Children's Books Explore The History Behind Juneteenth

Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021, but many people don't know its background or why June 19th has historical significance. Fortunately, there are several wonderful children's books that explore the history behind Juneteenth.

My first knowledge of Emancipation Day, celebrated across the nation before it ever became a federally recognized holiday, was through a book by my friend, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson co-wrote with her husband, Drew. The book is entitled Juneteenth and was published by Millbrook Press, an imprint of Lerner Books (2006). Read more about the book on Vaunda's website. You can also sign up for her blog while you are there. It is called, The Book Itch. As a retired librarian, she has many insights about books and the writing process. 

Lerner Books, has a website called the Lerner Blog. They just posted What is Juneteenth? They have also published several books for a variety of ages on the topic, including Vaunda's, which may all be found HERE. 

The Emancipation Proclamation which promised freedom to slaves was made on January 1 of 1863. It was a huge success for abolitionists, but most slaves were not actually freed until much later. The Proclamation only gave freedom to slaves in states that had seceded from the Union. Those states no longer recognized Lincoln's authority, so the South did not honor the Proclamation until they were forced to do so at the end of the Civil War. Ironically, the Proclamation did not free the slaves in the southern states that had remained loyal to the Union, though those states did finally have to acquiesce. The slaves in the District of Columbia had already been freed by a law passed in April of 1862. Slaves in US Territories were freed by a law signed by Lincoln in June of 1962.  

Nonetheless, the Proclamation was an important document. As Henry Ward Beecher stated, "The Proclamation may not free a single slave, but it gives liberty a moral recognition." It gave the Union a focused motivation for the war and opened up the admittance of black soldiers. By the end of the war, 200,000 black men had enlisted. 

What does June 19th, 1865 have to do with all of this? It is significant because it was the date when Union troops led by General Gordon Granger marched on Galveston, TX, and read the order announcing that the slaves had been freed. The war had ended two months earlier, but no one had told the slaves they were free. Finally, the vision of the  Emancipation Proclamation was fulfilled. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution that abolished slavery was ratified on December 18 of 1865.

The first official celebration of June 19th came one year later in Galveston in 1866 and spread through Texas. As people moved to other parts of the country, they took the tradition with them. Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday in 1980. It became a federal holiday in 2021.  

Juneteenth has become a day celebrated by people of all colors. It symbolizes the end of slavery, but more than that, it has also become a symbol of hope, resilience, and freedom for all people. Be sure to check out books on Juneteenth by Lerner.

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STEM to STEAM: The Collaboration Between Art and Science

In June we explored the connection between cooking and science with the book Science Experiments You Can Eat. Then in early August, we looked at the link between science and fairy tales with the book, Fairy Tale Science: Explore 25 Classic Tales Through Hands-On Experiments. This week we are going a little deeper into the connection between art and science.

I have personal experience on this topic. After completing my bachelor's degree in music therapy, one of the first clients I worked with was a man with a traumatic brain injury who had lost the ability to speak but could still sing. It was my first real introduction into the complexities and wonders of the human brain.

Since achieving my master's degree in communicative disorders and becoming a speech-language pathologist, I have often created songs to help my students remember concepts that they found challenging. 

Einstein played the violin for inspiration. I keep him close to my work desk for a little inspiration of my own. Einstein once said, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music." He also said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

The world is filled with people who work as doctors, inventors, or scientists who could have just as easily become professional artists. Dow Phumiruk, is the illustrator of Counting on Katherine and a host of other children's books. She is also a doctor. Her understanding of science informs many of her illustrations.

We have all experienced how beautiful places affect our mood, but they also affect our mind and body. My daughter is currently studying interior design and recently shared with me how specialized decorators use Evidence-Based Design to help create healthcare settings that reduce infections as well as stress for both patients and staff. These creative spaces also promote healing.

In 2010, The Rhode Island School of Design - RISD began advocating for the addition of creativity into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education, effectively turning it into STEAM. Since then they have engaged in several exciting projects such as helping to create a better space simulation suit with funding from HIGH SEAS and a NASA Rhode Island Space Grant. Apparel design students are also helping NASA create clothing for a 2025 30-day mission to the moon called Artemis. The RISD Co-Works Research Lab provides tutoring, coursework, technology, and other resources for students and faculty from a variety of disciplines to promote interdisciplinary innovation.

Throughout the month of September, Lerner Books is offering free videos and lesson plans for STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Find out how to sign up HERE. They have a lengthy list of books covering STEM topics. They also have an informative blog post on the topic of STEM to STEAM: Why Arts Belong in the Sciences where they highlight several well-known scientists that were also accomplished musicians and/or used the arts for inspiration. 

