With all of the books about/taking place in Alaska out there, it can be hard to identify which are actually written not only by Alaskans, but by Alaska Native authors. So I’ll be highlighting one Alaska Native book every day during November – Alaska Native Heritage Month.

The first is probably one of the most well-known Alaska Native-authored books in the world, “Two Old Women.”

Written by Gwich’in artist Velma Wallis, it’s about Gwich’in Elders Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak, who are left by their community in a harsh winter in pre-colonized Alaska.

It’s been continuously in print since 1993, and one of those books that has stuck with me since I read it as a kid. For such an impactful and beautifully written book, it’s also short, so a nice one to dip into if you’re trying to become familiar with Alaska Native literature.