Let's Celebrate Juneteenth | Board Book Review

Let's Celebrate Juneteenth is a beautiful book, and felt like apt timing to purchase in June.  Typically when we're reading a book, Baby Guy will turn the page as soon as we get done reading what's on the page or will try to turn the page early.  While we read this book, he will just stare at each page.  After a bit, I have to remind him he can turn the page because he just loves to stare at the pictures.  This book is a beautiful 'window' into the lives of people that don't look like my little white boy.  I realized while reading this book with him today, the first time I remember really celebrating black people was when Obama became president.  I also hadn't heard of Juneteenth or the background information about it until about 5 years ago. I hope that narrative is different for my son.

Synopsis

The celebration focused book introduces young readers to ways Juneteenth is celebrated. Additional historical information is on the last couple pages.  

Title:  Let's Celebrate Juneteenth

Author: Tonya Abari

Illustrator: Tabitha Brown

Categories: Holidays & Celebrations - Juneteenth

Published on: April 11, 2023

Publisher: Galison

Disclosure:  I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org where your purchases support local bookstores.  I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Likes

• Each page has relatively few words.
• The illustrations are beautiful.
• The information at the end is helpful as an adult, since there is current information about it becoming a federal holiday relatively recently.  (I read a paragraph of the history to Baby Guy each read through, but it's a lot for a 2 year old on a page without pictures.)

Dislikes

• Some of the rhyming is awkward, but that might be more of a personal problem.

Baby Guy Approval 

👏👏👏👏

On a scale of 0 to 5 Baby Guy claps, this would have to be 4 Baby Guy Claps!  He literally just stares at the pictures until we remind him to turn the page.  It's not really a response we've seen from him before.  He has been saying more fruit names, so he loves to point and say every fruit he sees on the pages with food.  There are a few kids he will sometimes point to in the pictures like he knows them.  I think it's because all three have similar hair styles to neighbor kids or kids he knows at daycare.  It's not often he picks a book to 'read' by himself that doesn't have a vehicle in it, but on the monitor, we have seen him grab this book and 'read' it to himself constantly over the past few weeks that we have had it.

Similar Books:

Antiracist Baby | Book Review | Book Purchase

Baby Books - Summer 

Disclosure:  I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org where your purchases support local bookstores.  I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.