This uniquely illustrated book briefly touches on different people groups and what they were known for as well as generally where they were located. Younger kids will enjoy the lyrical text and illustrations, while older kids will learn a little bit about the different people groups and how they shaped where we live today.

This is an informative picture book about some of the lands we use and who was there before us. I liked how it shows we can honor the land. The artistic style was not my thing, although I thought some of the later pages were beautiful and reminded me of This Land Is A Lullaby.

This is a great intro into understanding that the land we are on isn't ours. It's not very informative in terms of teaching what different tribes and cultures are, but that's the joy of seeking out more Indigenous books!

A beautifully written reminder that we all reside on land that isn't ours and how to respect that and how important it is to learn about that history and to acknowledge it and the past that brought us here.

With notes at the end that extend this thought further, this is a must read for those who want to learn and/or teach their littles [as well as themselves] about living on Indigenous lands [that will lead to seeking out more learning and education]. We are never too young or old to learn and to be respectful and grow in that.

Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dr. Katrina M. Phillips, Sam Zimmerman - Illustrator, and Capstone/Capstone Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

A beautiful book that reminds our the land beneath our feet belong to a people that were here long before us.

The information on the back explaining why the beautiful illustrations were used .
I would hang the dragon lies in my home

Book Review: I Am on Indigenous Land by Katrina M. Phillips and Sam Zimmerman (illustrator)

Rating: 3 Stars

As someone who loves children's literature, I recently had the pleasure of reviewing "I Am on Indigenous Land" by Katrina M. Phillips, with illustrations by Sam Zimmerman. This picture book caught my eye because of its aim to explore the heritage and resources of thirteen Indigenous lands through lyrical text and vibrant visuals.

The book does a fantastic job of introducing young readers to the beauty of these ancestral territories. With poetic simplicity, it showcases children and families enjoying everyday activities like biking, playing at the beach, or relaxing in parks. These scenes serve as a gentle reminder of how we interact with the land and the importance of recognizing the Indigenous nations that have called these places home for generations. Phillips, an Ojibwe citizen, and Zimmerman, an Ojibwe direct descendant, have created a heartfelt tribute that emphasizes respect and awareness of Indigenous cultures.

While I appreciated the book's intent and execution, I found myself wanting a bit more depth. The colorful, painting-like illustrations are engaging and certainly draw you in, but I felt the content could have explored the histories or stories behind the tribes in greater detail. The glossary at the end is a fantastic addition, providing resources for further research and discussion, but I wish there had been a bit more narrative to accompany the visuals.

Overall, I Am on Indigenous Land is a lovely introduction to Indigenous cultures for young readers, making it a great option for parents and educators looking to foster appreciation and recognition of these communities. However, it left me wishing for more substance to fully capture the richness of the stories it seeks to tell. A solid three stars!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This is lovely book that reminds the reader that Indigenous people were in present North America long before European contact. I Am on Indigenous Land requires that readers be aware of their surroundings and how the landscape has changed over the centuries.

Thank you net gallery for a copy of this book. The pictures were wonderful. The lesson was simple and gave one the opportunity to reflect. I would definitely recommend

I like the idea of this book as it is informative. I agree with other reviewers that it is overly simplified for the audience described. I do think lessons like what this book is teaching should be in our schools and libraries so I do suggest them stocking it.

This is a beautifully simple picture book from both an Indigenous writer and illustrator that highlights some of the Indigenous nations within the United States. It teaches children to learn about and acknowledge whose land we are on. This would be a great addition to any home or classroom with children around 4-10. Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for this arc.

I love the art style of the illustrations! Loses a star because the map at the very back doesn't include state lines, so I don't have great reference for where the tribal lands are located.

This could have gone two ways – it could have named specific places that once had an Indigenous population prevalent there, to remind us that anywhere from Alaska to Florida and on out to the Caribbean was probably something long before we thought to call it by its common current name. The first entry here – a Rainbow Bridge Trail, in Arizona – does that. But mostly the piece shows non-specific areas of the continent instead – a place to walk amongst wildflowers, a beach to listen to the surf, a region to see the wild strawberries, or the fireflies or sea turtles.

This, clearly, is the more gentle way of doing things – it is not a "get off my land!" cry of anger, and it avoids the issue of using or not using the Indigenous name for anywhere. Instead it much more softly reminds you that anywhere, whatever you're doing, has a chance of being on Indigenous land. So we see a water park – that might be anywhere, but in fact where it is is Ho-Chunk land. It's just a nudge to make you aware of that fact, a slight reminder that there's a shadow over the place of those who were there first. This is no age-inappropriate complaint about appropriated land and stolen fishing rights, it's the quietly-delivered fact and nothing else. Bright, simplistic artwork, showing the texture of the canvas or board beneath, by someone who shares Ojibwe heritage with the author, and very simple, repeating text convey the lesson, and for those who need this book to exist, they will be both very happy it does and in how it does what it was intended to do.

This book is a beautiful way to introduce a child to learning about indigenous culture. I’ll update when I read it to my six year old with his reactions, he’s at school right now. The artwork is beautiful, the way the information was given was well done, and I loved getting to the end and being given more context!!! I was a little concerned that all it was was going to be the art and statements that you are on (insert tribe)’s land, so having more context and a map at the end really sealed the deal for me!!!

I do think the message of this book is very important, however the writing style and message is not enough to get this book popularized with institutions. I wish it had a little more to the story. I do understand that each page is to be a reminder of the various environments and landscapes of the world go back to the millenia of influences Native's had in America.

A gorgeous, simple way to show very young children the original inhabitants of the land. I will not be using it as its focussed on North America but definitely useful for those in that country.

This is a great picture book for discussing Indigenous lands with young children. I like that the last page invites readers to reflect on where they live. This book could also be used as an introduction to unit studies for older children. I appreciated the additional information and map provided at the end of the book as a starting point for more in depth learning opportunities. I recommend this book to public libraries, schools, and home book collections.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC.

While many times children may hear about the people who have traditionally lived on the land, often there is a lack of context and understanding. This book does an excellent job of making it simple. The simple illustrations and text still hold great meaning within the context.

This book is a great addition to school and public libraries and a wonderful addition to a home collection for children. The map at the end is very helpful and provides additional context.

Thank you to Capstone and Net Galley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I actually really liked this book, mainly because of the artwork. Each page was paint on a canvas, and I thought that this was a really smart idea! As a non-painter, I found it *very* impressive how the illustrator was able to include a good amount of detail on each page without it being overwhelming. Additionally, the illustrator managed to capture the natural beauty of each place mentioned, and it pushes the general message/idea even further for the reader. Speaking of, the writing was similar. It was similar because it was simple yet still packed a punch. Each page had the same structure/format, but by the end of the book the message is blatantly clear: we can appreciate the natural world around us, but we still always need to acknowledge that we are on Indigenous land. I am so glad that someone decided to make a kids' book with this message, because kids need to learn about this as well! Major kudos to the creators of this book - bravo!

This story so beautifully informs and encourages readers of what tribal lands they enjoy. I live in Florida, and loved teaching my children about how, when we also have enjoyed the Everglades National Park (like in the story) we were on Seminole tribal lands. This then allowed an opening to teach them what tribal lands we currently live on and why many people don't even know this. The illustrations and words compliment each other to allow for an enriching and sincere moment of education and joy.

Thanks to netgalley & publisher for this arc!

This was a great informative quick lovely children's book that all American child should read to learn about some of the native tribes names & locations. The illustrations were colorful and cute, I liked how faces weren't drawn in some.