Jo Jo Makoons #1

An Honor Book in the 2022 American Indian Youth Literature Awards for Middle Grade Readers!

Ages 6 to 10, Grades 1 to 5

The first book in a chapter book series about a funny and proud young Ojibwe girl, written by American Indian Youth Literature Honorwinning author Dawn Quigley (Ojibwe), and illustrated by artist Tara Audibert (Wolastoqey).

Hello/Boozhoo—meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in a new chapter book series celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is. Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she’s worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore. . . .

About the Author

Author bioDawn Quigley is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, North Dakota. Her debut YA novel, Apple in the Middle, was awarded an American Indian Youth Literature Honor. She is a PhD education university faculty member, and a former K–12 reading and English teacher, as well as an Indian Education program codirector. She lives in Minnesota. You can find her online at www.dawnquigley.com. Artist bioTara Audibert is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, cartoonist, animator, and podcaster. She owns and runs Moxy Fox Studio where she creates her award-winning works, including the animated short film The Importance of Dreaming; comics This Place: 150 Years Retold and Lost Innocence; and “Nitap: Legends of the First Nations” an animated storytelling app. She is of Wolastoqey/French heritage and resides in Sunny Corner, New Brunswick, Canada. You can find her online at www.moxyfox.ca.