May 18, 2022 at 5pm ET | 2pm PT
PBS Books, in partnership with the American Indian Library Association, is pleased to interview trailblazer Dawn Quigley, author of the Jo Jo Makoons series, including the recently released Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants (#2).
In American Indian Youth Literature Award: Middle Grade Honor chapter Book, a spunky young Ojibwe girl Jo Jo Makoons is full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, celebrating who she is. During the program, we’ll be discussing Dawn’s popular new series and get to hear first hand about her latest release. Dawn will share insights into her writing process and her creative inspiration. Not only an author, she is also an educator of K-12 children and future educators.
The Jo Jo Makoons series is published by The Heartdrum imprint, which 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.
Following the conversation, there will be an opportunity for questions from audience members on Facebook.
About the Author
Dawn Quigley, Ph.D. and citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, ND, is an assistant professor at a Midwest university Education Department. She taught English and reading for 18+ years in the K-12 schools along with being an Indian Education program co-director. In addition to her debut coming-of-age Young Adult novel, Apple in the Middle (NDSU Press), “Joey Reads the Sky” in Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, the chapter book series Jo Jo Makoons: The Used to Be Best Friend (book #1); Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants (#2), Red Bird Danced (forthcoming novel-in-verse), and Native American Heroes (Scholastic Books). Dawn has over 30 published articles, essays and poems. She lives in Minnesota with her family.