Juneteenth Is
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
2024 Golden Poppy Award Winner
An intimate look at Juneteenth, this story is a warm look at a family and a community.
Juneteenth is the smell of brisket filling the air. Juneteenth is the sounds of music, dancing, and cheering ringing from the parade outside. It is love. It is prayer. It is friends and relatives coming together to commemorate freedom, hope for tomorrow, and one another.
This book is an ode to the history of the Black community in the United States, a tribute to Black joy, and a portrait of familial love. With poignant text and vivid illustrations, Juneteenth Is offers a window and a mirror for readers, resonating with kids who will see themselves reflected in its pages and those who hope to understand experiences beyond their own.
CELEBRATES BLACK JOY: At its root, this is a story of family and community. Vibrant illustrations capture the warmth and unity of Black families and Black communities in a portrait of beautiful joy.
REMEMBERING A LEGACY: Both a story of celebration and a commemoration of freedom, this book honors a past of struggle, resilience, and triumph. It recognizes Juneteenth not just as a holiday but as a cultural legacy. An author’s note also explains the significance of the color red to Juneteenth—its use as a symbol of African American endurance and the ways Black communities weave the color into modern-day celebrations through food and clothing.
BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY: Juneteenth marks an undeniable truth of American history and remains a cultural touchstone for many Black Americans, making it important for all Americans to understand. Much-needed in this time of growing representation and discussion about equity and social justice, this book is a strong resource for parents and educators seeking to introduce Black history and encourage respectful conversations.
Perfect for:Anyone looking for diverse picture booksTeachers and librariansGift-giving for Juneteenth celebrations, Black History Month, or classroom bookshelf
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tripplett offers an overview of Juneteenth celebrations and history, beginning with a child's waking to the smell of brisket. Alongside the recurring phrase, "Juneteenth is," explanatory text takes the now camera-wielding child to a parade ("Juneteenth is the perfect sidewalk spot"), then to a family gathering at Grandaddy's, decorated with flags of black, red, and green ("Juneteenth is the house getting louder"). In O'Brien's distinctive digital illustrations, individuals of various abilities, body types, and skin tones gather around the table, then listen as "Grandaddy's deep voice/ reminds us why we're here." In front of a wall of pictures, he cursorily shares historical events including enslavement, the Proclamation that "took/ two years to be proclaimed," and "freedom shackled to a/ Parks, King, and Obama future." It all leads to a group photo and the idea that "Juneteenth is all of us.// We are America," making for an inclusive portrait of a close-knit contemporary community in conversation with history's resonances. A brief note, "On the Significance of Red," concludes. Ages 5–8.
