The Best Books for Juneteenth: Our Recommended Reading List
The first time I read to my kids about Juneteenth, I realized I’d have to talk to them about a real dark side of humanity and our country’s history. But it’s so important to have those conversations and sometimes books give us the words we might have a hard time finding on our own. They also give us a chance to share real lived experiences with our kids that we may not personally have had, which develops empathy.
As a parent, I do want to encourage my kids to be active in advancing equity through their lives. And their knowledge of the history of slavery in our country is important for their ability to do that. I love these three books that give the first-person experience of Juneteenth’s significance, each through the eyes of a young girl.
Juneteenth Is by Natasha Tripplett
In this book, you go inside a family’s home that any of us would want to be a part of as they bring multiple generations together over a parade, food, music, and games. While looking at a photo wall in the home, the girl’s grandfather shares their family’s history with Juneteenth as a lump creeps into her throat.
Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
In this book, the main character’s father tells her the story of her grandfather who was once a slave. I get choked up every single time I read the page that says “they excelled and achieved - they became heroes” with the back of President Obama’s head as he’s being sworn is as president.
All Different Now: Juneteenth's First Day by Angela Johnson
In this book, the narrator is a girl born into slavery, her personal experience on June 19, 1865 and the profound way it changed her life. There’s something about this book that Foster really loves and he keeps it on the personal bookshelf in his room and asks to read it throughout the year.
Highly recommend scooping up all three of these from your favorite library/bookstore!
PS: If you’re looking for a podcast on this topic, we LOVE Keyshawn Solves It - my kids have asked to play it from start to finish at least a dozen times and there are other awesome social-emotional lessons baked in as well as the history of Juneteenth
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