WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Husi and Kerrie Ann Cazares

These bilingual Tohono O’odham/English books by Husi Cazares and his wife Kerrie Ann Cazares offer a vivid and heartfelt exploration of traditional knowledge and cultural insights. Rooted in authentic teachings, these works are designed to deepen understanding and foster a meaningful connection with heritage—making them ideal for readers committed to preserving and honoring ancestral wisdom.

The story follows a young boy being raised by his grandfather on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation in southern Arizona. Through a series of everyday moments, the book gently introduces elements of O’odham himdag (culture). The narrative begins with a simple question the boy asks his Hu'ul Ke:li (grandfather) and unfolds with culturally grounded answers that explain why they carry out certain daily traditions—rising early in the morning, tending horses, working in the garden, hauling water, and gathering food and medicine in the desert.

Husi Cazares

Husi Cazares, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, grew up in southern Arizona and has devoted his life to teaching and preserving his people’s culture, history, and language. He has taught Tohono O’odham culture as well as Native American history and culture at several colleges and universities. Husi holds an M.A. in Native American Studies from the University of Arizona and an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. Currently working as a trilingual speech-language pathologist in southern Arizona, he remains deeply involved in language preservation and literacy initiatives within his tribe. He continues to write bilingual Tohono O’odham books for children.

Kerrie Ann Cazares

Kerrie Ann Cazares, who also speaks and writes Tohono O’odham, grew up in Orland Park, Illinois. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. Alongside her husband, she writes and illustrates books, language coloring books, and educational materials to support O’odham language learning. Kerrie Ann enjoys sewing, painting, and creating digital art. She and Husi live in Marana, Arizona, close to many of their seven children and three granddaughters.

Stories rooted in the Southwest—books that feel like home.