Well I get to be the first to review this book on LT, Yay! Found myself with my littlest one in a library and while she was playing I got in some reading on celebrations and found this gem of a book about the Juneteenth celebration. Written from the perspective of a 5rd generation grand daughter whole relates how their family go back to visit with her grandmother every Juneteenth to join in the celebrations of the festival in Galveston. The highlight of which is the tale told by her grandma about her grandmas experience as a slave on the day before freedom came to them in Texas a whole two years after the emancipation proclamation was signed by Lincoln in Washington. The story covers the anticipation that was felt, the emotions of the slaves at the time, followed by the big event the following day when they were freed from slaver and became worker who were paid for their labors. The illustration are beautifully done and lend themselves well to the emotions felt by the slaves and then the unbridled joy and exuberance of finally being free at last like a bird that soars in the sky. ( )