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When Jayylen's grandfather, Paw Paw Jimmy, begins preparing for a big Juneteenth celebration, Jayylen has a lot of questions. Most importantly, what is Juneteenth? His mother and Paw Paw Jimmy explain that the holiday marks the anniversary of when enslaved African Americans found out that they were free. Paw Paw Jimmy plays some zydeco for him, which is the type of music they will dance to at the celebration. Jayylen practices every day so that he will be able to play the frottoir (a percussion instrument similar to a washboard) for everyone. But will he be able to pull off an even bigger surprise for the day?
Since 1945, Ebony magazine has shined a spotlight on the worlds of Black people in America and worldwide, telling their stories. Ebony Jr! was created in 1973 to give Black children a magazine that was all their own. The magazine included stories, comics, puzzles, and cartoons centering Black children. Its mission was to ignite a love of reading and a love of self in Black kids, and we’re continuing that with our LGB program.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
May 2, 2023 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593568156
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 24, 2023
PreS-Gr 2-This Little Golden Book explains why African Americans celebrate Juneteenth. After Jayylen and his family move "back home from the big city," Jayylen's grandfather, Paw Paw Jimmy, decides it is time to teach his grandson about their family traditions by arranging a Juneteenth celebration with two-steppin' and music. Jayylen does not understand what Juneteenth is, so his mother and grandfather explain: "That was the day when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were free." The subject of slavery is explained to Jayylen in matter-of-fact terms that are appropriate for his young age; his mother tells Jayylen that enslaved people "are forced to work without pay" and that "many African people were taken from their countries. A lot of them were brought to America, where they were forced to do hard work and treated very poorly." A fun cultural aspect is infused into the story when Jayylen's grandfather explains the musical style zydeco and teaches Jayylen to play the frottoir. Illustrations are simple, but effective, and include enjoyable details such as the Elijah McCoy poster that hangs on Jayylen's bedroom wall, and the shrimp and grits that the family eats for dinner. VERDICT For parents who want to introduce the meaning behind their Juneteenth celebrations; libraries with collections of Little Golden Books should include this one to broaden their selection.-Peggy Henderson Murphy
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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