Bookstr’s Three to Read Jr. brings engaging, colorful, and informative books to the forefront of children’s literature. Learning about the past is crucial to knowing what has shaped our ever-changing society and the diverse communities within it. This week, we’re highlighting titles that educate young readers across all age groups to understand important moments in Black and American history. Let’s get into our picks!
EARLY READERS
They Built Me for Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park by Tonya Duncan Ellis, Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed
SYNOPSIS:
Tonya Duncan Ellis underlines the history of the Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas, bringing to life its over-150-year history. The result is a vibrant story from the park’s perspective, helping early readers begin to understand emancipation and the true meaning of freedom.
WHY:
Enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865, and thus began the end of slavery in America. In memory of that historic day, which became Juneteenth, Emancipation Park was created. They Built Me for Freedom uses the roots of Emancipation Park, which was once in disrepair and later renovated, to symbolize that freedom must be intentionally maintained and is not something to take for granted. With joyful moments and painful truths combined, it’s an engaging and unforgettable take on this necessary part of history.
ELEMENTARY READERS
I Heard: An American Journey by Jaha Nailah Avery, Illustrated by Steffi Walthall
SYNOPSIS:
I Heard: An American Journey celebrates Blackness through centuries of historical movements, activism, and tradition. A teacher provides the perspective of what it’s like to be Black and walk in your identity and culture unapologetically in the United States today.
WHY:
Readers say Jaha Nailah Avery’s book is a lyrical masterpiece that recognizes the strength in understanding one’s past and embracing their Blackness, from African roots to the rhythm and flow of hip-hop music. I Heard presents a message of persistence and perseverance in a child-friendly manner, and the back matter of the book has additional resources and context that underscore its importance.
MIDDLE GRADE READERS
Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
SYNOPSIS:
As Cooper Dale begins the fifth grade in fall 1963, she must navigate the racial climate of her predominantly white neighborhood. Living near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she encounters a rigid teacher and a bully whose family home her mother cleans. Set amidst trends and events of 1963, Radiant is a novel in verse that explores race, class, faith, and belonging.
WHY:
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is a multi-time Coretta Scott King Book Award–winner with a masterful catalog full of historical fiction, and Radiant is no exception. The story is powerful and thoughtful, with references that introduce middle grade readers to an important period of the Civil Rights era. The theme of self-acceptance is always relevant to Black history, and Cooper’s perspective shines a light on what it means to embrace one’s identity.
That’s it for this week’s Three to Read Jr. Thanks for tuning in to learn about these thought-provoking reads from Black voices in children’s literature! Don’t forget to join us next week for more curated recommendations.
To read more about books for young readers that discuss Black history, click here!
Browse these books and more reads handpicked by the Bookstr team on our Three to Read bookshelf on Bookshop!
