Indigenous author Julie Buchholtz debuts childrens book that explores Native American identity
By Stacy Thacker
Native News Online
J
ulie Buchholtz didn’t plan for an internet
search to change her life, but it did.
Buchholtz, a member of the Bay Mills
Indian Tribe, dreamed of being a published
author. She has always been a writer, at least
to her children. When they were growing up,
she would write them stories and enjoyed
creating new adventures to take her children
on.
Now, she has the opportunity to share her
newest story, “Who Am I?” with a larger
audience when her first children’s book
releases this July.
Buchholtz’s journey started in 2021 when
she was playing with the idea of finding a
publisher. She stumbled upon the Cherry
Lake Publishing Group’s Own Voice, Own
Stories Award during her search and kept the
opportunity in the back of her mind.
Never miss Indian Country’s biggest
stories and breaking news. Sign up to get our
reporting sent straight to your inbox every
weekday morning.
The award is held annually by the publishing
group’s imprint, Sleeping Bear Press, and
is geared toward a children’s picture book
written by a new author who comes from a
historically marginalized group.
As she walked the beach of Lake Superior
in Brimley, Michigan and worked on other
tasks, she found herself thinking about the
award and about her story.
“I almost formulated this story just while
I was doing other things and then I finally
sat down about a month later and it just kind
of came to me and at that point it was just
kind of like, ‘’OK, it’s really important to
showcase my Native heritage and there’s not
enough books featuring Native protagonists,’”
Buchholtz’ said.
So, Buchholtz started writing a story about
the little brown-skinned girl and Big Mama.
The book, “Who Am I?” takes readers on a
journey as a mother explains to her daughter
her identity and how that fits into the world
around her.
“My inspiration for my book is my
background, my Native heritage,” Buchholtz
said. “It’s so important for all children to have
representation in books and to see themselves
in the characters and their culture.”
Buchholtz is a former teacher and knows
the importance of representation for young
people. She said students are likely to be more
engaged when the content relates to them
and when they are engaged, they are more
successful in learning.
“I just thought about it, that really, for
Native children and minority students, they
actually have a disadvantage in school in
some ways when they can’t relate to text
used,” she said. “I think all children deserve
to read books where they can identify with the
main characters.”
Buchholtz said it was also important for her
characters to be Native Americans living in a
modern world because many books reference
Native Americans as people of the past, she
said, adding that the people and culture are
alive and well.
“I want them to see themselves, today, in
those characters,” she said. “A bit of the past
and a bit of the present.”
It took about two years and countless
revisions to complete the book. It was a test
of patience but also an exciting time for
Buchholtz who didn’t even think she’d win
the award. When she hit the submit button,
she said she wasn’t expecting to get anything
back but a consolation email thanking her for
applying.
When she got the email announcing she was
the grand prize winner, she sat in disbelief,
shaking. Her journey had led her to this
opportunity and now it was a reality.
Buchholtz was raised by a single mother
from Austria and grew up with strong
European influences but as time goes on,
she’s found herself exploring and practicing
her Native American culture more.
“I’m really interested now,” Buchholtz said
“I know a lot about my European heritage but
I’m really tapping now into my Native roots
and as I learn more, a lot of my beliefs really
align with the Native culture. So it’s kind of a
time of rediscovery for me.”
I hope that Native children can really
connect with the book because I think the
whole story is written through the Native
lens but I hope it applies to everyone, really
to show that we’re all connected to one
another.”
Indigenous author Julie Buchholtz debuts childrens book that explores Native American identity
By Stacy Thacker
Native News Online
J
ulie Buchholtz didn’t plan for an internet
search to change her life, but it did.
Buchholtz, a member of the Bay Mills
Indian Tribe, dreamed of being a published
author. She has always been a writer, at least
to her children. When they were growing up,
she would write them stories and enjoyed
creating new adventures to take her children
on.
Now, she has the opportunity to share her
newest story, “Who Am I?” with a larger
audience when her first children’s book
releases this July.
Buchholtz’s journey started in 2021 when
she was playing with the idea of finding a
publisher. She stumbled upon the Cherry
Lake Publishing Group’s Own Voice, Own
Stories Award during her search and kept the
opportunity in the back of her mind.
Never miss Indian Country’s biggest
stories and breaking news. Sign up to get our
reporting sent straight to your inbox every
weekday morning.
The award is held annually by the publishing
group’s imprint, Sleeping Bear Press, and
is geared toward a children’s picture book
written by a new author who comes from a
historically marginalized group.
As she walked the beach of Lake Superior
in Brimley, Michigan and worked on other
tasks, she found herself thinking about the
award and about her story.
“I almost formulated this story just while
I was doing other things and then I finally
sat down about a month later and it just kind
of came to me and at that point it was just
kind of like, ‘’OK, it’s really important to
showcase my Native heritage and there’s not
enough books featuring Native protagonists,’”
Buchholtz’ said.
So, Buchholtz started writing a story about
the little brown-skinned girl and Big Mama.
The book, “Who Am I?” takes readers on a
journey as a mother explains to her daughter
her identity and how that fits into the world
around her.
“My inspiration for my book is my
background, my Native heritage,” Buchholtz
said. “It’s so important for all children to have
representation in books and to see themselves
in the characters and their culture.”
Buchholtz is a former teacher and knows
the importance of representation for young
people. She said students are likely to be more
engaged when the content relates to them
and when they are engaged, they are more
successful in learning.
“I just thought about it, that really, for
Native children and minority students, they
actually have a disadvantage in school in
some ways when they can’t relate to text
used,” she said. “I think all children deserve
to read books where they can identify with the
main characters.”
Buchholtz said it was also important for her
characters to be Native Americans living in a
modern world because many books reference
Native Americans as people of the past, she
said, adding that the people and culture are
alive and well.
“I want them to see themselves, today, in
those characters,” she said. “A bit of the past
and a bit of the present.”
It took about two years and countless
revisions to complete the book. It was a test
of patience but also an exciting time for
Buchholtz who didn’t even think she’d win
the award. When she hit the submit button,
she said she wasn’t expecting to get anything
back but a consolation email thanking her for
applying.
When she got the email announcing she was
the grand prize winner, she sat in disbelief,
shaking. Her journey had led her to this
opportunity and now it was a reality.
Buchholtz was raised by a single mother
from Austria and grew up with strong
European influences but as time goes on,
she’s found herself exploring and practicing
her Native American culture more.
“I’m really interested now,” Buchholtz said
“I know a lot about my European heritage but
I’m really tapping now into my Native roots
and as I learn more, a lot of my beliefs really
align with the Native culture. So it’s kind of a
time of rediscovery for me.”
I hope that Native children can really
connect with the book because I think the
whole story is written through the Native
lens but I hope it applies to everyone, really
to show that we’re all connected to one
another.”