An important look at Juneteenth history, made accessible for young readers.
The story of how Juneteenth came to be.
Agostini narrates the history of the holiday that marks the date when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free: June 19, 1865, 900 days after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and 339 years after slavery began. Juneteenth has been celebrated in some cities and regions since 1866 (then called Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day), but in 2021, President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Throughout this straightforward account, a contemporary Black mother, father, and young daughter observe images of these historical events unfolding: Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation, the jubilation of enslaved people receiving news of their freedom, and the disappointment of a Black family, subject to Jim Crow laws, who cannot visit a park where a White family is picnicking. This split visual narrative likely represents the parents teaching their daughter this history, but readers might find it confusing when the family eats in a park alongside families wearing historical clothing. Agostini brings readers up to the summer of 2020, connecting Juneteenth with the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the Black Lives Matter movement. Cloud uses an array of skin tones to portray the diversity among African Americans, but sometimes the cartoonish style conflicts with the seriousness of the book’s content. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An important look at Juneteenth history, made accessible for young readers. (timeline, author's note) (Picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-7603-7514-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: becker&mayer! kids
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
In the waning days of 1941, when prospects for victory in either Europe or the Pacific were dismal, the two leaders...
An engaging chronicle of the month that Roosevelt and Churchill spent together at the White House, forging an affectionate friendship as well as a world-changing alliance.
In the waning days of 1941, when prospects for victory in either Europe or the Pacific were dismal, the two leaders optimistically engaged in a marathon series of meetings to plan strategies that ultimately resulted in victory and transformed the world. Wood's narrative effectively captures both the desperation of the times and how much Churchill and Roosevelt genuinely enjoyed each other's company. Moser's detailed watercolor illustrations likewise capture their robust personalities. Despite balanced attention to both men, the eccentric Churchill emerges as more memorable, in both text illustration; most entertaining of the latter is of Churchill, ever-present cigar in mouth, toweling off beside the bathtub. As interesting and insightful as this story is, it may have a hard time finding an audience. Younger readers will not have the background knowledge to understand the historical context of the story, and older readers are unlikely to find the picture-book format appealing.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3383-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Astronomy: factual, historical, and inspirational.
From cave families to space families, humans have been intrigued by Halley’s comet.
With narration in a large type, the comet tells its story as it is viewed from Earth through many centuries. In a smaller font, historical sightings are recounted. Early ones include Greeks in 466 B.C.E. and Arabs in 989 C.E. Chinese, Babylonians, Italians, and Germans have recorded and painted it. The comet has been variously described as “hairy” or “bushy” or “a great sword of flame.” It was stitched into the Bayeux Tapestry. And in 1705, Sir Edmond Halley wrote a treatise predicting its return. Today, space probes allow humankind to study it in the greatest detail. The voice of the comet as narrator is scientific, noting that it is “neither good nor bad—a part of nature.” The text is accompanied by full-page paintings that capture the beautiful vastness of the sky along with panels that portray the intensity and fascination of the scientists, artists, and ordinary folk whose eyes were drawn to the heavens. Some evoke medieval paintings in design and celestial blue color. Most eye-catching of all is the cover illustration, which is repeated at the end of the book. In it, a brown-skinned child, framed by a telescopic lens, is dressed in a futuristically intriguing hooded onesie as they gaze intently at the heavens. A dreamer? A scientist? Why not both.
Astronomy: factual, historical, and inspirational. (author’s note, sources) (Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: March 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77147-371-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
