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Jo Jo Makoons #2
Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants
Filled with lots of glitter, raised pinkies, and humorous misunderstandings, this second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series--written by Dawn Quigley and illustrated by Tara Audibert--is filled with the joy of a young Ojibwe girl discovering her very own special shine from the inside out.
First grader Jo Jo Makoons knows how to do a lot of things, like how to play jump rope, how to hide her peas in her milk, and how to be helpful in her classroom.
But there's one thing Jo Jo doesn't know how to do: be fancy. She has a lot to learn before her Aunt Annie's wedding!
Favorite purple unicorn notebook in hand, Jo Jo starts exploring her Ojibwe community to find ways to be fancy.
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.
First grader Jo Jo Makoons knows how to do a lot of things, like how to play jump rope, how to hide her peas in her milk, and how to be helpful in her classroom.
But there's one thing Jo Jo doesn't know how to do: be fancy. She has a lot to learn before her Aunt Annie's wedding!
Favorite purple unicorn notebook in hand, Jo Jo starts exploring her Ojibwe community to find ways to be fancy.
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.
96 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
February 3, 2023
I love JoJo! She's so funny and adorable.
December 31, 2023
“Happiness leaks out when you give hugs.” Thank you Little Free Library’s Indigenous Library Program, Heartdrum Press, and Dawn Quigley for this free book!
“Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants” (Jo Jo #2) by Dawn Quigley. Illustrated by Tara Audibert ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Children’s Cultural Identity fiction. Location: The fictional Pembina Ojibwe Reservation. Time: Present.
THE SERIES: Josephine Makoons Azure (Jo Jo) lives on the Pembina Ojibwe Reservation. She’s a student at Little Shell Elementary School. She’s good at cleaning up, being friendly, jumping rope, being helpful, and she’s learning to rhyme. She loves her home best friend Mimi (a gray cat), and she’s proud of her Ojibwe culture and language.
THIS BOOK: Auntie Anne’s fancy wedding is coming up. Jo Jo knows a lot of things, but not how to be fancy. Jo Jo uses her sparkly purple unicorn notebook to write notes about how to be fancy. Auntie Anne reminds her that being her own glorious self is even more important. The book showcases misunderstandings and misadventures so typical of second grade children. Indigenous children have an opportunity to see themselves in books, and all children can learn about Ojibwe culture.
Author Quigley (PhD) is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, North Dakota, USA, and an Assistant Professor in Education. She has created a book about growing up Native in a loving community. It’s full of developmentally-appropriate scenes. She gives Jo Jo a delightfully fresh, quirky attitude that keeps her family and teacher on their toes. In addition to wonderful cartoon-style illustrations, illustrator Audibert created a page with drawings of Jo Jo, her friends and relatives. And Quigley includes ‘Jo Jo’s Glossary’ at the end. There‘s such fun in the wordplay, nicknames, and humor when seeing the world through a 7-year-old’s eyes, and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼♀️
“Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants” (Jo Jo #2) by Dawn Quigley. Illustrated by Tara Audibert ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Children’s Cultural Identity fiction. Location: The fictional Pembina Ojibwe Reservation. Time: Present.
THE SERIES: Josephine Makoons Azure (Jo Jo) lives on the Pembina Ojibwe Reservation. She’s a student at Little Shell Elementary School. She’s good at cleaning up, being friendly, jumping rope, being helpful, and she’s learning to rhyme. She loves her home best friend Mimi (a gray cat), and she’s proud of her Ojibwe culture and language.
THIS BOOK: Auntie Anne’s fancy wedding is coming up. Jo Jo knows a lot of things, but not how to be fancy. Jo Jo uses her sparkly purple unicorn notebook to write notes about how to be fancy. Auntie Anne reminds her that being her own glorious self is even more important. The book showcases misunderstandings and misadventures so typical of second grade children. Indigenous children have an opportunity to see themselves in books, and all children can learn about Ojibwe culture.
