot.

An outstanding collection of short literary works and artworks created by #Indigenous women from across North America. Poetry, comics format, personal essays, inspiring quotes — there‘s all kinds of good stuff here in a visually appealing scrapbook-like format.
(Illustration above is by Danielle Daniel.)
#IndigenousReads #OwnVoices

It is great to revisit in this book artwork that is familiar to me, like this piece, Baby-Girlz-Gotta-Mustang by Dana Claxton. Claxton‘s work was shown in Edmonton at the Art Gallery of Alberta a number of years ago. She is Hunkpapa Lakota and a professor at the University of British Columbia.

we grow brave
in the absence
of any safe touch,
in our father‘s rage.
we have nothing,
everything is in us
our love of these
impossible bodies
our faith in this
unbroken sky
our trust of the
infinite universe
our souls to burn
as an offering
to any being
who will listen.

—from Honour Song, Gwen Benaway
Art (detail) —Chief Lady Bird

#Indigenous #Anishinaabe #LGBTQ
#poetrychallenge2018

They walk inside me. This blood
is a map of the road between us.
I am why they survived.
The world behind them did not close.
The world before them is still open.
All around me are my ancestors,
my unborn children.

From:Tear by Linda Hogan. Art by Wakeah Jhane.

#Indigenous #poetrychallenge2018

“All over the news there are Native girls being hurt and abused. I feel afraid when I walk around. But I don‘t want to be afraid. I want to have good energy.”
—Imajyn Cardinal (pictured above in the film The Saver)

My Cheechum used to tell me that when the government gives you something, they take all that you have in return—your pride, your dignity, all the things that make you a living soul. When they are sure they have everything, they give you a blanket to cover your shame.
—Maria Campbell

Art: Enrollment by Ka‘ila Farrell-Smith

#Indigenous

The combination of art and short pieces of text is very appealing in this anthology by #Indigenous women. Image above is ‘RedWoman‘ by Aza E Abe.

Text Sets are my fav way to teach! Found #NotYourPrincess in our school library and am going to use some excerpts along with ATDOFPTI!

For me this book was so-so. It is geared for Native American teen girls, and I appreciated the range of voices giving at-risk girls hope, confidence, and support. The contributions are all very brief with many pages of artwork and photography. For me it was a tiny glimpse at the struggles of indigenous women to overcome violence, addiction, and assimilation. I wish the essays were longer. I wanted more depth.

This book, targeted at young readers, is a collection of art, poetry, short prose pieces and more from Native American women. Each piece includes the tribal affiliations of the contributor. These are important voices to not only hear but lift above the rabble. Great collection.

This is an amazing book. What an incredible look at what it is to be an Indigenous woman through the eyes of 58 different women.

For those interested in understanding Indigenous culture this is a must-read for middle schoolers and up.

8/100 #crossculturalstories

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Although this book published September 2017, I got a Netgalley approval today. I moved it up my TBR and am sneaking in some reading while my students complete an assignment.

Each piece in here was worth reading. Many of them hit me in the gut. There isn't much cohesion but that was okay. I liked the diversity in the pieces, the medium of the work as well as the tribal affiliations of the creators.

Long over due review. #ARC from #NetGalley

I finished Saga Volume 8 and The Girl Who Drank the Moon (both excellent) and am turning my attention to this again. Bath reading, and the water is growing tepid.

From "The Things We Tell Our Daughters" by Helen Knott (Dane Zaa/Cree) ?

Trying to read down Mount Review Copy. This anthology of work by Native women is hitting me in the soul. Oof.

Seems like I just missed Native American Heritage Month, but this seems like an intense read. #ARC

No better way to celebrate Native American History Month than reading the words of modern Indigenous women. This book is a must-read. So powerful; I want to press it into the hands of everyone I know!

A few minutes late, but I just finished this. #RiotGrams new acquisition! I have had this on hold with the library since summer when the library preordered a copy, so I got to check it out as soon as they received their copy of it!

Fantastic read. Filled with poetry, art, and essays that will take your breath away. Absolutely judge this book by its (gorgeous) cover, and grab a copy right away.

I went to a book preview today independent Canadian publisher! It was a swanky night filled with books! This is the first of two posts!