Juneteenth Book Recs!!!

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Juneteenth is officially a federal holiday and white coporations like Walmart and Lane Bryant have already started trying to capitalize. So I wanted to make my own rec list before people trot out their lists of Black books that have absolutely nothing to do with Juneteenth or being Black in America full of books they never read. So often I hear talk of Black joy books vs Black trauma books. And it's important to realize that being Black in America isn't one long extended suffering even though sometimes in the hardest times it can feel that way. And I urge people to not shy away from the history of Black people in America even though some parts are painful because there are parts that are beautiful.

The first book I'm including is The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini. It's a recently released picture book full of history but presented in an approachable way.

Ruby's Reunion Day Dinner by Angela Dalton is a fun picture book celebrating family and good food. Ruby sees all her family members prepping a signature dish for the reunion and wants to make her own but she's not sure what to contribute. 

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas is another recent release and perfect read for the summer when school's out and the pool is out. It's a graphic novel that follows a girl who has moved from Brooklyn to small town Florida. Her new school makes her take swim class for the quarter and she's terrified of swimming because she's never been in a pool. It shows her journey to becoming a swimmer while also touching on the history of Black people and lack of access to swimming pools in the US.

Just South of Home by Karen Strong is a story of family, friendship and a little mystery. Cousins spending the summer together have to learn to get along while also dealing with haints and the dark history of their small town.

For All Time by Shanna Miles is a cute story about Tamar, Fayard and their love across the ages and timelines. We follow versions of them from Ancient Mali to 1920s Philly through present day South Carolina.

I always mention Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron but it's just such a great book that deserves more attention. It's a powerful story with just the right amount of magic about family, resilence, and love. Set in the Jim Crow South we follow Evvie as she comes of age and deals with a big threat while navigating new love.

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge is set in a free Black community during the Reconstruction era and follows the daughter of a doctor with a vision to have her daughter follow in her footsteps. But Libertie is ready for something else and feels stifled by the path her mother has set out for her. 

The Conductors by Nicole Glover follows Hettie and her husband Benjy who are conductors on the Underground Railroad and use magic to help people escape to freedom. When an old friend is murdered they take on the investigation. 

Sallie Ann Robinson's Kitchen: Food and Family Lore from the Lowcountry by Sallie Ann Robinson brings the Sea Islands to your dinner table with regional staples and recipes passed down for generations.