Having already taken on such behemoths as Independence Day and Memorial Day, the First Step Nonfiction: American Holidays series extends itself by tackling some lesser-known holidays. The top three-fourths of each page is devoted to an image; the bottom fourth to a short sentence aimed at very young readers. Juneteenth takes what remains a largely overlooked holiday and shows why it's important, marking the day that slaves in parts of Texas heard news of the Emancipation Proclamation (two years after the fact). Historical and modern images detail the subsequent emergence of Juneteenth as an annual celebration. Naturally, a complex topic like slavery isn't granted much nuance here, yet the weight is felt in dramatic battlefield paintings and evocative period photos. The series does itself a favor by staying simple; the illustration of a calendar that begins each book will have kids searching for the corresponding date on their own home calendars. A great starting point for discussing these significant celebrations.

These books briefly introduce readers to the Juneteenth and Constitution Day holidays. Using one choppy but accessible sentence per page, the volumes provide very bare-bones information: "Juneteenth began many years ago. / America was fighting about slaves"; "Many Americans met to write the Constitution." Stock photographs or archival illustrations fill each compact page. Additional facts are appended. Timeline. Glos., ind.