Nanise'
A Navajo Herbal: One Hundred Plants from the Navajo Reservation
by Barbara Bayless Lacy and Vernon O. Mayes, illustrations by Jack Ahasteen and Jason Chee
Nanise', A Navajo Herbal details 100 plants that are found on the Navajo Reservation, providing the reader with the Navajo name for each plant as well as ways the Navajos used them in everyday life, whether for ceremonial, medicinal or household purposes - complete with illustrations. The 100 plants are some of the most common reservation flora of over 1,500 species of wild, vascular plants, including ferns, horsetails, conifers and flowering species and were selected by the Navajo Health Authority, Ethnobotany Project staff, and approved by the Navajo Medicine Men's Association.
Reviews and Awards
Outstanding Creator Awards Review and Awards.
What makes the reviews from Outstanding Creator Awards so special is that they are never simply “book reports” or predictable summaries. The reviewers approach each project with honesty, intelligence, curiosity, and integrity, often uncovering layers of meaning readers might never expect.
Their review of Nanise’: A Navajo Herbal is a perfect example.
Rather than simply describing the book, the review explores its deeper cultural, spiritual, and educational importance. It describes the book as “a respectful educational doorway into Navajo plant knowledge” and praises it for framing plants “as part of a living cultural, spiritual, practical, and ecological system.”
One of the most beautiful observations in the review is:
“You start realizing that every branch, root, bark, flower, and leaf might have a story attached to it.”
That single sentence captures the heart of the book.
The review also beautifully explains how the book becomes “more than botany,” describing it as “a window into practical survival, observation, and passed-down wisdom.” It recognizes that Nanise’ is not simply a guide to plants, but a preservation of culture, respect, ceremony, and human connection to the natural world.
What is especially meaningful is that the reviewer openly admits this topic might not normally be “their cup of tea,” yet fully engages with the material. Instead of dismissing it, the review discovers the beauty within it — and invites the reader to do the same.
That openness, thoughtfulness, and willingness to genuinely learn are part of what makes the reviews from Outstanding Creator Awards so remarkable.
The final reflection says it best:
“It is not exactly a page-turner in the traditional sense, but it is absolutely a mind-opener.”
Adding even more excitement, Nanise’: A Navajo Herbal recently received multiple honors from the Outstanding Creator Awards, including:
• Educational & Reference Books (1st Place)
• Multicultural / Multilingual / Bilingual Fiction (1st Place)
• Best Research (Winner)
• Best Non-Fiction Book of Spring 2026 (2nd Place)
• Best Illustrated (Honorable Mention)
Originally published by Navajo Community College Press and republished in a beautiful new edition by Book Street Press, an imprint of Story Monsters LLC, the book continues to educate and inspire new generations of readers.
Congratulations to Barbara Bayless Lacy and Vernon O. Mayes on this well-deserved recognition.
To read the full review, click here.