Native American Fiction, especially those books authored by Native American authors, has surprisingly few popular entries, but there are a lot of good ones if you’re on the lookout.
Most of these novels are historical fiction, but there’s a couple that cross into other genres as well. The Only Good Indians is part-horror novel and the upcoming Stargazer (to be released in April 2021) is a mystery novel. This is list is meant to be books for adults, but I tacked on a few extra books for young adults, too, at the end.
There’s two authors on this list, Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie , who have written many popular books about Native Americans. I limited their entries on here to two each but they both have a ton of well-loved books that are worth checking out.
General Native American Novels
Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko
What It's About:
Publication Date: December 26, 2006
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Round House Louise Erdrich
What It's About:
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Night Watchman Louise Erdrich
What It's About:
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Firekeeper's Daughter Angeline Boulley
What It's About:
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
Love Medicine Louise Erdrich
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 23, 2016
out of 5 on Goodreads
There There Tommy Orange
What It's About:
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Only Good Indians Stephen Graham Jones
What It's About:
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
out of 5 on Goodreads
Stargazer: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel Anne Hillerman
What It's About:
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
House Made of Dawn N. Scott Momaday
What It's About:
Publication Date: December 11, 2018
out of 5 on Goodreads
Winter Counts David Heska Wanbli Weiden
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 25, 2020
out of 5 on Goodreads
Winter in the Blood James Welch
What It's About:
Publication Date: July 29, 2008
out of 5 on Goodreads
Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival Velma Wallis
What It's About:
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
out of 5 on Goodreads
One Thousand White Women Jim Fergus
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 15, 1999
out of 5 on Goodreads
Thirteen Moons Charles Frazier
What It's About:
Publication Date: October 3, 2006
out of 5 on Goodreads
Solar Storms Linda Hogan
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 26, 1997
out of 5 on Goodreads
Caleb's Crossing Geraldine Brooks
What It's About:
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
out of 5 on Goodreads
Fool's Crow James Welch
What It's About:
Publication Date: October 25, 2011
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Grass Dancer Susan Power
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 3, 1994
out of 5 on Goodreads
Indian Horse Richard Wagamese
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 18, 2024
out of 5 on Goodreads
Panther in the Sky: A Novel Based on the Life of Tecumseh James Alexander Thom
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 13, 1990
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Way to Rainy Mountain N. Scott Momaday
What It's About:
Publication Date: September 1, 1976
out of 5 on Goodreads
Dances with Wolves Michael Blake
What It's About:
Publication Date: November 1, 1997
out of 5 on Goodreads
Young Adult Native American Fiction
Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O'Dell
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 8, 2010
out of 5 on Goodreads
Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech
What It's About:
Publication Date: May 24, 2005
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Marrow Thieves Cherie Dimaline
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 1, 2019
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Sign of the Beaver Elizabeth George Speare
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 2, 2011
out of 5 on Goodreads
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water Michael Dorris
What It's About:
Publication Date: March 5, 2003
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie
What It's About:
Publication Date: September 12, 2007
out of 5 on Goodreads
Flight Sherman Alexie
What It's About:
Publication Date: April 17, 2007
out of 5 on Goodreads
If I Ever Get Out of Here Eric Gansworth
What It's About:
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
out of 5 on Goodreads
You have put together another great collection of books! The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline is an amazing YA Indigenous book to add to the list.
oh awesome thank you for the tip! :)
Look forward to reading these. 😍
Thanks for the recommendations! Walk Two Moons was one of my favorite books as a kid. I’m on a waitlist for There There, so I’ll read it eventually.