A plucky Ojibwe first-grader worries over friendships, her artistic chops and a deflating cat in the charming #OwnVoices series starter, Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend.
Josephine "Jo Jo" Makoons Azure is a spunky seven-year-old resident of a fictional reservation belonging to the Pembina Ojibwe, and a proud Native child. In eight short, accessible chapters, Jo Jo schedules a veterinarian's visit for her cat Mimi (her "home best friend"), submits her art for the school yearbook and deals with the recent lunch table abandonment of her "school best friend," Fern. Meanwhile, Jo Jo strives to be friendly, as her kokum (grandma in Michif) teaches, while struggling with emotional vulnerabilities that ring painfully true.
Dawn Quigley (Apple in the Middle; contributor to Ancestor Approved), a citizen of the Pembina Band of Ojibwe, delivers savvy observations that subtly educate readers about Ojibwe culture, heritage and community. Michif and Ojibwe words appear regularly and are italicized only once, as Jo Jo defines or enunciates them. Quigley's snappy humor and short paragraphs suit the early chapter-book format, while front- and backmatter affirm Indigenous readers and support non-Native children. Wolastoqey/French filmmaker, cartoonist, animater and artist Tara Audibert's charismatic work perfectly complements Jo Jo's animated disposition. Cartoon-style caricatures feature warm eyes and generous smiles, rendering each character distinctly. Grayscale spot art and full-page illustrations include Ojibwe details like a turtle calendar in the classroom and floral motifs throughout.
Jo Jo's magnetic personality and liberal humor should endear her immediately to readers struggling to sort out their own worlds--she is sure to be young readers' new "book best friend." --Kit Ballenger, youth librarian, Help Your Shelf