Author Quigley (PhD) is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, North Dakota, USA, and an Assistant Professor in Education. She has created a book about growing up Native in a loving community. It’s full of developmentally-appropriate scenes. She gives Jo Jo a delightfully fresh, quirky attitude that keeps her family and teacher on their toes. In addition to wonderful cartoon-style illustrations, illustrator Audibert created a page with drawings of Jo Jo, her friends and relatives. And Quigley includes ‘Jo Jo’s Glossary’ at the end. There‘s such fun in the wordplay, nicknames, and humor when seeing the world through a 7-year-old’s eyes, and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼♀️
September 3, 2022
As promised in my review of the first book in this series, my daughter and I went along on another Jo Jo adventure. And, just like the first book, it was well worth it.
As frequently happens in series, the second book isn’t as good as the first. And that's true here, but that just makes it a four-star read rather than a five-star one.
In book two, Jo Jo’s aunt is getting married, and Jo Jo wants to make sure she’s nice and fancy for the wedding. The story is about the ways she gets fancified, and there’s never-ending cuteness in her plans.
Jo Jo reminds me of Junie B. Jones crossed with Fancy Nancy in this book, and fans of those series will enjoy this tale.
In "Fancy Pants," the author mostly dropped the pronunciation guide to Ojibwe words, instead leaving that for the endnotes. I preferred the way it was approached in the first book, where those words were highlighted in the story text, but that’s a minor quibble. Overall, this is a fun, cute read.
DAD SAYS
Just like the first book, this is great for kids of all ages. It’s a fun read-aloud for parents, too, if you’re reading it with your little one. And, believe me, that matters — I’ve had some read-alouds where the book was so bad I skipped whole paragraphs just to get to the end quicker. I’m not proud of it, but, hey, it happens.
As frequently happens in series, the second book isn’t as good as the first. And that's true here, but that just makes it a four-star read rather than a five-star one.
In book two, Jo Jo’s aunt is getting married, and Jo Jo wants to make sure she’s nice and fancy for the wedding. The story is about the ways she gets fancified, and there’s never-ending cuteness in her plans.
Jo Jo reminds me of Junie B. Jones crossed with Fancy Nancy in this book, and fans of those series will enjoy this tale.
In "Fancy Pants," the author mostly dropped the pronunciation guide to Ojibwe words, instead leaving that for the endnotes. I preferred the way it was approached in the first book, where those words were highlighted in the story text, but that’s a minor quibble. Overall, this is a fun, cute read.
DAD SAYS
Just like the first book, this is great for kids of all ages. It’s a fun read-aloud for parents, too, if you’re reading it with your little one. And, believe me, that matters — I’ve had some read-alouds where the book was so bad I skipped whole paragraphs just to get to the end quicker. I’m not proud of it, but, hey, it happens.
February 5, 2024
This book is written for early elementary aged children. It says so right there on the back: "Ages 6-10," and the reading level seems correct.
Here is the problem:
Jo Jo is that age. She misinterprets body language and social cues, and she doesn't understand the jokes and references of the adults around her. And the adults don't explain it to her. They don't correct most of her misunderstandings, and she continues thinking she's right, or they don't explain their jokes and she ends up confused.
So either Jo Jo is an accurate representation of the target audience of this book, and the target audience will also misinterpret social cues, body language, and adult jokes — in which case it's not a good book for the target audience to read — or Jo Jo is intentionally portrayed as not very smart so the early elementary aged readers will get why it's funny that she doesn't understand these things.
We need diverse books, but not if the diverse protagonist is depicted as less intelligent than her peers. Jo Jo deserves better. The Ojibwe people deserve better. Early elementary aged readers deserve better.
This book is written with plot points adults will find funny, but at a child's reading level, which serves neither audience.
Here is the problem:
Jo Jo is that age. She misinterprets body language and social cues, and she doesn't understand the jokes and references of the adults around her. And the adults don't explain it to her. They don't correct most of her misunderstandings, and she continues thinking she's right, or they don't explain their jokes and she ends up confused.
So either Jo Jo is an accurate representation of the target audience of this book, and the target audience will also misinterpret social cues, body language, and adult jokes — in which case it's not a good book for the target audience to read — or Jo Jo is intentionally portrayed as not very smart so the early elementary aged readers will get why it's funny that she doesn't understand these things.
