Review by Booklist Review
Josie is excited about the possibility of dancing at the upcoming powwow, but a lot has to happen first. She will need a special new outfit with a cape, leggings, and moccasins, so Josie asks her mother and aunt if they will sew and bead her outfit. Most important, Josie needs her spirit name, and for this she asks Grandmother Greatwalker to dream it for her--which readers learn from the preface is part of Ojibwe tradition. The preparations take all winter, and Josie practices her dance steps well into the spring, by then slightly worried that her outfit may not be ready and that Grandma Greatwalker may not have her spirit name, but Josie's worries are ultimately in vain. Erdrich's intricately detailed watercolor illustrations complement Lajimodiere's story that, despite its deep cultural specificity, has the universal appeal of a child awaiting a special rite of passage. A glossary and back matter add context.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Two Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa citizens join forces to showcase Josie, a dark-haired, light brown--skinned Ojibwe girl hoping to dance in her first powwow. Relying on her matrilineal family to help make her debut a reality, Josie asks her mother to sew her dress and shawl; her aunt to bead her cape; her grandmother to bead her moccasins and leggings; and tribal elder Grandma Greatwalker to dream her spirit name. Inspired by memories of preparing her daughter for powwows, Lajimodiere pens a well-paced, if dialogue-heavy, tale that seamlessly interweaves and contextualizes Ojibwe language. While the visualizations of human characters have a hand-drawn feel, fine-lined watercolor art by Erdrich offers detailed close-ups of hands, beadwork, fry bread, and garb, elegantly portraying animals and nature. Closing with an impactful note ("Listen to the drum, the heartbeat of Aki. You are dancing for the ancestors and all the people you see"), this resonant modern-day Native narrative highlights the warmth of one girl's family, the pride of traditions, and the beauty of finding a place in the world, themes as contemporary as they are ancient. Back matter includes an Ojibwe glossary. Ages 3--7. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Josie, a young Ojibwe girl, looks forward to dancing in her first powwow, but she needs some special things before she's ready. This intergenerational story reveals the extensive preparation undertaken by the fancy dancer's entire family to get ready for the biggest event of the year. Josie practices her dance steps for many months while the women in her family devote long hours to creating the regalia she will wear. She asks her mother to sew "a fancy shawl outfit." She asks her aunty to bead her cape and her grandmother to bead her moccasins and leggings. Most importantly, she asks Grandma Greatwalker, "Will you dream my spirit name?" Each time, her elders respond in Ojibwemowin using the name appropriate to their relationship to her, a pattern that continues throughout. (A glossary is appended.) She practices all winter long, continuing when the "spring birds returned, and Juneberries ripened." The day of the powwow finally arrives. Her excitement grows as she listens "to drummers practicing, the happy cries of visitors seeing family." After Josie is dressed and ready, she receives her special honor. From Grandma Greatwalker's dreams, Josie receives her spirit name: "Migiziinsikwe, Young Eagle Woman!" Colorful illustrations rendered in watercolor show the beauty and intricate patterns of traditional beadwork, birchbark baskets, and fine regalia. Both Lajimodiere and Erdrich are citizens of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Sweetly demonstrates how this traditional dance links the generations. (map, author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
