Though somewhat staid, Crayton's introduction to Juneteenth will have a place in many holiday collections. It begins with the idea that the U.S. is a better country because of its racial diversity. Crayton then describes Juneteenth as "a day to celebrate Black Americans" and freedom, providing a quick history of how slavery didn't truly end in the U.S. until June 19, 1865. Many pictures of smiling Black families and individuals are shown watching and participating in parades, family reunions, cookouts, Civil War reenactments, and more, as the text highlights how Black history and culture are integral to Juneteenth celebrations. Connections are also drawn between the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and the freedom won by all Black Americans on Juneteenth. Part of the Traditions and Celebrations series (9 titles).--Julia Smith "Booklist"

This series highlights four cultural celebrations with strong community bonds. Each of these narrative titles provides background information, describing the history or traditions that established them as a day or days of celebration, their cultural or symbolic traditions, and the customs that define each one--from food like fry bread to the significance of the harvest during Kwanzaa. While these volumes explore ­celebrations through an American lens, Día de los ­muertos and Kwanzaa are further contextualized, distinguishing how these celebrations differ in Mexico and African nations, respectively. In addition, the Kwanzaa title includes a ¿Como se dice? section with pronunciation guidance on terms with origins in ­various African languages featured throughout. ­VERDICT Recommended for locations in need of greater representation of cultural celebrations in their collections.--Jessica Agudelo, BookOps: NYPL and Brooklyn Public "School Library Journal"

Publisher: Pebble Books

Pub date: 2025-08-01

Length: 32 pages