We need diverse books, but not if the diverse protagonist is depicted as less intelligent than her peers. Jo Jo deserves better. The Ojibwe people deserve better. Early elementary aged readers deserve better.
This book is written with plot points adults will find funny, but at a child's reading level, which serves neither audience.
September 3, 2023
I missed Jo Jo’s whimsical and vivacious attitude since reviewing a gifted copy of the first one! It is particularly healing for me to read this books that I never had access to as an Indigenous child. Especially with me being Ojibwe. The Ojibwe rep even as an adult in any book makes me so excited.
For the story it is a quick read with so much of the same attitude as before. Jo Jo marches to the beat of a different drum and takes a lot of things literally, like so many kids do. She reads on page as very much her age. I do think this one was less humorous than the previous one, and I think kids would find the first one more funny and interesting, but this one is still very good.
Having Mimi as a role in Jo Jo’s story helps a lot because kids love pets for sure! I think this series is great for all kids, even those who are not Ojibwe or Native! This one followed Jo Jo’s desire to be “fancy” and learning that it’s best to just be herself, finding that being helpful is what she enjoys most. It is nice messaging with a quick enough pace to keep a child’s attention.
Rep: Ojibwe MC.
For the story it is a quick read with so much of the same attitude as before. Jo Jo marches to the beat of a different drum and takes a lot of things literally, like so many kids do. She reads on page as very much her age. I do think this one was less humorous than the previous one, and I think kids would find the first one more funny and interesting, but this one is still very good.
Having Mimi as a role in Jo Jo’s story helps a lot because kids love pets for sure! I think this series is great for all kids, even those who are not Ojibwe or Native! This one followed Jo Jo’s desire to be “fancy” and learning that it’s best to just be herself, finding that being helpful is what she enjoys most. It is nice messaging with a quick enough pace to keep a child’s attention.
Rep: Ojibwe MC.
July 30, 2023
Jo Jo and her family are preparing to go to her Aunt's wedding. Jo Jo wants to make sure she is fancy enough for her Aunt's special day, so she starts studying up on how to be fancy. Will she be able to pull off all the fancy for the wedding?
I feel like some young readers may need an adult to explain when Jo Jo is misunderstanding others. She makes comments about how when Teacher makes this expression it means... or when Mom makes this expression it means... and she is usually totally off base. She's not great on social cues yet, and that is left up to the reader to pick up on all by themselves. If readers also aren't great on social cues they could get some very wrong ideas from Jo Jo. I wish there were a narrator to input she missed the boat or something. The overall concept of the book is a relatable concept, and the way the book educates readers about some of Jo Jo's Ojibwe culture is great, so I'll round it up to a 3 stars.
I feel like some young readers may need an adult to explain when Jo Jo is misunderstanding others. She makes comments about how when Teacher makes this expression it means... or when Mom makes this expression it means... and she is usually totally off base. She's not great on social cues yet, and that is left up to the reader to pick up on all by themselves. If readers also aren't great on social cues they could get some very wrong ideas from Jo Jo. I wish there were a narrator to input she missed the boat or something. The overall concept of the book is a relatable concept, and the way the book educates readers about some of Jo Jo's Ojibwe culture is great, so I'll round it up to a 3 stars.
October 27, 2022
I read Jo Jo Makoons: Used-to-be-Best-Friend last year with my 2nd/3rd grade book club and we all LOVED it. The storyline and the humor were great and the kids all learned so much about Native American people. It was great. [The cat stole the show in book 1 when Jo Jo took it to school and then she peed in the teepee! That part had my kids rolling on the rug laughing harder than they've laughed about any other book.]
So I had high expectations for this sequel. Instead I felt that the humor was not as strong, reservation life wasn't as detailed, and the school part felt more mean girl. The mention of Aunt Annie being a jingle dancer at a powwow stops short - I wish this had been expanded more - it could have been SO FANCY! But overall this 2nd Jo Jo Makoons book is solid early chapter book I will still use with my book group.
