WQED Kids has released a list of books that families with young children can utilize to spark conversations about Freedom Day’s history and traditions.
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Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is a federal holiday that recognizes the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed enslaved people that they were free. The day occurred two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
WQED’s list, compiled by Tonya Abari, is aimed at educating children about the holiday, but also to lead to conversations between caregivers and their children about Juneteenth.
The list is broken down into sections – For Younger Readers (below age 8) and For More Advanced Readers (ages 8 and above).
The list includes:
For Younger Readers
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Juneteenth for Mazie (Floyd Cooper)
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Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise (Lavaille Lavette)
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Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth (Tonya Abari)
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The Story of Juneteenth (Dorena Williamson)
Juneteenth Is (Natasha Triplett) -
Juneteenth (Van G. Garrett)
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They Built Me For Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park (Tonya Ellis Duncan)
For More Advanced Readers
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The Juneteenth Story (Alliah L. Agostini)
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The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate (Alliah L. Agostini and Chef Taffy Elrod)
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Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth (Alice Faye Duncan)
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The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers (Arlisha Norwood)
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What is Juneteenth? (Kristi Jewel)
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A Flag for Juneteenth (Kim Taylor)
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Juneteenth Jamboree (Carol Boston Weatherford)
For the entire list, visit WQED Kids’ website.
