Tlingit & Haida is excited to partner with NDN Girls Book Club and communities to bring books by Indigenous authors to families across Southeast Alaska. Recognizing that reading proficiency by third grade is key to a child’s success in school, future earnings, and contributions to their community, this initiative focuses on supporting early literacy through school readiness, attendance, summer learning, family support and quality teaching.
The Book Drop is also supported under the Full-Service Community Schools Project, led by the Alaska Association of School Boards, Tlingit & Haida is working with Angoon, Yakutat, Klukwan, and Hydaburg. This effort will serve an estimated 1,110 students and build on the strong reading programs already established in these communities.
The new partnership with NDN Girls Book Clubis supporting the May 2025 Book Drop, delivering thousands of books by Indigenous authors to Southeast families. This collaboration aims to ignite a love for reading, celebrate Indigenous authors, and inspire the next generation of Indigenous writers.
You can support the Book Drop by purchasing custom designed apparel by Crystal Worl. Your purchase of a t-shirt, crewneck tee, cropped tee, or youth tee will support Alaska Book Drop.
“We are thrilled to team up with Tlingit & Haida to make this book tour a vibrant celebration of Indigenous writing, literature, and poetry,” says Kinsale Drake, Executive Director of NDN Girls Book Club. “NDN Girls Book Club is a 501(c)3 literary organization that hosts free community workshops for Native youth, sends out free books, and uplifts Indigenous literatures. Last year we were able to successfully distribute more than 10,000 free books to the Navajo and Hopi Nations on an epic journey in a big pink truck supported by our partner organizations, and we successfully garnered support across Indian Country. This year, we’re excited to bring our efforts up to Southeast Alaska in partnership with Tlingit & Haida to distribute literary materials to more remote village schools and communities while promoting the importance of Indigenous literature and education access. We are so grateful to our friends in Tlingit & Haida whose passion for this project has truly shone throughout this process. This would not be possible without them.”
“Across the nation, Indigenous authors are publishing powerful and diverse stories, and we are honored to be partnering with NDN Girls Book Club,” said Tristan Douville, Tlingit & Haida Special Projects Manager. “NDN Girls Book Club has a track record of success in amplifying these voices and ensuring Indigenous youth see themselves, their families, and the strength of all Indigenous cultures and communities in the books they read. This effort also aligns with the statewide commitment to early literacy under the Alaska Reads Act. While policy measures help lay the foundation for reading proficiency, our work with communities and NDN Girls Book Club ensures that Indigenous families, students and communities are also supported in developing a lifelong love for reading.”
About the Book Drop Tour
The kick-off event will take place in Juneau, Alaska on May 15th and the team will journey by land, sea and air to distribute books May 15-24. Beyond spreading the magic of Indigenous storytelling, they’re also sharing a range of free goodies at each event to uplift the community.
Book Drop Tour Schedule
May 15 – Juneau, AK (Kickoff Event)
May 18 – Angoon, AK
May 20 – Yakutat, AK
May 22 – Klukwan, AK
May 24 – Hydaburg, AK
About NDN Girls Book Club
NDN Girls Book Club aims to make access to quality Indigenous literature a reality for all ages by sending out free books and literary care packages, hosting pop-up community events, and supporting Indigenous booksellers. Last year, alongside 4Kinship and Cellular One, NDN Girls Book Club successfully fundraised, collected donations, and distributed more than 10,000 books at six different tour stops across the Navajo and Hopi Nations. For more information about NDN Girls Book Club or to make a donation please visit: www.ndngirlsbookclub.org.
To learn more visit www.tlingitandhaida.gov or www.ndngirlsbookclub.org.