American Indians in Children's Literature Best Books of 2023!

Taos Pueblo Four Seasons series of board books for young children: Taos Pueblo Winter, Taos Pueblo Spring, Taos Pueblo Summer, and Taos Pueblo Fall.

The text-free books allow Indigenous nations to teach their own Native language to children. The hand-drawn illustrations are culturally relevant and feature traditional settings and lifestyles that allow non-Native children to learn about the four seasons through an Indigenous culture.

The books tell the story of the Red Willow People of Taos Pueblo, located in present-day northern New Mexico. It is one of the longest continuous communities, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their Tiwa language, a dialect of Tanoan, is unwritten and taught through oral tradition. It is in danger of being lost due to colonization and the shift toward teaching English. 

The books are an important addition to schools and libraries seeking to add culturally diverse books to their collections.

Proceeds directly support the Taos Pueblo Tiwa Language Program.