Indigenous Ingenuity

A Celebration of Traditional North American Knowledge

Contributors

By Deidre Havrelock

By Edward Kay

Formats and Prices

Price

$9.99

Price

$12.99 CAD

Celebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book—perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass

Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving disinfectant. Forest fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these, and countless other, scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. Spanning topics from transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies, astronomy, brain surgery, architecture, and agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is a wide-ranging STEM offering that answers the call for Indigenous nonfiction by reappropriating hidden history. The book includes fun, simple activities and experiments that kids can do to better understand and enjoy the principles used by Indigenous inventors. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate traditional North American Indigenous innovation, and to embrace the mindset of reciprocity, environmental responsibility, and the interconnectedness of all life.  

★ “This book will amaze readers and teachers. Completely unique and important.”  —SLJ, starred review 

★ “Engaging and informative.” —Booklist, starred review” Essential for kids and adults. We need this book.” —Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library Journal • Shelf Awareness • National Education Society • American Association of Geography • Canadian Children’s Book Centre • Nerdy Book Club • NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Awards • The Green Earth Book Award

  • Praise for Indigenous Ingenuity:
    An NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
    An American Association of Geography Recommended Book
    A National Education Society Read Across America Selection
    Winner of the Nerdy Book Club Award for Best Longform Nonfiction
    A Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens

    A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
    Shelf Awareness Gift Guide Selection

    A Junior Library Guild Selection
    Recommended Reading on Indigenous Rights by The American Society of International Law 

    "An astonishing, exuberant treasure trove of history, science and hands-on activities that repeatedly begs the question: "Why didn't I know this?" Essential for kids and adults. We need this book.
    Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov
  • "This book will amaze readers and teachers as it demonstrates how pervasive and critical the history of Indigenous people is. A completely unique and important narrative not to be missed; readers and teachers will come away with a new appreciation for the myriad contributions Indigenous people have made."
    SLJ, starred review
  • "A conversational tone invites readers to engage with this monumental collection . . . Curious readers will learn facts unique to individual tribal groups while gaining knowledge of STEM/STEAM concepts. An ambitious, appealing, and accessible work documenting and protecting valuable knowledge."
    Kirkus Reviews
  • "Engaging and informative, this will be welcomed by both STEM and social studies curricula to help to correct prevailing narratives about Indigenous technology." 
     
    Booklist, starred review
  • "Via authoritative, meticulously researched prose, the creators detail Native peoples’ significant strides in scientific pursuits . . . [and] showcase Native tribes’ continual and enduring impact. Photographs, as well as interactive activities detailing recipes and science experiments, feature throughout, lending a hands-on approach to this clear and concise work."
    Publishers Weekly
  • "This book is a valuable contribution to efforts to decolonize learning and introduce readers to the breadth of indigenous knowledge as practiced in widely disparate geographic zones."
    Canadian Review of Materials
  • "An engaging and cleverly compiled guide to North American and Mesoamerican Indigenous innovation. STEM topics (housing, medicine, clothing, agriculture, and hunting among them) are compellingly and conversationally discussed."
    Shelf Awareness

On Sale
Sep 24, 2024
Page Count
288 pages
ISBN-13
9780316413435

Deidre Havrelock

About the Author

Deidre Havrelock is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. She was raised in Edmonton, Alberta and is the author of the picture book Buffalo Wild!. She lives in Canada with her family, and invites you to visit her online at: children.deidrehavrelock.com

Learn more about this author

Edward Kay

About the Author

Edward Kay is an award-winning writer who loves comedy and science, especially together. His work includes fiction and nonfiction as well as live-action and animated television for both children and adults. He is the author of the Gross Science nonfiction book series for middle grade readers. Edward was a staff writer and producer for Canada’s most popular political satire show, the International Emmy–nominated This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He lives in Toronto, Canada, and invites you to visit him online at: edwardkay.com

Learn more about this author