“Loaf, a feline protagonist, follows her Ojibwe-cued caretaker, Charlie, to a powwow in this simply told picture book. Fond of rubber bands, paper bags, and ribbon, Loaf takes note when ‘my boy started putting all these ribbons on his clothes.’ . . . In an animated picture book debut, Anishinaabe author DeShaw walks readers through the powwow’s Grand Entry, told through the perspective of Loaf the cat. . . . Audibert (the Jo Jo Makoons series), of Wolastoqiyik and French heritage, aptly capture the energy of a cat at play and a boy taking part in the powwow—and the two displaying affection for each other.” —Publishers Weekly
“The tale of a cat and her boy. . . . DeShaw (Bois Forte Ojibwe and Eagle Clan) uses repetition to captures a cat’s uniquely self-possessed perspective; feline lovers will smile with recognition as Loaf assures them that sometimes her boy ‘thinks it’s time for sleep, but I know it is really time for play.’ Audibert, who’s of Wolastoqiyik and French heritage, directs readers’ attention to dancers in the powwow scenes; in her heavily stylized, thick-lined illustrations, the performers stand out with pops of color and swirls of movement. Delicate floral Ojibwe details are incorporated throughout. Both a purr-fect pet story and a vibrant celebration of cultural identity.” —Kirkus Reviews
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