Dedication

  To all the young readers out there: keep being awesome!

  —DQ

  To all Indigenous little girls and boys who never got to see themselves in storybooks

  —TA

  About This Story

  Jo Jo lives on a fictional Native American Ojibwe reservation, the Pembina Ojibwe Reservation. A reservation is land under the care of a Native Nation that calls it home. The land now called the United States is home to more than three hundred reservations and over five hundred Tribal Nations. There are many reservations in the United States, but Jo Jo’s is not an actual one. Every reservation has unique and special elements, and Jo Jo’s reservation incorporates many of those found in Ojibwe (and many other Native American) communities.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  About This Story

  1: Cat Rules Cats Rule

  2: Classy Class

  3: Coat Cubbies

  4: Rules

  5: Fan Mail

  6: Not So Silent

  7: Talent Show

  8: Substitutes

  Jo Jo’s Glossary

  Author’s Note

  Editor’s Note

  About the Author, Illustrator, and Editor

  We Need Diverse Books

  Excerpt from Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-To-Be Best Friend

  Books by Dawn Quigley

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Cat Rules Cats Rule

  “Mimi, you can play with your own toys, not Kokum’s good pen.”

  Mimi swatted Kokum’s pen across the table.

  And looked at me.

  “No, Mimi. Pens are not toys. They help adults write down pretend stories.”

  Mimi jumped and swatted it with her other paw.

  And looked at me. Again.

  “Mimi, no. This is Kokum’s good and fancy pen. It is from the BINGO Barn. She makes up stories with it.”

  “See here? It is Kokum’s pretend story.”

  Do 10 sit-ups.

  Clean out junk drawer.

  Don’t eat sweets for 3 days.

  Kokum is the best at making up stories! And she needs her good and fancy pen to write them.

  “Mimi, give it to me.”

  “Mimi, you need to follow the rules. Give it to me, please?”

  Saying please is how you strongly ask for something, but softer. Please is a pillow word. It makes your words softer and fluffier to hear.

  Mimi must not like pillows. But I like pillows. They are like clouds for your head.

  I guess Teacher is right when he says my head is always in the clouds.

  Last week at supper I asked Mama what pillows are made of.

  I said, “It must be cotton candy.”

  “Well, Jo Jo, pillows are made by stuffing material between cloth,” Mama answered.

  “That does not sound very fun for the material,” I said.

  Kokum said, “You certainly have a knack for understanding things, Jo Jo.”

  I looked at my grandma. “What does knack mean?”

  “Well,” Kokum said, “it means you have a talent. That you’re good at something.”

  My eyes got very wide. “Oh, yes, miigwech! I am good at so many things!”

  Mama looked at Kokum for a long time. When grown-ups stare at each other after you talk, it means they are so proud of you!

  Yay, I have knack!

  Oh, boozhoo! Hello!

  My name is Jo Jo, and you can call me Jo Jo! I am in the first grade and seven years old. I have a very big real name, and it is Josephine Makoons Azure. My middle name is Makoons, and it means “little bear cub.” Sometimes my tummy rumbles like a little bear cub, so it is a very good name for me.

  Teacher says bears hibernate, or sleep, all winter long. But I do not hibernate because I like to get up every morning to watch cartoons.

  Poor little bear cubs miss so much, sleeping all winter. That is why I make snow bears for them when it snows. It is how I remember them.

  Everybody loves snow! Except shovels.

  I live on the Pembina Ojibwe Nation. We speak Michif and Ojibwe and English. Michif is a language made from words that are Cree, French, and Ojibwe. Michif is like a beautiful picture with many colors.

  We speak very many languages on our reservation. It helps us talk to each other. My moushoom used to tell me our animals and land can only hear us when we speak our Ojibwe language. But what if we don’t speak our languages? I think when a tree dies it’s because people didn’t talk Ojibwe to it.

  When I hug trees and kiss Mimi, I always say, “Aaniin.” It is good to talk our language!

