A book with an inviting format just adequately explains the African-American celebration and its origins in Texas of the 1900s. In six loosely organized chapters, Branch (The Water Brought Us, 1995) describes Juneteenth—June 19, 1865the day many slaves in Texas were told of their freedom ``two years, six months, and eighteen days late,'' because the Emancipation Proclamation was dated January 1, 1863. Branch discusses the various reasons and legends that have grown up around this delay, concluding that the slaves were deceived so they would continue as free labor, working on the crops. Spontaneous celebration at the news of freedom led to an annual holiday in Texas, and, as African- Americans moved out of that state, across the country. The text assumes a knowledge of the institution of slavery, who was affected, where they lived, and what life was like for the enslaved; words such as secede are defined, but not white supremacist or lynching. There is a description of what occurred when slaves learned they were free, including a few quotes from primary sources. After a description of the holiday's origins, ``part revival . . . family reunion and homecoming,'' the organization becomes slippery. Branch goes to some length discussing her search for a contemporary celebration; she attends festivals and recounts in detail the organizations and groups that perform, in coverage that reads like a feature article in a small-town newspaper. Sketchy information on how to organize a celebration appears; the book makes use of excellent black-and- white reproductions and amateurish, badly cropped contemporary photographs. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-525-65222-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
Falters in its oversimplified portrayal of a complicated region and people.
Parallel storylines take readers through the lives of two young people on Sept. 11 in 2001 and 2019.
In the contemporary timeline, Reshmina is an Afghan girl living in foothills near the Pakistan border that are a battleground between the Taliban and U.S. armed forces. She is keen to improve her English while her twin brother, Pasoon, is inspired by the Taliban and wants to avenge their older sister, killed by an American bomb on her wedding day. Reshmina helps a wounded American soldier, making her village a Taliban target. In 2001, Brandon Chavez is spending the day with his father, who works at the World Trade Center’s Windows on the World restaurant. Brandon is heading to the underground mall when a plane piloted by al-Qaida hits the tower, and his father is among those killed. The two storylines develop in parallel through alternating chapters. Gratz’s deeply moving writing paints vivid images of the loss and fear of those who lived through the trauma of 9/11. However, this nuance doesn’t extend to the Afghan characters; Reshmina and Pasoon feel one-dimensional. Descriptions of the Taliban’s Afghan victims and Reshmina's gentle father notwithstanding, references to all young men eventually joining the Taliban and Pasoon's zeal for their cause counteract this messaging. Explanations for the U.S. military invasion of Afghanistan in the author’s note and in characters’ conversations too simplistically present the U.S. presence.
Falters in its oversimplified portrayal of a complicated region and people. (author’s note) (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-24575-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
A pleasing new picture book looks at George Washington’s career through an agricultural lens. Sprinkling excerpts from his letters and diaries throughout to allow its subject to speak in his own voice, the narrative makes a convincing case for Washington’s place as the nation’s First Farmer. His innovations, in addition to applying the scientific method to compost, include a combination plow-tiller-harrow, the popularization of the mule and a two-level barn that put horses to work at threshing grain in any weather. Thomas integrates Washington’s military and political adventures into her account, making clear that it was his frustration as a farmer that caused him to join the revolutionary cause. Lane’s oil illustrations, while sometimes stiff, appropriately portray a man who was happiest when working the land. Backmatter includes a timeline, author’s notes on both Mount Vernon and Washington the slaveholder, resources for further exploration and a bibliography. (Picture book/biography. 8-12)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59078-460-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