So I had high expectations for this sequel. Instead I felt that the humor was not as strong, reservation life wasn't as detailed, and the school part felt more mean girl. The mention of Aunt Annie being a jingle dancer at a powwow stops short - I wish this had been expanded more - it could have been SO FANCY! But overall this 2nd Jo Jo Makoons book is solid early chapter book I will still use with my book group.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
These two chapter books featuring 7-year-old Josephine "Jo Jo" Makoons Azure are quick (60-70 pages each, total, so about 35 printed pages), easy to read, with lots of illustrations to keep readers engaged and turning pages. They each have a glossary of 6-10 Ojibwe and Michif words in the back.
In Fancy Pants, Jo Jo creates a list and goes about figuring out how to be "fancy" for an upcoming wedding, including how to eat and look fancy, and what "fancy things" to do at a wedding.
Looking for more book suggestions for your classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
In Fancy Pants, Jo Jo creates a list and goes about figuring out how to be "fancy" for an upcoming wedding, including how to eat and look fancy, and what "fancy things" to do at a wedding.
Looking for more book suggestions for your classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
January 5, 2024
Jo Jo is just seven and has a lot to learn. Readers can also learn from Jo Jo. For example, it takes 47 letters to say "blueberry pie" in Ojibwe: miini-baashkiminasigani-biitppsijigani-bakzewhigan. Hope that isn't on the next spelling test. This is the second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series by Heartdrum. Jo Jo is a bit like Amelia Bedelia, getting terms confused or taking them too literally. She thinks that her mom is getting letters from a guy named "Bill," but they are really bills that need to be paid. I love her conversations with her kokum (grandmother) and the lesson she learns about being fancy from her Aunt Anne. The colorful, geometric illustrations are inviting and eyecatching. A series that I look forward to reading more of.
October 2, 2023
Jo Jo and her family are going to her Aunt's wedding. It's far from their reservation and fancy with a sit down dinner and live band. Jo Jo is excited to go, but there's one thing. Jo Jo doesn't know how to be fancy. Armed with her purple unicorn notebook she takes notes on how to be fancy so that she can be ready for her Aunt's big day.
This was a humorous read, if you get it. Jo Jo totally misunderstands the people around her by misreading their body language or misunderstanding what they say. It's funny, if you understand Jo Jo's misunderstanding. However, I'm not sure if younger, lower elementary readers will necessarily pick up on these things.
This was a humorous read, if you get it. Jo Jo totally misunderstands the people around her by misreading their body language or misunderstanding what they say. It's funny, if you understand Jo Jo's misunderstanding. However, I'm not sure if younger, lower elementary readers will necessarily pick up on these things.
June 23, 2022
In this 2nd book in the Jo Jo Makoons series Jo Jo is going to a fancy wedding in Wisconsin but she's not sure how she can be fancy enough for the celebration. Jo Jo is a 1st grader who lives on a fictional Ojibwe reservation and this book features Ojibwe & Michef words throughout (with a glossary at the back). Jo Jo might remind you a bit of Ramona Quimby! I loved following Jo Jo's further adventures and there's great humor throughout these books for adults too if they're sharing the reading experience with their reader. The poor teacher haha.
December 30, 2024
Jo Jo is headed to her aunt's wedding and wants to be "fancy." The book details all the things she learns from the kids at school and from her family about being fancy. I love how the series incorporates a lot of humor and a lot of detail about Ojibwe culture - for example, the blanket ceremony at Jo Jo's Auntie Anne's wedding. The series is part of We Need Diverse Books, helping "to create a world where every child can see themselves in the pages of a book." I'm glad my library has these in our collection.
December 24, 2023
4 stars (I really liked it)
This is very reminiscence of Junie B Jones except with an Ojibwe main character who is less bratty than Junie.
There are some fun misunderstandings (like the letters that Mama gets from Bill) and a good message about being yourself.
I don't remember much from the first in the series but I did reread my review and it seems like I liked the second book a bit more :)
This is very reminiscence of Junie B Jones except with an Ojibwe main character who is less bratty than Junie.
