Louise Erdrich Libros

Passenger pigeon hatchlings, thought to be extinct, are discovered in Grandmother's room after she departs on a voyage to Greenland.

The third novel in the critically acclaimed Birchbark House series by New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich. Omakayas was a dreamer who did not yet know her limits. When Omakayas is twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowing journey in search of a new home.

For more than a half century, Father Damien Modeste has served his beloved people, the Ojibwe, on the remote reservation of Little No Horse. Now, nearing the end of his life, Father Damien dreads the discovery of his physical identity, for he is a woman who has lived as a man. To further complicate his quiet existence, a troubled colleague comes to the reservation to investigate the life of the perplexing, possibly false saint Sister Leopolda. Father Damien alone knows the strange truth of Leopolda's piety and is faced with the most difficult decision: Should he tell all and risk everything . . . or manufacture a protective history though he believes Leopolda's wonder-working is motivated solely by evil?

In this captivating sequel to National Book Award nominee The Birchbark House, Erdrich continues the story of Omakayas, a young Ojibwe girl in the mid 1800s.

Set in nineteenth-century America, this sequel to Chickadee follows an Ojibwe family as they navigate the challenges of their time. Louise Erdrich's storytelling delves into themes of cultural identity, resilience, and family bonds, capturing the rich heritage and experiences of Indigenous life. The narrative intertwines personal growth with historical context, offering readers a profound glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of the Ojibwe people.

A young Native American girl who considers her family's wood-burning stove to be the heart of her home in the Turtle Mountains must adapt when it is replaced.

Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, Chickadee is the first novel of a new arc in the critically acclaimed Birchbark House series by New York Times-bestselling author Erdrich, which chronicles one Ojibwe family's century-long history in America. This edition includes an author interview and activities.

Having survived World War I, Fidelis Waldvogel returns to his quiet German village and marries the pregnant widow of his best friend, killed in action. With a suitcase full of sausages and a master butcher's precious knife set, Fidelis sets out for America. In Argus, North Dakota, he builds a business, a home for his family—which includes Eva and four sons—and a singing club consisting of the best voices in town. When the Old World meets the New—in the person of Delphine Watzka—the great adventure of Fidelis's life begins. Delphine meets Eva and is enchanted. She meets Fidelis, and the ground trembles. These momentous encounters will determine the course of Delphine's life, and the trajectory of this brilliant novel.

Nineteenth-century American pioneer life is vividly portrayed through the eyes of Omakayas, a spirited 7-year-old Ojibwa girl, in this engaging novel for young readers. After surviving a smallpox epidemic on Spirit Island, Omakayas, affectionately nicknamed Little Frog for her first hop, is rescued by Tallow and welcomed into an Ojibwa family on Lake Superior's Madeline Island. The story unfolds over four seasons in 1847, highlighting the challenges and joys of daily life within her Native American community, where activities like tanning moose hides and berry picking coexist with encounters with wildlife and ghost stories by the fire. The author, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa, drew inspiration from Ojibwa elders, historical letters, and her own experiences on the island with her children, enriching the narrative with authenticity. Omakayas emerges as a relatable character, navigating her feelings about family, discovering her talents, and grappling with concepts of life and death. The author’s delicate pencil illustrations enhance the poetic storytelling. Readers will eagerly anticipate more adventures of this brave, intuitive girl, as Erdrich's work joins the ranks of children's literary classics. (Ages 9 and older)

Based on the life of Louis Erdrich's grandfather, Patrick Gourneau, this narrative blends lightness and gravity through the story of Thomas Wazhashk, a night watchman at a jewel-bearing plant near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. As a Chippewa council member in 1953, Thomas grapples with the implications of a new "emancipation" bill heading to Congress, which threatens Native American rights and identity under the guise of freedom. Meanwhile, Pixie Paranteau, who prefers to be called Patrice, works at the plant to support her family while searching for her missing sister, Vera, rumored to have had a baby in Minneapolis. Patrice's struggle is compounded by her father's alcoholism and abuse. Her quest leads her to Minnesota, where she encounters exploitation and violence, putting her life at risk. The story also features young Chippewa boxer Wood Mountain, his mother Juggie Blue, and Patrice's friend Valentine, alongside Hay Stack Barnes, a white teacher in love with Patrice. Through these characters, the narrative explores the complexities of human nature, revealing their desires and ambitions with compassion and wit, making it a remarkable work of fiction from a celebrated author.