Stories Are the Heart of the World

By: Laurel Goodluck

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026-05-05

Award-winning Indigenous author Laurel Goodluck weaves an intertribal celebration of traditions and stories that help Indigenous children—and all children—understand who they are as they enter and discover the world in this tender picture book. When we begin our lives, stories help us understand who we are. Drawing on tribal Nations’ traditions including Mandan-Hidatsa and Navajo/Diné, this lyrical picture book carries us through the milestones of a beloved child’s life, from birth and their first laugh to entering young adulthood and understanding their place in the community and the world. Each ceremony that marks a special moment comes with a story—and each story reminds us of the beauty and responsibility to the land we call home, the powerful ancestors who came before us, and the amazing people we can grow up to be. Indigenous author-illustrator duo, the award-winning Laurel Goodluck and rising star Nicole Neidhardt have gorgeously captured the rituals and stories that shape our lives.