A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor
2022; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 76; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2022.0562
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
ResumoReviewed by: A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Taylor, Kim A Flag for Juneteenth; written and illus. by Kim Taylor. Porter/Holiday House, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780823452248 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780823455218 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs Huldah is looking forward to her tenth birthday, but the morning of June 19, 1865, brings a gift she could never imagine. U.S. soldiers arrive at the Texas plantation where she and her family are enslaved and announce that the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Lincoln two years prior, declared “all slaves are free.” There is, of course, a joyful celebration, for which the men carve branches with Fawohodie symbols and women sew freedom flags, patching together quilts and making a particularly special flag for Huldah on her birthday. Huldah’s lyrical, descriptive narration vividly conveys her experience of both simple pleasures (“the scent of nutmeg and vanilla floated through our cabin and landed as a smile on my face”) and profound reflections (“I opened my cabin door with a hand that looked new to me”). The illustrations, created in fabric collage and quilting, are true works of art: rich textures and patterns come together to create stunning scenes of joy and celebration as Huldah and her family stretch to the sky with freedom, sit softly with their new reality, and find beauty in each other. An author’s note discusses Taylor’s choice to have the figures remain faceless, allowing viewers an opportunity to connect with the raw, initial swell of emotions. While Juneteenth has now been designated as a federal holiday, its history is still often glossed over in history curriculum, and this book presents an accessible introduction to both the past and the joy of the holiday. [End Page 136] Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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