Another Tip for Summer Fun is to learn an instrument or visit creative spaces like art museums. On that note, watch for my interview coming up soon with author, Susan Wider, about her debut middle-grade novel, It’s My Whole Life: Charlotte Salomon - An Artist in Hiding During World War II.

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Interview with Author Lois Ruby

Some authors consider themselves Plotters, some Pantsers, and others say they are something in between. Plotters spend a lot of time setting up a story before they ever start writing. Pantsers tend to jump into a story and fly by the seat of their pants. Over the next few months, I will be interviewing several authors about their writing process. These authors all have books featured in my upcoming educational resource, Story Frames: Using Narratives to Improve Reading, Writing, and Executive  Function Skills in Struggling Readers (Coming November 2020, Brookes Publishing).

Today I'm talking with author, Lois Ruby, who has a new book that was released just this week - Red Menace for ages 11 and up. Set in 1953, the story is told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Marty Rafner whose parents are investigated by the FBI for suspicion of being communist sympathizers. As the date approaches for the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Marty sees just how serious the stakes really are and that it may be up to him save his family (Carolrhoda Books, February 2020). And now for the interview with Lois Ruby...

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1. Thanks for joining us today, Lois. You tend to write books that require a lot of research and follow the unfolding of historical events. I know you are meticulous in your research. When it comes to plotting, how structured are you? Do you consider yourself a Plotter, a Pantser, or Something Else?

Lois: I fall into the "something else" category. Occasionally I'm required to pound out an outline before a book is accepted and written, and that's like chewing nails, so I make up something that sounds plausible. Then I feel little obligation to follow that outline when I start the writing. The plotting part? Meh. Secondary at best. Character always comes first, and that determines the time and place for the story and gives me a vague idea of where the story is going, which plunges me into interminable research until I'm exhausted and admit it's time to start writing. Then it goes quickly, zooming toward the ending. I prefer to be surprised by the ending when I get there, so I guess that's the "pantser" part.

2. What has been your most interesting research experience so far?

Lois: My most interesting research experience was interviewing three Skinhead teens at a Taco Bell in Kansas -- two guys in full skinhead regalia and a girl with the back of her head shaved, and her long hair starting mid-scalp and hanging over her eyes. I looked around the crowded Taco Bell, and all I could think was, I hope people don't think these are my children. I told those sad kids that I'd buy all the burritos and tacos and Cokes they wanted, and all they had to do was talk to me about their lives. Oh, man, what an eye-opener! Out of that enlightening and horrifying interview emerged my book, SKIN DEEP.

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3. What is your favorite children's book?

Lois: My favorite children's book is the incredible forever-classic novel, THE GIVER, by Lois Lowry. Of course, I like the fact that the author shares my first name, which has led to some memorable experiences, including my twice accepting her awards in her absence. I'm told she's asked, "Who is this Lois Ruby person who always seems to be in the right place when I can't be?" Impostor? No, it's only coincidence. THE GIVER is, in my estimation, the most significant and thought-provoking children's book of our generation, worthy of reading numerous times, by kids and adults, in search of new nuggets of truth.

4) Do you have any advice for young writers?

Lois: I have lots of advice for young writers since I'm quite bossy when I encounter them during school visits and in my email.  Three words: read, read, read

Read everything from toothpaste tubes and cereal boxes to kiddie books and adult novels, to scientific treatises, non-fiction works, and commercial ads. Read to younger brothers and sisters and to grandparents, in order to savor the texture and flavor of words, their

underlying meanings, and how they meld together. 

Then write, write, write. Write quickly to get the words down without censoring them, and then revise until you feel excited and proud about what's on the page or screen. Finally, find a trusted person (not your mother, who has to love everything you do!) but a kindly, objective reader to offer suggestions on what does and doesn't work in your writing. Revise again. Above all, enjoy!

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What is most interesting to me about Lois and her writing process is that when it came time for me to choose books to analyze for strong plot structure while writing Story Frames, I instantly thought of Lois's book Steal Away Home which will be featured in Story Frames. It's about a girl who finds a skeleton in a hidden closet of a home her family is renovating only to discover that the bones belonged to a woman from the Underground Railroad. Read about it on Amazon. As I have said before, I believe that many authors have such a strong sense of plot that they don't have to think of it overtly the way many of us do.

To receive information about publications and events and to catch all of the author interviews, sign up for my newsletter HERE or simply follow this blog. To read more about the plotting structure outlined in Story Frames, visit my page for The Secret Language of Stories. To read the interview with author Caroline Starr Rose, go HERE.