  Mimi must sometimes forget her Ojibwe. Because when I ask her to do things, she doesn’t listen.

  “Mimi, my girl, biinitaw,” I asked one day last week.

  But Mimi did not clean up her toys.

  “Mimi, please, biinitaw,” I asked again. I even used the fluffy soft pillow word please!

  Mimi only said, “Meeeeow.”

  Kokum says Mimi is a smart-aleck cat. Sometimes I worry about how my kokum thinks. Because Mimi’s name is Mimi, not Aleck!

  I do not know if Mimi is smart, but I know she has a knack when she yacks up hairballs. Mimi always yacks up right before dinner. I bet she can tell time. She has very many talents!

  So that means Mimi is a smarty cat!

  MIMI HAS TALENT

  1. Mimi can sleep longer than anyone in the family.

  2. Mimi can sit in a box for hours!

  3. Mimi can change shapes.

  4. Mimi can make Mama jump very high!

  Yesterday morning I was eating my breakfast. It was the very yummy rainbow cereal with marshmallow shapes. Rainbows are so nice to be yummy!

  But I do not like the square marshmallows. I pick them out and give them to my bus friend, Ferris. Squares are too pointy to be yummy. Ferris nibbles the points off because circles taste better. He is so smart!

  Mama walked in the front door. She volunteers at the Elders’ Tribal Center. Volunteering means you work for free. But it is a good free.

  “Looks like the Elders want to change the rules for the talent show this year,” Mama said to Kokum.

  Talent show? Hmm. I have very many talents!

  Kokum said, “Yes, we want to invite the whole tribe to participate, not only us Elders.”

  “Can kids be in the show?” I asked.

  “Well, yes, my girl,” Kokum said.

  Oh! Oh! Oh! My heart and tummy had many enthusiasms.

  We sat down to eat. I thought of all my talents.

  “Jo Jo, my girl, why are you licking your fingers? Using manners is our rule,” Mama said. She looked at Kokum across the table.

  I tilted my head. “But I am! Mimi licks herself clean after eating. That is her rule.” Tilting your head means you are being helpful.

  “Use a napkin. Follow the family rules, my girl,” Kokum said.

  “But Mimi is family, and so maybe we should follow her rules.” I gave them both a very big gum smile. That means you are not being mean.

  Mama answered, “Jo Jo, Mimi is a cat. You are not.”

  It is good that Mama knows I am a kid, not a cat. But I would make a very good kitty!

  “Mimi, my girl, biinitaw,” I said.

  Mimi looked at me and licked her paw. I looked at Mama and licked my fingers.

  I said, “See, when we speak our languages, animals can hear us better! Good job cleaning up and following our family rules, Mimi!”

  Mama and Kokum stared at each other for a long time. They are so proud of me!

  It is good to follow the rules. But how do I do that? There are so many!

  Classy Class

  Every school day I ride the bus. The bus driver picks up the kids, brings us to school, and then leaves.

  I do not think it’s fair that the bus driver does not have to go to school.

  When I was waiting for the bus last week, I asked Kokum, “Why doesn’t everyone have to go to school forever? Like you?”

  “Because I don’t want to take away all your fun,” she said. “And I already did my time.”

  Kokum’s way of thinking is funny. She calls school “doing time.” Mama looks at her with triangle arms when Kokum says this. When someone puts their hands on their hips, it is triangle arms. Triangle arms means you are very not happy.

  Triangles are the maddest shape.

  But my grandma is a very good kokum. We like to play school together on Saturdays. Kokum always pretends she is in a time-out. A time-out in school is when the teacher “needs some space from you.” Kokum sits on the couch and reads the paper in her time-out.

  Mimi plays the teacher and gives us orders.

  Meeeoooow. That means clean up—meeooow—now!

  That morning I stepped up onto the bus. Ferris, my bus friend, saved my seat again. But Brie tried to sit next to my bus friend.

  It did not turn out very good for her.