There are some fun misunderstandings (like the letters that Mama gets from Bill) and a good message about being yourself.
I don't remember much from the first in the series but I did reread my review and it seems like I liked the second book a bit more :)
June 1, 2022
This own voices book is remeniscent of Fancy Nancy and Amelia Bedelia. Jo Jo, a first grader who lives on an Ojibwe reservation, is getting ready for her aunt's wedding in Wisconsin by trying to learn how to be fancy. She tries hard, but much of the book's humor comes from her misunderstanding situations or trying to be helpful in ways that others find baffling.
June 16, 2022
I loved everything about this book! It is a quick read (child would want to know what comes next) and it would hold the child's intrest. JoJo is trying to learn how to be helpful and fancy, what every first grader would want to know. LOL
Diversity is also covered in such a way that, a child is learning about it and not even realizing that they are learning about cultures.
Diversity is also covered in such a way that, a child is learning about it and not even realizing that they are learning about cultures.
June 16, 2022
An Own Voices story with a main character reminiscent of Junie B. or Amelia Bedelia. Jo Jo shares her life with readers and they will find her version of life events humorous as they don't always match reality. I appreciate the way Quigley shares cultural information and language as part of Jo Jo's life.
August 18, 2022
This character is a firecracker and her misunderstanings of adults talking is reminiscent of Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby, for sure. I most love that this is a native Ojibwe character living on a reservation and being taught by a kind male non-native teacher. It is about time we see a character in children's stories who happens to be Native American!
August 25, 2023
A second book in the Native American chapter book series.Jo Jo reminds me a little of Amelia Bedelia, with her literal interpretations of what her family and friends say (which is actually pretty normal for a seven-year-old girl). In this story, JoJo learns to be helpful and explores the meaning of “fancy”, as she attends her aunt’s wedding and practices her math.
December 5, 2024
Jo Jo Makoons, a smart young seven year old, first-grade girl is excited to read the shiny, glittery wedding card she got from her Aunt Anne. The family is invited to the wedding and her grandma, Kokum is ready to go. The little girl has to get fancy for the wedding and this wedding will cost the family a fortune.
August 6, 2022
Even better than the first -- still enjoyable with a likable main character, but I felt like the incorporation of Native American culture and language was even more natural in this one than the first!
September 13, 2022
I really liked this one! There were a few edits that were missed, but I can overlook that. I loved that this legitimately sounds like a first grader talking. I love that. And the Ojibwe representation! I loved it.
December 31, 2022
Jo Jo Makoons is a great character to read about because you never know what kind of scrapes she'll get into even though she's just trying to be helpful. I really enjoyed the wrong readings of different body language she encountered throughout the book.
April 23, 2023
2022 Cybils Easy Chapter Book finalist
This is a fun and appealing book for young readers. I'd be happy to share-read it with one of them. On my own I don't find Amelia Bedelia type of misunderstandings all that funny, but if I had a kid giggling beside me I'd get into it.
This is a fun and appealing book for young readers. I'd be happy to share-read it with one of them. On my own I don't find Amelia Bedelia type of misunderstandings all that funny, but if I had a kid giggling beside me I'd get into it.
June 6, 2023
Jo Jo is off on another adventure -- attending her aunt's wedding and learning how to be a fancy version of herself. Love that she gets some dancing in, and that she finds her satisfaction in being helpful.
April 7, 2024
Another cute book about 1st grader Jo-Jo. This time she is off to her Aunt's wedding. I really enjoyed the line she used to describe one of her friends, " she is quiet sometimes but her smile is very loud." So cute.
Want to Read
October 10, 2021The first book to this series was a little gem, looking forward to the continuing of the series!
May 12, 2022
I adored the first Jo Jo Makoons and this sequel was just as cute! I love Jo Jo's wide eyed impressions of the world and her casual observations of it.
May 24, 2022
“Fun is eating food, not just talking about it.” — Jo Jo 😄
June 23, 2022
gr K-2nd
July 8, 2022
Jo Jo is awesome!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews