School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--A young boy, Ojiig, leaves his home to move to the city with his parents but struggles with all that he has left behind. Missing his grandparents and the more traditional way of life that grounded him in nature, particularly in the sky and stars, Ojiig and his family search for a way to bring the stars to his city life. Eventually, the resolution is found in the creation of a star blanket. The stories of family are stitched into each piece of the blanket and, in keeping with Indigenous traditions (detailed in the author's note), the star blanket connects the boy with his community and his ancestors. Luby (Anishinaabe) and Donovan (Métis) have created a story of identity that is grounded in a specific community with universal themes that will appeal to many readers. The illustrations have a maturity that will engage older readers, making this picture book broad in appeal and useful for classes engaging in discussions about cultural identity, migration, and remaining connected to one's culture. A pronunciation guide and further information about Anishinaabemowin is included. VERDICT The solution does not come easily, and therefore resonates. Highly recommended.--John Scott
Publisher's Weekly Review
An Indigenous boy's experience of his new life in a city, where he feels "like a stranger in his own skin," worsens when he can't see the stars. After his father's new job moves Ojiig away from his home, "His family no longer fished from the river; they bought fish, already scaled, from the grocery store." Neighbors keep to themselves instead of speaking with one another, he misses his grandparents, and he feels alone under a sky dimmed by too-bright streetlights. Glow-in-the-dark star stickers in his bedroom and a star-shaped night-light offer little solace, but in helping his Anishinaabe mother make a quilt, he hears stories of his ancestors' challenges, including the specter of residential schools, and Ojiig pieces together a new understanding of home. Anishinaabe author Luby's observational, yearning-tinged prose aligns with Métis illustrator Donovan's art, in which a golden-hued palette and rich purples and indigos echo starlight and velvety night. An author's note and Anishinaabemowin pronunciation guide conclude. Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
Horn Book Review
In this affecting picture book, Ojiig, a young Indigenous boy, moves with his parents from their rural home to the city when his father gets a new job. He misses fishing, picking blueberries, and seeing the stars at night; grocery-store shopping and glow-in-the-dark stick-on stars are poor substitutes. A star blanket quilted with Mama (identified in the appended note as an Anishinaabeg woman) and the accompanying stories of Ojiig's ancestors bring comfort, and the arrival of his grandparents for a visit also helps the city to feel like home. "Home is where you discover who you are. Home is where you imagine who you might become." Luby's lyrical text and Donovan's vibrant colored-pencil and digital illustrations combine to powerfully convey universal themes about change and the strength of family. An author's note gives background on Anishinaabeg and Dakota quilting traditions; a pronunciation guide is also appended. Naomi R. CaldwellSeptember/October 2023 p.58 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
An Anishinaabe boy finds his North Star in a new city. When Ojiig's father gets a new job and the family must move to the city, Ojiig struggles to adapt. Without the customs--like fishing and stargazing--and extended family who had previously oriented his life, he feels "like a stranger in his own skin," alienated and alone. His parents announce that they're going to make the city feel like home: They will look for stars. They buy glow-in-the-dark stars and a star-shaped night light, but they are poor substitutes for the Milky Way. One morning, Ojiig finds his mother preparing fabric for a quilt. As he helps her piece it together, she tells him stories about his ancestors. When she unveils the finished quilt, he's surprised to see that its pattern is a giant star. With the quilt draped over his shoulders, he remembers all the ancestors represented within it and how their stories live on inside him. Home, he realizes, is learning about the people you come from, discovering who you are, and imagining who you might become. Told by an omniscient narrator, with limited dialogue, Luby's (Anishinaabe) story echoes some traditional tales, increasing the impact of its poignant ending. Donovan's (Métis) illustrations are vividly realized with rich color and compositions that reflect Ojiig's emotional landscape. A moving portrait about discovering what home means. (author's note, pronunciation note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
When Papa takes a government job, Ojiig's family moves to the city. The boy misses fishing from the river, picking blueberries, and having neighbors who say "boozhoo" instead of hello. Most of all, he misses Mishomis' (Grandfather's) stories, Kookum's (Grandmother's) long hair, and stargazing. Mama and Papa comfort him with glow-in-the-dark celestial stickers for his room, a special night-light, and a traditional star quilt that Mama imbues with stories of their family. The text does not specifically identify Ojiig's tribal affiliation or community, but Luby (Anishinaabe-kwe) emphasizes Indigenous perspectives and values: staying close to nature, speaking Native languages, creating traditional arts, and incorporating ancestral stories into these belongings. Donovan's (Métis) vibrant artwork privileges reds, blues, and purples with figures often outlined in bold black lines. She also makes use of creatively designed panels that incorporate sequential storytelling techniques. An author's note explains star-quilt traditions and clarifies the pronunciation of Indigenous words. With more than 70 percent of Indigenous Americans now residing in urban areas, this story of maintaining culture in a new environment will resonate.
