Joshua Whitehead is a talented Canadian author known for thoughtfully exploring Indigenous and queer perspectives. His acclaimed novel, Jonny Appleseed, beautifully connects readers with a vivid narrative filled with honesty, humor, and authenticity.
If you enjoy reading books by Joshua Whitehead then you might also like the following authors:
Billy-Ray Belcourt writes poetry and prose that explore Indigenous identity, love, and belonging, often capturing deep emotional layers with clarity and openness.
His poetry collection This Wound is a World examines the intersections of queer love, colonialism, and personal healing, similar to the lyrical and heartfelt writing readers appreciate in Joshua Whitehead’s work.
Terese Marie Mailhot writes with honesty and intensity, confronting difficult topics like mental health, trauma, and identity through vivid, deeply personal memoir.
In her book Heart Berries, Mailhot navigates her emotions and experiences with clear, poetic language that creates an intimate connection with the reader, a style that Joshua Whitehead’s fans would find meaningful.
Cherie Dimaline blends Indigenous storytelling traditions with imaginative worlds that reflect urgent, contemporary issues. Her novel The Marrow Thieves is a powerful tale about resilience, family, and the strength of community in a dystopian setting.
Like Joshua Whitehead, she focuses on deep truths of identity, survival, and the ongoing impacts of colonialism.
Tommy Orange writes stories that portray Indigenous lives in modern urban contexts, exploring identity, displacement, and community.
His novel, There There, weaves overlapping narratives of multiple Indigenous characters, creating a vivid mosaic that conveys complex emotions and cultural histories.
Fans of Joshua Whitehead would find Orange’s realistic portrayal of Indigenous experiences moving and meaningful.
Eden Robinson offers readers a blend of humor, tragedy, and magical realism wrapped up in vibrant Indigenous storytelling.
Her novel, Son of a Trickster, is a coming-of-age story that combines family struggles, supernatural elements, and a relatable teen protagonist navigating complex relationships and identity.
Robinson’s witty, emotionally authentic writing shares a similar charm with those who enjoy Joshua Whitehead’s storytelling.
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is an Anishinaabe author, storyteller and musician, whose work explores Indigenous resurgence, land-based knowledge and community connections.
Her narratives often blend poetic imagery and prose, keeping a strong focus on Indigenous voices and experiences.
In her book Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies, Simpson uses layered storytelling and lyrical language to present an imaginative and thought-provoking vision of sovereignty and kinship.
Katherena Vermette's stories are quietly powerful and deeply human, rooted in Métis identity and urban Indigenous life. Her writing highlights the struggles, resilience and complex relationships that shape everyday realities of Indigenous communities.
Her novel The Break centers around a violent assault and its aftermath, exploring themes of family bonds, trauma and the search for healing and justice.
Richard Van Camp, a Tłı̨chǫ storyteller and author from the Northwest Territories, writes with humor, warmth, and cultural richness. His stories reflect the values, traditions and contemporary challenges of Indigenous communities, often through vivid, memorable characters.
The Lesser Blessed is a vivid coming-of-age novel following a young Indigenous teenager navigating adolescence, identity, and difficult circumstances in the Canadian north.
Waubgeshig Rice's fiction examines contemporary Indigenous experiences, blending realism and speculative fiction.
His narratives often consider mass disruptions and personal transformations, tied closely to themes of community resilience, cultural revitalization, and reconnection with tradition.
One standout novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, depicts an isolated Anishinaabe community surviving after society collapses, reflecting on tradition, resilience, and survival.
Arielle Twist is a Two-Spirit Cree poet whose deeply personal work explores themes of identity, sexuality, loss and embodiment. Her poetry speaks openly and frankly about her lived experiences, challenging assumptions while providing space for vulnerability and strength.
Her poetry collection Disintegrate/Dissociate offers raw, moving reflections about grief, survival, trauma, and healing as a trans Indigenous person.
Vivek Shraya is a versatile storyteller who explores identity, belonging, and the experiences of queer and trans individuals with honesty and warmth. Her writing reflects a personal, intimate style, often questioning societal norms while weaving humor and compassion throughout.
In the deeply personal memoir, I'm Afraid of Men, she examines the roles gender and masculinity have played in her life, providing powerful insights that invite readers to reflect.
Kai Cheng Thom writes with poetic clarity about themes like identity, queer community, trauma, and healing. Thom's prose moves fluidly between tenderness and intensity, creating emotional connections with readers.
Her novel, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir, is bold and imaginative, using elements of fantasy, memoir, and magic realism to share the experiences of a young trans woman navigating love, violence, and self-discovery.
Tanya Tagaq's writing is vivid, visceral, and hard to forget. She often draws on her Inuit heritage to tackle themes of colonialism, environmental destruction, and cultural resilience.
In her compelling novel, Split Tooth, she combines poetry, prose, and illustrations to create an intimate yet sharply critical look at life in the Canadian Arctic. Her raw, passionate storytelling grabs the reader's attention while celebrating Inuit perspectives.
Gregory Scofield writes poems marked by emotional honesty and an engaging rhythm. His work often reflects on Métis culture, indigenous identity, historical injustices, and the challenges and joys of contemporary Métis life.
His poetry collection, Witness, I Am, invites readers into stories shaped by resilience, hubris, sorrow, and joy, simultaneously educating readers and offering empathy through deeply personal narratives.
Michelle Good writes clearly and powerfully, capturing the ongoing impacts of historical trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples in Canada. She approaches difficult themes directly, exploring resilience, survival, and healing.
Her novel, Five Little Indians, follows the interconnected journeys of residential school survivors as they begin their adult lives, showing how trauma resonates across generations. The strength and emotional depth of her storytelling bring history vividly into the present.