Juneteenth Jamboree

by Carole Boston Weatherford, Yvonne Buchanan (Illustrator)

Joining her parents in a community celebration of Juneteenth, Cassie learns about the day when slaves in Texas were freed some two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and wonders why the news took so long to reach them.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Holiday

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Carole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who mines the past for family stories, traditions, and struggles. A number of CAROLE's books tell the stories of African-American historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, and Billie Holiday. Other books recount historical events such as the Greensboro Sit-ins and the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. CAROLE's books have received a wide variety of awards, including a Caldecott Honour for “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom”.

Reviews

[Dee (on Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely picture book about a young girl learning the meaning of this holiday & celebrating with her family & community.

[LaSheba Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! You can explore the celebration of Juneteenth with the main character Cassandra, as she learns about this important piece of history. Her family prepares a glorious feast and attend a celebratory parade. 

Visit the Sankofa Newsletter Blog for my full mini-review: https://www.sankofanewsletter.com/202...
Happy Reading! 😊

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book about Juneteenth, a holiday I become increasingly more aware of all the time. Oddly enough, I happened to read this on Juneteenth, a fact I didn't connect in my head until after I finished the book. This is an older Juneteenth text for me, and it reflects the idea that Juneteenth is bigger in Texas than elsewhere, though I believe that since this was written that has begun to change. Good read for today, but also a good book for the rest of the year to raise awareness of the holiday. Good introductory text for the holiday.

[Cassandra Arrotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carole Boston Weatherford does it again! She definitely has a way of portraying moments in history that intrigue the young and old alike. This book is about a little girl named Cassandra. Cassandra can not understand why this day, not a birthday that she knows of, is so special. Her father tells her that it is a day of celebration and her aunt tells her that they were having company. After about the middle of the book, Cassandra learns the real reason to celebrate. Juneteenth Jamboree celebrates the day that slaves in Texas were told that they were free. This two plus years after Lincoln had abolished slavery. This story goes on to describe the celebrations that still go on to this day in parts of Texas every year when June comes around.

This book would be a great addition within a children's classroom. It can be used to teach about African American history and celebrations that aren't very well known within it. This book could also serve as a part of a multicultural lesson unit where students are learning of underknown events or little known events in ethnic history, or as a standalone story to introduce a diverse classroom to events that happen in different states around the country. It can also serve as a text to help explain how long it took parts of the United States to conform to the abolishment of slavery. It can also be used as a companion text in social studies or history class when studying Abraham Lincoln. I can see myself using this book to introduce some of the many underrepresented cultural and historical events within U.S. history to my students. Having them reflect on and write about a celebration that their family partakes in the may not be understood as important or normal to others. This book serves diverse possibilities of instruction within the classroom.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear explanation of Juneteenth told through a family celebrating after a recent move to Texas. Highly detailed illustrations bring the text to life.

[Hana Sm. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book actually has 29 pages, I don't know why the database has it listed with 25 pages. The story is about a girl named Cassandra ("Cassie") whose family has just moved to Texas. One hot day she wakes up to find her parents jumping around the kitchen, dancing & fixing fancy food. Cassie that the 4th of July is weeks away & it's no one's birthday, so she wonders what the celebration is about.

This book has a lot descriptive words & you see a lot of detail in the pictures. I like how this book is based on a little known celebration. I don't know why this holiday isn't promoted instead of Kwanzaa, which most African-Americans do not celebrate.

As children read this book, be prepared for them to keep asking questions about what the words mean, because so many words will be unfamiliar to city kids!! These are some of the words in this book: cloves, brewing, glazing, calico, Junebugs, pinafores, Emancipation Proclamation, corn husk, patchwork, promenade & spirituals.

This is the reason why I recommend this book for 4th grade & up. The pictures are bright & attractive, but the text on the pages are long.
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I would use this book to browse through in our classroom. As we browse through each page & encounter an unfamiliar word, I would ask students to try & figure out the word's meaning based on the context clues.

[Amber Pangburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about an African family that lived in Texas. They celebrated the freedom of the empancipation every June. I would use this book to explain how Texas got emancipated later than all the other states.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Freedom was a long time coming, but it was mighty sweet.”

Juneteenth has been a holiday in Texas since 1980. The author wrote this book in 1995. I was graduating high school back in Puerto Rico and had never even heard of Juneteenth back then. It brings a smile to my face to think that others may have learned about this celebration back then thanks to this book.

[wildct2003 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

[Elaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to show children what Juneteenth is and how it is celebrated today.

[Alexandra Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carole Boston Weatherford's first book of many is a lively depiction of of the African American holiday, Juneteenth. Yvonne Buchanan's colorful illlustrations complement the story.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still the gold standard for Juneteenth kids books. (Although it wouldn't break my heart to see these illustrations get updated.)

[Edie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story for kds and adults. Great illustrations

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated but serviceable account of a Juneteenth celebration in Texas.

[Elizabeth]

Young Cassandra's family has just moved to her parents' Texas hometown, and her parents are excitedly preparing for a Texas tradition -- the reason for which they keep a secret from Cassandra until they arrive at the town square, letting Cassandra's curiosity build as her excitement builds as well (yummy food, a new dress).