16th President Abraham Lincoln may have signed the Emancipation Proclamation in early 1863, but it took months and sometimes years for the news that slavery was abolished to actually reach every corner of the country. The date it reached Texas was June 19th, 1865, and every year since, Americans mark “Juneteenth” (a combination of the words “June” and “Nineteenth”) to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. For this year’s Juneteenth, the S-Collection blog highlights different books in the collection that celebrate this holiday and draw attention to African American history. The collection of fictional picture books features celebratory stories of families gathering for the holiday, while the nonfiction picture books describe its origins and the important figures, such as Opal Lee, who brought Juneteenth into the spotlight. Finally, the collection of juvenile historical fiction offers book recommendations about three eras – the 1800s, the 1940s, and the 1960s – so readers can get a glimpse into African American history through time. Whether you’re looking for picture books or chapter books, the S-Collection has what you need to celebrate Juneteenth this June!

Fiction Picture Books

Armand, Glenda
Illustrated by: Corey Barksdale
The Night Before Freedom. 2023. Fiction Picture Book.
It’s Juneteenth in Galveston, Texas, and young David is with his family, celebrating the holiday and learning about its history. Told in the same poetic structure as famous children’s poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, David’s grandmother tells the story of her grandmother first hearing the Emancipation Proclamation read aloud by a solider, many months after it had supposedly taken effect. The beauty of the present-day celebration, full of parades, meals, and speeches, is directly connected to the excitement and freedom of the original 1865 holiday. Perfect for those seeking to learn about the history of Juneteenth through the eyes of a child.
Q. SE. Ar5422ni

Giddens, Rhiannon
Illustrated by: Monica Mikai
Build a House. 2022. Fiction Picture Book.
Written to commemorate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, this song-turned-picture book follows an enslaved Black family that is forced to come to America and build houses for their white enslavers. Although the homes are entirely their handiwork, they aren’t their own – until the end of the story, when the family is finally able to not only build a house but plant a tree whose roots are secured to one spot, never to be moved. This multi-media book has a QR code in the back for those who would prefer to hear its words sung by author Rhiannon Giddens, accompanied by cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Q. SE. G36bu

Tripplett, Natasha
Illustrated by: Daniel J. O’Brien
Juneteenth is… 2024. Fiction Picture Book.
It’s Juneteenth, and celebrations abound in this young protagonist’s neighborhood! Throughout the day, we follow this character and her family as they go to the parade, play games, have a meal, and share family stories and history, including the history of the holiday itself. The simple repeating phrase “Juneteenth is…” makes this story about the holiday lyrical, fun, and perfect for new readers.
Q. SE. T7381ju

Nonfiction Picture Books

Agostini, Alliah L.
Illustrated by: Cloud Sawyer
The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States. 2022. Nonfiction Picture Book.
This nonfiction picture book journeys from the original Juneteenth holiday to more recent history, such as the Jim Crow era and the Black Lives Matter movement, to demonstrate the holiday’s significance while addressing how the struggle for African American liberation did not conclude with the end of slavery. Instead, the author shows how the Emancipation Proclamation is one event in a long line of many events that have defined the African American experience. The bright, cartoon-style artwork makes this text even more interesting to a young audience.
Available online

Duncan, Alice Faye
Illustrated by: Keturah A. Bobo
Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth. 2022. Nonfiction Picture Book.
Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday in 2021, and this is largely due to the lifelong activism of Opal Lee, known by some as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” This nonfiction picture book biography follows Opal Lee herself as she celebrates Juneteenth with her family. Lee spins a story for those gathered, telling them about growing up in Jim Crow America and her unceasing fight for the Juneteenth holiday to receive the recognition it deserves. This book ends with a recipe for a Juneteenth “Red Punch” strawberry lemonade for anyone who wants to celebrate this holiday by indulging their sweet-tooth!
S.323.092 D9121op

Taylor, Kim
A Flag for Juneteenth. 2023. Nonfiction Picture Book.
Set on the first ever Juneteenth in 1865, this story serves as both a history lesson and an art project, given it was created by expert quilter Kim Taylor. Following the news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reaching Texas, a young formerly enslaved child named Huldah celebrates her newfound freedom by creating quilted flags. Each flag was lovingly created for the book by Taylor herself, taking her over a year to create. A perfect introduction to Juneteenth’s history accompanied by beautiful artwork.
SE. T2158fl

African American Juvenile Historical Fiction

Era: Early 19th century

Luqman-Dawson, Amina
Freewater. 2022. Juvenile Fiction.
This first book in the African American Juvenile Historical Fiction category is also the earliest chronologically, set during the era of Antebellum slavery. Illuminating an aspect of African American history not often taught in schools, this book is set primarily in a secret community of formerly enslaved people living in Southern swamplands. Called “Freewater,” the community becomes the home of young Homer and his sister Ada, who became separated from their mother during an attempt to escape their enslavement. Their mother was recaptured, but with the knowledge and strength that Freewater provides them, Homer sets out to rescue his mother in this vivid, beautifully written winner of both the 2023 Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award.
S.794.1092 Ad36ta

Era: 1940s

Cline-Ransome, Lisa
The Finding Langston Trilogy. 2018-2021. Juvenile Fiction.
The next series in this category jumps forward over a century to 1940s Chicago. The first in the series follows a young boy named Langston as he mourns the death of his mother, adjusts to moving from Alabama to Illinois, and ultimately finds solace in the poetry of Langston Hughes. The second turns its focus to Langston’s bully Lymon, a character just as compelling and sympathetic as Langston himself. The final book in the trilogy tells Clem’s story and is set against the background of the Port Chicago disaster. Together, these stories weave a complex narrative of grief, hope, and perseverance in Jim Crow America.
Finding Langston (2018): S. C615fi
Leaving Lymon (2020): S. C615le
Being Clem (2021): S. C615be

Era: 1960s

Williams-Garcia, Rita
The Gaither Sisters Trilogy. 2010-2015. Juvenile Fiction.
The final series in this category travels forward 20 years to the 1960s and westward to California, where the Gaither sisters – Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern – are spending the summer with their mother, who left their home in Brooklyn to join the Black Panthers. Throughout the summer, the sisters balance their complex feelings about their mother and learn about the Black liberation movement in Oakland. In the second installment, the sisters board a plane back to Brooklyn, where their lessons learned in Oakland help them navigate the upheaval in their household caused by their father’s new girlfriend and their uncle’s return from the Vietnam war. Finally, in the last book of the trilogy, the sisters take another trip, this time to their rural family home in Alabama. Readers will love following these sisters’ journey as they travel throughout the U.S. and to different eras of African American history.
One Crazy Summer (2010): S. W6724o
P.S. Be Eleven (2013): S. W6724p
Gone Crazy in Alabama (2015): S. W6721g

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