  I looked at her and lip-pointed to another seat.

  “Jeez, you don’t have to yell, Jo Jo!” Brie said. “Bus driver! Jo Jo is making up her own seating chart!”

  Brie is not a good bus friend. Brie thinks she knows the rules. She does not.

  Bus Driver did a puffy breath. Phhhhhh. A puffy breath means you just want to be invisible.

  Brie is in my class. But she does not have any class.

  Having class means you don’t sit in my seat.

  “Boozhoo, Ferris!” I said after Brie moved. “Did you hear about the Tribal Talent Show?”

  “Jo Jo, hi! Eya, my dad told me about that,” Ferris said. “That will be fun!”

  Ferris looked over at Brie then. He gave me a side smile. A side smile means you can keep a secret.

  Ferris is a very good bus friend. And very full of class.

  At school I walked to meet my best school friend, Fern. We always meet at the drinking fountain in the morning. Fern always gives me the biggest smiles!

  Fern’s name is the same as a plant, but my friend Fern smiles better than a plant. Much better.

  We skipped to our class holding hands. That is what best school friends do!

  We whispered to each other about the Tribal Talent Show. I think Fern has the knack for being the best friend ever.

  A grown-up said, “Aaniin, children!” at the front of our classroom.

  Fern and I looked at each other. We gave each other 11 foreheads. An 11 forehead is when you are confused. And make a number 11 between your eyes.

  “Jo Jo,” Fern whispered, “who is that?”

  “I don’t know. It’s not Teacher,” I said.

  Up-Chuck walked past us and waved to this not-our-teacher teacher. “Boozhoo, Ms. Inez.” He looked back at us. “She’s my old neighbor before they moved away.”

  Up-Chuck is also in our class. He has class as long as he doesn’t upchuck his food like he did in kindergarten. I like to remind him of that. Just in case he forgets.

  I am so very helpful!

  We hung up our coats in our cubbies and sat down. This teacher person walked to the front of our classroom.

  “Well, aaniin, children! My name is Ms. Inez. I am your substitute teacher today,” she said.

  Susan asked, “Are you our new teacher, Teacher?”

  “No. Your teacher is out today. I am your substitute teacher,” that Ms. Inez lady said.

  “Did Teacher run away?” Penny asked.

  “I can run very fast! But sometimes I run out of gas,” Joe said.

  Up-Chuck said, “Ha ha! Gas! Who has gas? Sometimes fruit will make you go toot!”

  Last year in kindergarten when our teacher was gone, our principal, Ms. Whirl Wind Horse, taught us. But I don’t know this lady.

  Not-our-teacher Teacher looked very long at us. Then she clapped her hands and said, “Gaawiin, children. Stop talking, please.”

  My eyes looked up to the ceiling. That is where you find many good ideas.

  “Brie doesn’t have gas,” I said, “but she can really cut the cheese.”

  “Ms. Inez! Jo Jo says I cut the cheese!” Brie yelled.

  Brie is what Kokum calls “sassy.” Sassy means you are not classy.

  Not-our-teacher Teacher said, “Jo Jo, please stop talking.”

  “No, I just said Brie is very handy with slicing cheese,” I said with a big gum smile.

  Not-our-teacher Teacher said again, “Jo Jo, please stop talking to other students.”

  But I have questions for not-our-teacher Teacher. Our Elders always say to listen and then ask questions. I listened. And now I want to learn how to follow this substitute teacher’s rules!

  Coat Cubbies

  “Ms. Inez, Jo Jo should have a time-out. That’s what Teacher does. A lot,” Brie said very loudly. It was not a cute sound.

  I gave Brie a nose scrunch. It is not a pretty look.

  Then I looked down at my shoes. That is where you find many good questions.

  I looked at not-our-teacher Teacher and asked, “What does a substitute mean?”

  “My mama uses sugar substitutes,” said Makwa.

  Susan said, “But I like real sugar!”

