Dawn Quigley, author of Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend, illustrated by Tara Audibert
Middle Grade Literature Category, sponsored by Education Minnesota
Each week leading up to the 34th annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony, we are featuring exclusive interviews with our 36 finalists. You can also watch the authors in conversation with their fellow category finalists here.
Would you tell us one or two things about your finalist book that you are particularly proud of, and why?
I am really excited for more contemporary Native American representation in children’s books! I wanted to create a chapter book with a really fun story, and, oh, by the way, the main character is an Ojibwe girl! I’m proud to promote normalizing this representation of Native characters.
What do you hope that your audience learns or takes away from your book?
The last two years has been incredibly hard for everyone, and I believe especially for children. I hope the readers take away joy from my book. I hope the reader takes away learning a little Ojibwe culture, language and our humor.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer with an interest in your category?
You must read, read, read before you write! I tried to get my hands on every chapter book as I was writing Jo Jo. Books have always been my best writing instructors.
Tell us something about yourself that is not widely known.
I love Baby Yoda. This is the way.
Minnesota enjoys a reputation as a place that values literature and reading. If this sentiment rings true for you, what about our home state makes it such a welcoming and conductive place for writers?
MN has an amazing children’s literature community! I hope to get back to in-person gatherings to spend time with other writers.
Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, virtually everything about our lives has changed in some way. Has COVID-19 (and its fallout) impacted your writing habits and preferences? Has the unique zeitgeist of the past two years influenced your writing output in any other ways that you can pinpoint?
Not necessarily for my writing, but school/library visits becoming virtual has really made them more accessible. I couldn’t, of course, controlled anything during Covid, but I could control my writing. That thought helped me a lot.
Dawn Quigley is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. She is a PhD, education university faculty member, and a former K–12 reading and English teacher, as well as an Indian Education program codirector.