Book Description
for Josie Dances by Denise Lajimodiere and Angela Erdrich
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Josie wants to dance for the first time at her next tribal powwow. She asks her mom to make her dress and shawl, her aunty to make her cape, and her kookum to make her moccasins and leggings. Then she asks tribal elder Grandma Greatwalker to dream her spirit name. Throughout the winter and into spring, Josie practices the fancy shawl dance. Meanwhile, while her mom, aunt, and grandma sew and bead, Grandma Greatwalker prays for a name. When the powwow finally arrives in late summer, the first thing Josie sees the morning of the dance is an eagle flying overhead. When the time comes to get ready, her mom braids Josie’s hair, her family members present Josie with her fancy shawl outfit, and Grandma Greatwalker presents her with an eagle feather and her name: Migiziinsikwe, Young Eagle Woman. A picture book set on the Turtle Mountain reservation ends with Josie being welcomed into the dance circle of the powwow. At story’s end, a glossary for the many Ojibwe words effortlessly incorporated into the text is followed by a brief note (with hand-drawn map) about Turtle Mountain, where the story is set. The naïve-style art, rich with cultural details, extends the sense of love and warmth found in the narrative. (Ages 4-8)
CCBC Choices 2022. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2022. Used with permission.