Written by Anne Wynter, Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey
So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story is a beautiful picture book that celebrates the joy of freedom of formerly enslaved Black Americans. It begins with the question, “How would you dress after so many years of mending your clothes with rags?” It brings beauty to a very difficult topic. The gorgeous illustrations show one page of what life was like during slavery (in a very age appropriate way) and the other side of the page shows how joyful it is to choose your own clothes and dances and food, and how black culture has been built around this heritage. I’ve been looking for a picture book about Juneteenth and this one is perfect. It’s a quick read that is appropriate for elementary age students, and will be a great starting point for a good conversation about what Juneteenth is.
Reviewed by Lana Gukeisen, Librarian, Farnsworth Elementary
Review shared in September 2025
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story
Written by Anne Wynter, Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey
Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
32 pages
Release Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063081147
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
