In light of TDSB’s new initiative to feature more Indigenous authors, we’ve compiled a list of writers and novels to start adding to your bookshelves

By Hajir Butt

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is bringing new changes to their curriculum. Shakespeare, Dickens and Fitzgerald were among many popular authors taught in Grade 11 English courses at Toronto schools. Now, these works will be replaced with refreshing reads from Indigenous writers as part of the “English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices” class.

The class has been created as a course that can fulfill the compulsory grade 11 English credit requirement, according to a news report from Toronto.com. This decision has been implemented in school districts across Ontario like the TDSB and the York Region District School Board.

The literary world has begun to focus on and highlight Indigenous literature, masterful storytellers and impactful stories from which students and people alike can learn. 

With this exciting change on the way, here is a list of both classic and recent Young Adult (YA) books by Indigenous authors that are quintessential to immersing yourself in this genre. 

Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson

A riveting novel that takes you into a whirlwind of emotions, Monkey Beach tells the story of Lisamarie, a girl from the Haisla Native community in B.C., searching for her missing brother. Readers embark alongside Lisamarie as she learns how to overcome the struggles throughout different stages of her life. This book will cast a spell on those who read it, engaging them with powerful prose, beautifully crafted characters and narratives that will find you leaving your heart within its pages. 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters 

A young girl who goes missing near a blueberry field, the brother who last saw her, the seemingly perfect life of Norma and the hidden intricacies that tie them together. This story combines each narrative with vibrancy, touches of humour and depth, highlighting the significance family, culture and connection have in our lives. 

Waiting for the Long Night Moon by Amanda Peters

A beautiful collection of short fiction, Peters brings together various experiences of Indigenous stories, varying from time and place. Each story highlights a different person. A young man who feels detached from his culture after being in residential school, a woman who begins to heal through her role as a water protector, a girl practicing her first traditional dance, and an elderly man longing for death. Waiting for the Long Night Moon provides readers with evocative and masterful descriptions of its characters’ experiences. From young to old to different genders, this compilation of short stories aims to amplify the voices of every Indigenous identity, ensuring each of their voices impacts those who hear them. 

One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet by Richard Wagamese 

Shortly before he died in 2017, Wagamese compiled a manuscript that embraces Ojibwe teachings and traditions. One Drum spotlights the value and tradition of unity and spiritual connection. Wagamese brings together the idea that together, everyone can form a bond, allowing us to beat like “one drum.” 

A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter 

A story that spans five generations of women, A Grandmother Begins the Story gives perspective on women, the young, the elderly and even those in the afterlife. Carter is a young mother eager to get in touch with her ancestry once more. Carter’s mother, Allie, longs for a relationship with her daughter and is trying to protect her from her own mother, Lucie. We also have Genevieveis battling addiction and grappling with the death of her sibling. Watching over all of them is Mamé in the Afterlife desperate to ensure that her family will thrive. This novel weaves a powerful tale of womanhood, the relationships we try to protect and the importance of holding onto your identity. 

Godless But Loyal to Heaven by Richard Van Camp

Horror, science fiction, contemporary and more, are all entwined into this novel. Richard Van Camp delivers a range of unexpected and powerful narratives that tell Indigenous stories with a uniqueness unlike any other. Godless But Loyal to Heaven will make you feel. Whether your spine shivers or tears form in your eyes, each story will leave a lasting impression. 

Pemmican Wars (A Girl Called Echo #1) by Katherena Vermette

The first of a series, Pemmican Wars is a graphic novel that paints a beautiful, riveting story of respecting and cherishing your ancestry. Echo Desjardin, a 13-year-old Metis girl, is transported to the buffalo hunting days of her ancestors. Immersed in a seemingly unknown world, Echo must learn the traditions of her ancestors, and not only find her way home but find her place within history.