The Juneteenth Story

I did not learn about Juneteenth until I was in my 30’s. Juneteenth is such a pivotal day in our country’s history and yet, many of us are just learning about it. Alliah L. Agostini presents our history to children in a matter-of-fact, respectful way. The full page, vivid illustrations bring crucial episodes to life, the characters' faces demonstrate appropriate emotion. Agostini also includes a timeline and author’s note. This is a welcome and solid addition to school libraries.

This children's book was such an interesting read. It encapsulated such an important part of American and Black history in a way that is suitable for children to understand and learn about. This book I feel definitely caters more to older children but nonetheless is a book that I think is really important for all children to read. I really liked the fact that it reflected that Juneteenth has now being made an official holiday and highlighted the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement during 2020 as this is something children today will be aware of. The illustrations of this book were beautiful and visually captured the messages presented throughout this book.

There has clearly been a lot of research in to this book and it is expressed clearly. This was an enjoyable book to read and I would definitely recommend it for anyone to read.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to becker & mayer for allowing me to read this.

Although I'm an adult, I didn't know the story behind The Juneteenth until I read this book! 🤭

In my opinion, it is the perfect book to explain to children (and adults like me) what is Juneteenth and why it is so important to know about it, with the entire timeline of events.
Oh, and the pictures are really beautiful so children would love them! 😍
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is a very thorough book with lots of information. It tackles a lot of material, and does it well. The illustrations are beautiful and add so much to the story. My only recommendation is that this book is advanced for younger picture book readers. While it can be introduced to children of all ages, it definitely calls for the attention span and understanding of an older child. I love this book and hope to bring it into my school’s library.

A picture book that tells the story behind Juneteenth, our most recent federal holiday. Unlike some picture books, this one has a lot of sentences, but does a great job of explaining the history behind slavery, emancipation, and the struggle to free all slaves. I found it to be super informative but still told in a way that would be accessible for children. Definitely a great read and one that classrooms and libraries should adopt.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and becker & mayer! for a free digital copy.

A powerful and beautifully illustrated book explaining to children and adults the roots and the reasons for celebrating Juneteenth.

The Juneteenth Story is a great historical read for upper elementary students. The author did a great job explaining the historical importance of this newly recognized nation-wide federal holiday/ celebration.

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for providing me with a DRC of <I>The Juneteenth Story</I>.

<I>The Juneteenth Story</I> briefly explains the history of the end of slavery in the United States in the format of a picture book. It does have more text and is more informational than your average picture book. So I would recommend this book for a bit more older children (and adults because I also learnt a lot due to this book!). Agostini did a great job in telling this complicated history in just a few pages. The illustrations are wonderful. I recommend <I>The Juneteenth Story</I> to anyone young or old who wants to learn more about Juneteenth.

This children's book did a great job at handling a delicate topic in an age appropriate yet informative manner. I also enjoyed how the book covered not just Juneteenth, but the lasting legacy of racism in America - Jim Crow, BLM, etc. I will definitely be putting this book up for purchase at my library - it is informative, well written, and accessible to children. I wish we had more books like this when I was growing up.

The art of this picture book is exquisite. The history lesson is well written and I learned so much reading it! The block paragraphs may feel a little daunting to some readers, but it reads very well. The timeline included at the end of the book is awesome! I think everyone of all ages will stand to gain so much from reading this book.

This is such an important book that needs to be in every classroom. I loved the artwork and learning more about Juneteenth and the struggles of the enslaved.

I will definitely want a copy to read to my children.

I read about Juneteenth but didn't know the story behind this date. This book was an excellent way to learn more about it.
It's an excellent read for adult and children.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States is a well written and colorfully illustrated book about the celebration of the end of slavery in the USA. Due out 3rd May 2022 from Quarto on their becker&mayer! imprint, it's 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Aimed at the youngest readers (ages 6-9 years), this is an engaging and age appropriate retelling of the story of the end of slavery and the codification of the Emancipation Proclamation which was ratified into law as the 13th Amendment. Despite being freed, many former slaves in Texas weren't aware that they were no longer slaves until General Gordon Granger read in Galveston:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free . . .”

The text is simple and accessible and lends itself to interactive reading either with a classroom reading circle or one on one with one's own children. The art is full of small details which invite readers to ponder and take a closer look.

The author has also included a short timeline of events from the beginning of the trans-Atlantic European slave trade down to 2021 when President Biden signed into law Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Well written and important history, told in an age appropriate manner.

Five stars. This would be a good choice for public library or classroom use, as well as for the home library.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC of this!

This was full of information, with text aimed at the upper elementary set. I read it aloud to my 5 year old and it was well over his head, but I think my 8 year old would learn a lot from it - I definitely did! I liked the illustrations a lot, they were lovely.

A very beautifully illustrated and lovely read about Juneteenth. Not only suitable for children to learn more about Juneteenth's founding and history, but also an excellent source for adults to acquaint themselves with this important part of the United States' history.

Sawyer Cloud's illustrations help accentuate Alliah L. Agostini's beautiful, emotive, and informational prose. It was a pleasure to read and also to learn while reading. This would be a very approachable read for children as well as a good family reading time experience. I also hope it makes its way to classrooms and libraries around the United States. Whether one already knows about Juneteenth, or is looking to learn more, or for the first time, The Juneteenth Story is an excellent place to start.

Thank you NetGalley for this free eARC to write this honest and unbiased review.

This is one of the best nonfiction children’s books I’ve read in a long time. The perfect length for reading aloud or for slightly older children to read alone. I think the book is laid out well and the writing is narrative while including all the facts. A fantastic resource for teaching about abolition and celebration of events of cultural import.

A Juneteenth Story is a beautiful and heartbreaking book that traces the history of African Americans throughout the history of the United States. It is straightforward and sobering and imparts vital history. It has a timeline of black liberation through present day. It is an excellent resource and picture book for any classroom or household.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful book about Juneteenth that also depicts amazing artwork. I too must admit as a Black person that I did not know anything about Juneteenth. I first learned about Juneteenth while away on vacation in Nassau, Bahamas. It so happened that I had visited right around this holiday. When I was asked by my taxi driver what were my plans for Juneteenth, I had to ask what Juneteenth was. Luckily, my driver was gracious enough to not ridicule, but instead, inform and enlighten me and my friends on the history of Juneteenth.

I must say as a parent and a librarian I am really glad that Juneteenth is now recognized as a national holiday. It is something that I will teach my students as well as my son. As I look to update my school's library collection, I will be sure to purchase this book, as it does a phenomenal job explaining the history of Juneteenth from the past to the present day.

This was a well written children book about the history of Jubilee Day or Juneteenth. The author did a wonderful job of the explaining the history of the holiday for both children and adults. The illustration was engaging and colorful.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for a copy of this book for review

Well, that was certainly informative!

This book covers a lot of ground, and is VERY text-heavy, so it's probably best kept for older children. The author and illustrator do a good job conveying both the sadness, and the joy embodied in the holiday. There's also a handy timeline at the end of the book. It would make a great addition to any classroom or public library.

Another great book for young students to explain the history and importance of Juneteenth. The book contains beautiful illustrations to support the information being shared. I love that they included a timeline in the back of the book.

I learned a lot reading this book. I think that this should be required reading for everyone to better understand the history of our country and what Black people have gone through. This was such a great book and I enjoyed reading it. Learning about the history of slavery is something that we all need to know about to be better and do better.