we are still here

Charlesbridge Publishing
ISBN: 9781623541927

Too often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of an ongoing story. This companion book to the award-winning We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people's past, present, and future.

Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here! Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including forced assimilation, land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination, relocation, self-determination, Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development, Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood.

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recognition

2022 International Literacy's Association's Social Justice Literature Award - Nonfiction Picture Book Winner
2022 American Indian Youth Literature Award - Picture Book Honor
2022 Sibert Medal Honor Award
2022 ALA Notable Children's Recording
2022 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices List
2022 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
2021 Kirkus' Best Children's Book List
2021 ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice List
2021 AudioFile Best Audiobooks for Children
2021 Junior Library Guild selection

RAVE REVIEWS

“The lyrical text and jewel-tone illustrations elegantly work together to stirringly portray the ongoing fight for Native American recognition and rights. VERDICT: An essential purchase for introducing the impact laws and treaties had and continue to have on Native Nations.”

—School Library Journal, starred review
“In this meticulously researched nonfiction picture book, Sibert honorees Sorell and Lessac team up once again to answer this question: What has happened to Native Nations and their citizens after the treaties with the U.S. government ended in 1871? Lessac’s trademark colorful, folk-art–style illustrations show a Native American community school with a classroom of diverse students preparing for presentations at the Indigenous People’s Day assembly. Spread by spread, each child speaks, featured words and terms highlighting the journey Native Nations have taken to reclaim their land and rights. They show why Indigenous people say, “We are still here!”

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Sorell . . . honors the vibrant contributions of many Native Nations with her careful research . . . The presentation format of the text allows Sorell to introduce sophisticated concepts while leaving more complicated topics to her thorough backmatter . . . The award-winning duo behind We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga reunites with an affirming celebration of contemporary Indigenous citizens.

—Shelf Awareness, starred review
“This book provides information that is omitted from most curricula . . . in an easy-to-understand manner. Above all, the message is reinforced for all readers: Native people are still here. Appended with a glossary, a timeline, sources and an author’s note.”

—The Horn Book, starred review
“The creators of We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga (2018) here share important Native American concepts for younger readers. Using a framework of students giving presentations for an Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration, Sorell and Lessac devote a two-page spread to each report topic . . . For each, they define, offer examples of its use (often to the disadvantage of Indigenous peoples), and conclude with the refrain "We are still here!"”

—Booklist, starred review
“An excellent resource, We Are Still Here! is an important book that highlights the sovereignty, strength and resilience of Native American peoples, tribes and nations despite centuries of mistreatment.”

—BookPage
"An excellent resource for classrooms, and for family listening."

—AudioFile Review