Part of the Finding Out About Holidays series, Juneteeth: A Day to Celebrate Freedom from Slavery by Angela Leeper, is an overview of Juneteeth, past and present. Did you know there is a Juneteenth flag? Did you know there are Juneteenth or Emancipation parks? These are two of many facts included in this book.
Knowing the date, June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved black people heard about the Emancipation Proclamation is not enough. Author Angela Leeper understood this. This book has a strong opening. Leeper began by highlighting current Juneteenth celebrations. Then, she flashed back to the history.
Also, at the end of the book, Leeper included Juneteenth activities such as Juneteenth Flag Pinwheels. After the activities and glossary, there were websites listed to learn more. Of the three websites, only one link still works. This is understandable since this book was published in 2004. The web link that still works is http://www.juneteenth.com/.
Some schools are not in session when Juneteenth takes place, so I would encourage school leaders or teachers to find ways to incorporate this history and celebration into lessons during the school year. This book would be a good resource to start that conversation.
Rating: 4.5/5
| Suggested Grades | 3-5 |
| Scholastic Book Wizard | Not Available |
| Guided Reading Level | Not Available |
| Accelerated Reader Level | 5.1 |