Great books by Indigenous writers in Canada

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

On a summer berry-picking trip, four-year-old Ruthie goes missing, and her brother Joe, the last person to see her, carries the pain of that loss into adulthood. What happened to Ruthie, and why, is stunning and heartbreaking—yet ultimately testifies to the endurance of love.

To really experience what debut novelist Amanda Peters achieves here, don't read anything more about this book before you've finished it.

And check out our conversation with Amanda about her short story collection Waiting for the Long Night.

The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson

Grieving the loss of his father and seeking a connection with his teenage daughter Holly (as well as her forgiveness), Matthew plans a hike to the family's nearly-forgotten cabin in the woods. Seeking connection with her distant father, Holly goes along. But the cabin is a long way from anything they know, and there's plenty of opportunity for things to wrong along the way, leaving them to depend only on each other.

Check out our conversation with David A. Robertson about his memoir All the Little Monsters.

Namwayut: We Are All One: A Pathway to Reconciliation by Chief Robert Joseph

Chief Robert Joseph is a Hereditary Chief of the Gwawaenuk First Nation and honourary witness to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In Namwayut he shares an intimate view of his own life while making an impassioned plea to readers to embrace vulnerability, summon the courage to recognize truth and trauma, and take steps towards reconciliation.

Listen to Chief Robert Joseph on the Kobo in Conversation podcast.

Life in the City of Dirty Water: A Memoir of Healing by Clayton Thomas-Muller

Clayton Thomas-Muller's early life was marked with abuse and violence. In this memoir he charts his course through a childhood of harm and deprivation, to a reconnection with his Cree heritage in the Pukatawagan territory in northern Manitoba, which led to his transformation into a leading environmental activist.

Half-Bads in White Regalia: A Memoir by Cody Caetano

This memoir was nominated for Canada's top prize for humour writing, which gives you an idea of how author Cody Caetano handles his themes. His parents divorce, sending his mom on a journey into her roots after discovering her Anishinaabe birth family, while his Portuguese dad spins out impulsively—leaving Cody and his siblings to figure things out at home for themselves. Fans of the TV series Reservation Dogs will find a lot to love here.

Call Me Indian: From the Trauma of Residential School to Becoming the NHL's First Treaty Indigenous Player by Fred Sasakamoose

Fred Saskamoose emerged from the brutal residential school system to become the first Indigenous person with Treaty status in the NHL -- before First Nations people obtained the right to vote in Canada. But there’s more to the story of “Fast Freddy” than the dozen games he played for the Chicago Black Hawks, including a life serving his community and fighting to reclaim Indigenous pride.

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph

As Canadians contemplate how to move forward on the path to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, it’s helpful to be familiar with the legal framework that’s dictated so much of Indigenous life over more than 150 years. In clear language with necessary context around key issues, author and Indigenous relations trainer Bob Joseph explains what the Indian Act is and what it was intended to do, and what its actual consequences have been.

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Cut off from food and electricity, a small northern Anishinaabe community starts to fracture, and the most vulnerable fall under the influence of suspicious visitors. It's a page-turning, slow-burning work of speculative fiction infused with a growing dread on every page.

Hear our conversation with Waubgeshig Rice about the sequel, Moon of the Turning Leaves, on the Kobo in Conversation podcast: Waubgeshig Rice on finding renewal at the end of the world

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

Returning to the “rez” for the funeral of his stepfather is a culture shock for Jonny, a Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer whose main gig back in the big city is as an “NDN glitter princess” cybersex worker. 

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

In this stunning book, debut novelist Michelle Good answers the question, what happens after the residential schools, to the kids who grow up and leave? Five friends find the way to downtown Vancouver’s Eastside, trying to make their way as their paths diverge and cross over their lifetimes.

Cold by Drew Hayden Taylor

An aging semi-pro hockey player, a homicide detective, a soon-to-be-divorced university professor, and the sole survivor of an arctic plane crash cross paths in downtown Toronto while the city is terrorized by a string of murders whose victims were found shredded to bits.