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

by Anton Treuer

Overview

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646140459
Publisher:	Levine Querido
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Young Readers ed.
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	242,806
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.70(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Dr. Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of 19 books. His equity, education, and cultural work has put him on a path of service around the region, the nation, and the world. 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. Dr. Treuer has presented all over the U.S. and Canada and in several foreign countries on Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, Cultural Competence & Equity, Strategies for Addressing the "Achievement" Gap, and Tribal Sovereignty, History, Language, and Culture. 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.

His published works include Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, The Language Warrior's Manifesto: How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds, Warrior Nation: A History of the Red Lake Ojibwe (Winner of Caroline Bancroft History Prize and the American Association of State and Local History Award of Merit), Ojibwe in Minnesota ("Minnesota's Best Read for 2010" by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress), The Assassination of Hole in the Day (Award of Merit Winner from the American Association for State and Local History), Atlas of Indian Nations, The Indian Wars: Battles, Bloodshed, and the Fight for Freedom on the American Frontier, and Awesiinyensag ("Minnesota's Best Read for 2011" by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress).

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.

Editorial Reviews

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,


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


[STAR] “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),


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


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


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


“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,


“A wide-ranging compendium of provocative questions and satisfying answers is well organized around history, culture, politics, activism, identity, the future and more. Perfect for browsing or a deep dive. From a new imprint dedicated to publishing previously underrepresented voices, his most essential book succeeds in promoting better understanding for everyone.”-San Francisco Chronicle,


“An essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers.”- IllumiNative,

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2021

Gr 6 Up—Reading this book is like enjoying a talk with a close relative who wants you to learn, grow, and continue to ask questions. Treuer, a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, presents himself as an ambassador of his people. In the book, adapted from the title of the same name aimed at adults, the author answers nearly 200 questions and covers topics ranging from Indian casinos to ceremonies, politics to powwows. Some questions will be familiar to young readers, such as "Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?" The book is broken down into sections: Terminology; History; Religion, Culture, & Identity; Powwow; Tribal Languages; Politics; Economics; Education; Social Activism; Perspectives: Coming to Terms and Future Directions; and, the conclusion, Finding Ways to Make a Difference. Treuer speaks from his own perspective; he draws from his experience as an educator and is careful not to speak in generalizations or for anyone else. The title also includes recommended reading, source notes, and an index. VERDICT This book is an important resource about contemporary North American Indigenous peoples. Recommend for all libraries.—Danielle Burbank, San Juan Coll., Farmington, NM

School Library Journal

★ 2021-02-23
A plainspoken cultural guide for Natives and non-Natives alike.

This collection of short essays about Native Americans is comprehensive, equitable, and generous. Structured around questions that distinguished scholar Treuer (Ojibwe) encounters in his public talks, the book addresses a range of topics: sovereignty, politics, language, music, religion, gender and sexuality, and more. Responses to founding events in America’s history help counteract missing Native perspectives in school curricula. Written with a clear desire to heal misunderstandings and do away with stereotypes, the book uses photographs and anecdotes to illustrate the author’s lessons. This edition adapted for teens is also updated, with coverage of current events, including the Covington Catholic High School scandal at the Lincoln Memorial, the Black Lives Matters movement, the Dakota Access Pipeline protest, progress with removing Native sports team mascots, and the Covid-19 pandemic. The author’s tone is thoughtful as he asks readers to engage with challenging subjects: “All human beings have dark chapters in their personal histories. And all nations have dark chapters in theirs. Nobody should be stuck in shame. However, it is important for all countries and all individuals to examine dark chapters in order to learn from them and prevent them from reoccurring.” While driven by facts, the book becomes personal whenever elements of the author’s life peek through, giving readers a sense of his character and the commitment he brings to his work.

Wise, well-researched, and not to be missed. (recommended reading, notes, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews