Celebrate Juneteenth With These Beautiful Children’s Books
Juneteenth is for celebrating — and educating, thanks to these children’s books.
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If you didn’t know about the historic day (and recently-recognized national holiday) of Juneteenth until recently — well, it’s not like we can really blame you, because schools have historically done a pretty terrible job of teaching us the real, diverse, ugly (and genocidal!) history of the United States of America. But guess what: As a parent, it’s on you to change that for your own kids. Hopefully by this point you’ve already been talking to your kids of all ages about racism, police brutality, and how to be an activist. So what else can you do, especially on this historic day? Bust out these educational — and often gorgeously illustrated — children’s books about Juneteenth, and keep the momentum going.
ICYMI, Juneteenth is the commemoration of June 19, 1865, the day when the last enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Of course, those slaves had actually been free since 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation proclamation. But given the absurdity of American politics and culture (in the 1800s and today! Sigh) as well as the country’s deep-rooted history of racism and white supremacy, Texas slaveholders had simply kept that little bit of information — the Emancipation Proclamation, that is — from the people they enslaved, for two more years. How convenient.
And as we all know, Juneteenth was the end of the “enslavement” of Blacks in America, but far too many Black Americans are still enslaved on a different level — by the prison system that preys upon Black bodies, by police violence that cuts short Black lives, and by systemic racism that far too often still robs Black Americans of their power and opportunities.
The real Juneteenth is long overdue. But until then, the best you (and your kids!) can do is keep fighting, keep educating, and don’t forget to stop and celebrate how far we’ve come. These books are a beautiful start.
Photo : Amazon
‘The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers’
Geared toward readers ages 6 to 9, this book teaches the details of Juneteenth in a kid-friendly way. The colorful illustrations create a visual timeline, and a quiz and thought-provoking questions at the end help them better understand how Juneteenth’s history still affects our world today.
‘The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers’ $7.99 on Amazon.com
Part of the New York Times bestselling “Who HQ” series, this book explains the history of the Juneteenth holiday, tells stories of joyful Juneteenth celebrations, and features a 16-page insert of engaging photographs.
‘The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States’
Brand new this year, this book doesn’t actually release until July 12th — but is available for pre-order right now on Amazon. With colorful illustrations by Sawyer Cloud and a timeline that makes it easy to understand the events that made Juneteenth what it is today, this is a perfect read for kids ages 4-11.
‘Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States’ $9.99 on Amazon.com
An emotional free verse poem from activist and poet Soujourner Kincaid Rolle, this lyrical book is a perfect read-aloud option to help kids recognize the strong legacy behind the Juneteenth holiday.
‘Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem’ $17.99 on Amazon.com
Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis are an award-winning author-illustrator team who do an amazing and gorgeously painted job of telling the Juneteenth story from the eyes of a little girl. It includes a glossary of terms and a helpful historic timeline, too.
Mazie is a modern city girl who is ready to celebrate. Why? Because it’s Juneteenth, of course! Take kids along for the ride with this joyful Black girl comemmorating the day her ancestors were no longer enslaved.
Texas doesn’t feel like home to young Cassie, who has just moved there with her family. But she’s about to be inducted into one Texas tradition she’ll never forget. Plus, artist Yvonne Buchanan’s illustrations practically sing.
You don’t have to be a fan of Ann Rinaldi, or of historical middle-grade / YA fiction in general, to appreciate this compelling tale of Sis Goose, who finds out her “family” lied to her about the end of slavery. But, of course, Rinaldi diehards will love this book all the more.
‘The Story of Juneteenth: An Interactive History Adventure’
Yep, it’s just what you thought it was: Juneteenth, choose-your-own-adventure style! With three stories and 46 different choices, this bestseller certainly makes history interesting.
There’s nothing fictional about this book, which is filled with historical documents and archival photos. But its layout, straightforward writing, and full-color illustrations make teaching kids about Juneteenth — facts and all — fun.
‘Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom’ $3.94 on Amazon.com
; products were independently selected by its editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
