Being a children’s historical fiction and a diversity book makes Juneteenth for Mazie a picture book that deserves more than a quick glance. . . .Cooper’s technique does give the spreads the look and feel of a time long ago that has aged, but never lost its details, despite repeat readings. . . .[Cooper] keeps the story and history lesson interesting, thoughtful, and accessible to young children.
In his customary gauzy gold-and-brown illustrations, Cooper sandwiches historical images of figures picking cotton, fleeing “north to freedom,” and marching over a bridge, between contemporary scenes of Mazie snuggled up next to her dad, and dancing in a festive parade. . . .Other introductions to Juneteenth are more detailed, but this will give even young readers a glimmer of its significance.
This sweet remembrance teaches about the day, known as Juneteenth, and celebrates freedom through the calm, assured tone and expressive faces of the characters. Somber shades of brown give the book a nostalgic, historical feel while remaining accessible and enjoyable for children today.
My girl loved the book’s gorgeous pictures, and as she learned about the struggles and accomplishments of African Americans throughout our country’s history, we were able to talk about such notable trailblazers as Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson and President Barak Obama. She even gave me a lesson about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom she had just spent a month learning about in school. With the help of the book, this June, on the 150th anniversary of the first Juneteenth, Mazie and my little girl will be ready to celebrate together.
"3 Spunky heroines to share with your daughter for BookTrib
01/01/2015
Dual narrators bring reverence and joy to this audiobook about the June 19 anniversary known as Juneteenth. When portraying Mazie, Tyla Collier’s voice is youthful and impatient as she suffers the limits of common childhood restrictions. Then, Rhett Samuel Price’s deep, rich voice explains to Mazie how her enslaved ancestors had to wait two years after the Emancipation Proclamation to become free. Cheerful music provides an uplifting background as listeners hear a broad history of Juneteenth commemorations from then until now. The audiobook is engaging on its own, but families may want to view the illustrations as they listen to experience the full impact of the Juneteenth celebrations that are part of the story. S.C. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
2014-10-15
