Vanessa Lillie | LGBTQ Reads

Happy Native American Heritage and Indigenous History Month! We’re celebrating, as we do, with books by Indigenous authors, starring Indigenous characters. (Note: Despite the title of the post, these books include indigenous characters from all over.) While the usual affiliate links are included, you’re strongly encouraged to order from the Native-owned Birchbark Books where available!

Picture Books

Phoenix Ani’ Gichichi-I’ / Phoenix Gets Greater by Marty Wilson-Trudeau with Phoenix Wilson (text) and Megan Kyak-Monteith (illustration), translated by Kelvin Morrison

Phoenix loves to play with dolls and marvel at pretty fabrics. Most of all, he loves to dance―ballet, Pow Wow dancing, or just swirling and twirling around his house. Sometimes Phoenix gets picked on and he struggles with feeling different, but his mom and brother are proud of him. With their help, Phoenix learns about Two Spirit/Niizh Manidoowag people in Anishinaabe culture and just how special he is.

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon | Birchbark Books

Continue reading Happy Native American Heritage Month 2025! →

Young Adult

Stars in the Daylight Sky by Maya MacGregor

Eighteen-year-old Cam bounces between houses in Texas and Scotland and has always thought that’s why they don’t feel at home in either place. A recent Autism diagnosis followed by a fight with their Mothers add an extra layer of real-life stress, only amplifying their struggle to belong. However, things take an unexpected turn when they cross paths with members of the fae deep in a Scottish forest. With the Gaelic wisdom from their Granaidh (Grandma), Cam understands that they have been noticed by the fae, and that this means that their life is suddenly in grave danger.

Cam must make a choice: face the danger or join the fae and never see their family again. With their human ties fraying even further, the allure of the fae’s acceptance tugs at Cam’s heart, but are they ready to say goodbye to their family forever?

Buy it: Bookshop | Amazon

Continue reading New Releases: October 28, 2025 →