Cynthia Leitich Smith is celebrated for thoughtful, compelling young adult fiction that often explores Indigenous identity, community, and belonging. Her best-known books include Rain Is Not My Indian Name and Hearts Unbroken.
If you enjoy Cynthia Leitich Smith’s work, these authors are well worth adding to your reading list:
Rebecca Roanhorse writes gripping fantasy shaped by Indigenous voices, traditions, and perspectives. Her fiction pairs fast-paced storytelling with memorable characters and a strong sense of cultural identity.
In Trail of Lightning, she builds a thrilling post-apocalyptic world influenced by Navajo stories, creating a novel that feels both imaginative and emotionally grounded.
Angeline Boulley brings suspense and emotional depth to stories about Indigenous teens, often focusing on identity, family, and community ties. Her breakout novel Firekeeper's Daughter blends a sharp mystery with a moving coming-of-age arc.
Her characters feel layered and authentic, and her portrayal of Ojibwe culture gives the story added richness.
Cherie Dimaline writes emotionally resonant fiction that reflects on Indigenous identity, survival, and hope. Her work is often intimate in feeling, even when set against large, unsettling backdrops.
The Marrow Thieves is a haunting dystopian novel in which Indigenous people are hunted for their bone marrow, and Dimaline handles its heavy themes with both sensitivity and power.
Darcie Little Badger combines mythology, speculative fiction, and mystery in stories that feel fresh, intelligent, and deeply rooted in Indigenous experience.
Her captivating novel Elatsoe follows a Lipan Apache teenager who can see ghosts and set out to solve a mystery, blending the supernatural with family history and contemporary life.
Holly Black is a strong pick for readers who enjoy fantasy that feels both magical and unsettling. Her novels often explore power, loyalty, family tension, and the danger hidden beneath beautiful surfaces.
In The Cruel Prince, she draws readers into a treacherous faerie court filled with sharp politics and compelling characters.
If you like Cynthia Leitich Smith’s mix of engaging characters and supernatural elements, Cassandra Clare is an easy next step. She writes expansive urban fantasy full of danger, romance, and adventure.
Her well-known novel City of Bones introduces the Shadowhunters, young warriors tasked with defending the world from dark supernatural threats.
Maggie Stiefvater writes atmospheric, character-driven fantasy that feels lyrical without losing momentum. Her books often center on identity, friendship, longing, and fate.
The Raven Boys follows a group of teens searching for a legendary Welsh king, unfolding a strange and magnetic story full of secrets and wonder.
Melissa Marr blends contemporary settings with folklore, romance, and supernatural conflict. Readers who enjoy emotionally charged fantasy with personal stakes may find a lot to like in her work.
In Wicked Lovely, she opens the door to a hidden faerie world tangled up with human lives, exploring choice, love, and destiny along the way.
Readers drawn to Cynthia Leitich Smith for her cultural depth and ties to Indigenous storytelling should also look at Joseph Bruchac. His novels highlight Native history and heritage through accessible, engaging narratives.
His book Code Talker follows Navajo soldiers during World War II, showing how their language became a vital secret code while also honoring their lived experiences.
Rick Riordan is known for lively adventure stories packed with humor, myth, and fast-moving plots. If you enjoy energetic storytelling and memorable young protagonists, he’s a natural recommendation.
In The Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson discovers he is a demigod and is thrown into a dangerous world where ancient mythology collides with modern life.
Zoraida Córdova creates imaginative fantasy filled with folklore, family, and self-discovery. Her stories feature relatable young characters and magical worlds that feel vibrant and personal.
Her novel Labyrinth Lost, the first in the Brooklyn Brujas series, follows Alex as she accidentally sends her family to another realm and must embrace her own powers to bring them back.
Daniel José Older brings energy, humor, and cultural richness to his fantasy fiction. His books often focus on community, family, and young people learning how to navigate both magic and real-world pressures.
In Shadowshaper, Sierra Santiago uncovers her family’s connection to magical art and must defend her Brooklyn neighborhood from dark, dangerous forces.
Eric Gansworth writes honest, engaging fiction about Native identity, adolescence, and the realities facing Indigenous communities in the present day.
His novel If I Ever Get Out of Here centers on Lewis Blake, a young Tuscarora boy navigating friendship, prejudice, and personal ambition in a story that feels both intimate and insightful.
Tracey Baptiste draws readers into adventurous tales inspired by Caribbean folklore, vivid settings, and courageous young protagonists.
In The Jumbies, Corinne La Mer faces mythical creatures threatening her island home, in a story that combines suspense, heart, and a strong sense of heritage.
Anna-Marie McLemore writes lush, lyrical fiction that blends fairy-tale qualities with magical realism. Their work often explores identity, love, family, and belonging with tenderness and imagination.
In When the Moon Was Ours, two close friends confront secrets, sexuality, and community expectations in a story filled with emotional honesty and touches of wonder.