  Up-Chuck laughed and said, “Yeah, me too!”

  For some reason this Ms. Inez stared at our class again. Staring means you agree. Yay, sugar!

  “Okay, that is enough, children. A substitute takes the place of something. I am your teacher for today,” she said. Then very quietly she said, “Today only. Never again.”

  I still had one more question. “But doesn’t a substitute mean not as good as the real one?” I tilted my head to show I was being helpful. It is good to learn new words.

  This Ms. Inez substitute said, “Jo Jo, please. I asked you not to talk anymore. Go sit by the coat cubbies for a time-out.”

  A time-out in school is when the teacher needs some space from you.

  I could use some space, too.

  The coat cubbies are like the principal’s office in the classroom. I spent a lot of time there in kindergarten. I like to look at the new fashionable coats everyone has hung up!

  “Righty-o!” I said. “What should I do by the coat cubbies?”

  That Ms. Inez lady answered, “Just . . . just maybe take your journal and write about following the rules. And not talking to other people.”

  I whistled and skipped on my way to the front of the room by the door.

  Here I come, coat cubbies!

  When I walked by, Up-Chuck whispered to me, “Don’t toot in my boot.” Then he did a belly laugh.

  For some reason, our substitute teacher did a very long blink. Her eyes were shut for many seconds. She must be tired. It might be healthy for her to try un-caffeine coffee.

  I do not think she has a talent for teaching.

  Rules

  I found a very lovely place to sit in the coat cubbies. I took out my journal. And my purple unicorn pencil. And did some big thinking.

  But I did not feel like thinking about rules.

  I looked around. I had other things to think about.

  “Oh, well, it looks like someone got a new pair of mittens. But I do not like the colors.”

  I turned around.

  “Susan ripped her coat zipper! Oh no!”

  There is so much to see in the coat cubbies! I noticed many things.

  “Oh, icky, someone wiped boogers on the wall again,” I said, and made a nose scrunch. That is my face saying ick, just sick.

  I looked around again.

  “Hmm, Brie has a delicious square cracker pack sticking out of her jacket. Well, nobody likes square foods!”

  Nibble, nibble, nibble.

  “There, we’ll just tuck the not-square crackers back,” I said.

  I had a lot of time to think. I know! I will help the class find their talents!

  TALENT SHOW

  My talent talents . . . I have so many. Skipping, talking Ojibwe to plants and animals, making the best snow bears, licking my hands very clean, crawling through the cat door.

  Fern is very good at being my best friend!

  Ferris has knacks for flipping his eyelids back.

  Up-Chuck can make smells that are very yuck.

  Pretty soon that not-our-teacher Teacher came to the cubbies. Uh-oh. She had triangle arms. Triangles are the maddest shape.

  And she tapped her foot. (Maybe she is practicing her dance moves?)

  “Jo Jo, I can still hear you talking. Didn’t I ask you to please stop? You are not following the classroom rules,” she said.

  “Well, Substitute Teacher, you said to stop talking to other people. But I was having a very nice talk with myself here. And with the coats.”

  That Ms. Inez looked at me with an 11 forehead. She was confused.

  She did a long, slow pfffff out her nose. I was very glad that she was not standing too close to me. A booger could have shot out!

  That seems like it would be against the rules. And very not classy.

  Hmm . . . school rules. I had a very important question. “Substitute Teacher, isn’t it a rule that teachers have to watch the kids? All the time?”

  “Well, yes, of course!” she said.

  “But you’re only watching me now, and not the rest of the class, right?” I tilted my head because I was helping her remember the rules.

  Substitute Teacher said, “Jo Jo, I am going to write a letter to your mother about your choices today.”

  Great! Wow, a letter! Mama and Substitute Teacher are going to be pen pals!

  Fan Mail

  After I got off the bus, I hop-skipped to meet Kokum at the bus stop.

  A hop-skip is when you don’t really feel like full-skipping. It is not a real skip. It is a substitute.

 

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