Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend - The Used-to-Be Best Friend

American Indian Youth Literature Award: Middle Grade Honor Book! Hello/Boozhoo—meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley 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…

The Heartdrum imprint centers a wide range of intertribal voices, visions, and stories while welcoming all young readers, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes. In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

Funny School Story: From misunderstanding rhymes to accidentally bringing her cat, Mimi, to class, Jo Jo’s first-grade logic is guaranteed to make young readers laugh out loud. Making New Friends: When her best friend Fern starts drifting away, Jo Jo has to figure out what being friendly really means and how to navigate the ups and downs of school relationships. Ojibwe Culture for Kids: Celebrate a joyful young Ojibwe girl on her reservation as she learns from her kokum (grandma) and shares words like boozhoo (hello)! Perfect for Early Readers: With short chapters, charming illustrations, and a relatable seven-year-old voice, this book is ideal for kids transitioning from picture books to chapter books.