Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition

Ages 12 to 18, Grades 7 to 12

From the acclaimed Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer comes an essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers alike.

Ranging from “Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?” to “Why is it called a ‘traditional Indian fry bread taco’?“ to “What’s it like for natives who don’t look native?” to “Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?”, and beyond, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition) does exactly what its title says for young readers, in a style consistently thoughtful, personal, and engaging.

Updated and expanded to include:

* Dozens of New Questions and New Sections—including a social activism section that explores the Dakota Access Pipeline, racism, identity, politics, and more!

* Over 50 new Photos

* Adapted text for broad appeal

P R A I S E

GOLDEN KITE AWARD WINNER

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY’S BEST OF THE BEST

KIRKUS’ BEST OF THE YEAR

ABC GROUP BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

TLA’S 2022 TEXAS TOPAZ READING LIST

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY’S BEST TEEN BOOK COVERS OF THE YEAR

ILLUMINATIVE CHILDREN’S BOOK GIFT GUIDE

AICL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2021

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

2022 TEXAS TOPAZ SELECTION

CYBILS AWARDS FINALIST

CCBC CHOICES

“A wide-ranging compendium of provocative questions and satisfying answers. Perfect for browsing or a deep dive.”—San Francisco Chronicle

★ “Wise, well-researched, and not to be missed. This collection of short essays about Native Americans is comprehensive, equitable, and generous.”—Kirkus (starred)

★  “Reading this book is like enjoying a talk with a close relative who wants you to learn, grow, and continue to ask questions. This book is an important resource about contemporary North American Indigenous peoples. Recommend for all libraries.”—School Library Journal (starred)

“A personal, reflective, yet thoroughly grounded take on the present as well as the past, and it’s a great starting place for young readers beginning to ask these exact questions.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“A comprehensive and stimulating read.”—Shelf-Awareness

“An excellent resource that should be in every middle and high school.”—School Library Connection

“This would be a good resource for readers to begin learning about Native American histories, lives, and cultures.”—Horn Book

“Treuer imbues his research and cultural commentary with both humanity and style. An astonishing depth of knowledge and insight complements his conversational writing voice. Treuer’s latest release should be on every American bookshelf – and in every American history classroom.” —Cowboys and Indians

“This is a thoughtful, useful book. If every middle school kid in the country knew its contents, the upcoming generation of Indians and non-Indians could live side-by-side with far more ease.”—The Circle News

About the Author

Dr. Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of 19 books. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is Editor of the Oshkaabewis (pronounced o-shkaah-bay-wis) Native Journal, the only academic journal of the Ojibwe language. He has sat on many organizational boards and has received more than 40 prestigious awards and fellowships, including ones from the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Treuer is on the governing board for the Minnesota State Historical Society. In 2018, he was named Guardian of Culture and Lifeways and recipient of the Pathfinder Award by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.

Anton's first book for young adults, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition), won the SCBWI Golden Kite.