Of the Sun: A Poem for the Land's First Peoples - Hardcover

by Xelena González (Author), Emily Kewageshig (Illustrator), Xelena González (Narrated by)

A 2026 Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award winner

An ALSC Notable Children's Books selection

New York Public Library's Best Books of 2025

"Kewageshig's (Anishinaabe) warm, richly hued images celebrating the art styles and cultural symbols of Native communities are paired with gentle, firm verse, resulting in a work that's both a lullaby and a rallying cry" - Kirkus Reviews

A powerful and hopeful ode to Indigenous children.

Indigenous. Native. On this land, you may roam.
Child of the sun, on this land, you are home.

Of the Sun is an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land. Each page fills them with pride and awe of their cultural heritage and invites them to unite and inspire change in the world.

Paired with powerful art reflecting cultures of various Indigenous Nations and Tribes, the poem offers all readers a sense of the history and majesty of the land we live on and how we can better care for ourselves and the world when we recognize our connection to the land and to each other.

• Written by Xelena González, poet and activist in the Native and Latinx communities, and an enrolled member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation
• Bold illustrations by prominent Anishinaabe illustrator Emily Kewageshig depict landscapes across the Americas and children from many backgrounds
• Endnotes provide more information on Native and Indigenous unity and activism in younger generations

Back Jacket

Child of the sun, you've been blessed since birth.
Your skin is akin to our brown Mother Earth.

Author Biography

Xelena González practices the healing arts through writing and movement. Her picture books include the award-winning titles All Around Us, Where Wonder Grows, and Remembering. A member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, Xelena grows her garden in Yanaguana/San Antonio, Texas, USA. Visit her online at Xelena.Space.

Emily Kewageshig is an Anishinaabe artist and visual storyteller whose work captures the interconnection of life forms using both traditional and contemporary materials and methods. She creates artwork that highlights Indigenous knowledge and culture. Emily is a mother of two, and comes from Saugeen First Nation in Ontario, Canada.