Van G. Garrett

A Black family - mother, father, older brother, younger sister - packs the car and heads to Galveston, TX for a Juneteenth celebration, including a parade, music, floats, food, and shiny cars and trucks. The story is told from the brother's perspective ("There are so many people who look like us"), and the focus is on the joy, though his parents do tell him about "what my ancestors had experienced." The text is kid-friendly, laced with lyrics from the Negro National Anthem ("Lift Every Voice and Sing"). Watercolor and pen and ink illustrations are loose yet realistic. Reginald C. Adams painted the Absolute Equality mural in Galveston.

Back matter includes only an author's note and an artist's note. An additional paragraph about the history of Juneteenth would provide helpful context for readers who might not know much about it.… (more)