Welcome to the Bank Street Children's Book Committee's (CBC) Searchable Best Books List, a tool designed to help educators, families, librarians, and others access developmentally appropriate and engaging books for young readers (ages birth - 18).

Our online Searchable Best Books List draws from the committee's annual Best Children's Books of the Year-beginning with the list of books published in 2000-with each featuring more than 600 high-quality titles for young readers.

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Night before Freedom, The: A Juneteenth Story

Glenda Armand

Illustrator: Corey Barksdale

Ages: 6+

Published: 2023

Publisher: Crown BFYR/ Random House Children's Books/PRH

ISBN: 978-0-593-56746-3

Keywords: Texas, slavery, enslavement, family, tradition

Vibrant and imaginative illustrations depict this historical view of Juneteenth through the words of "Grandma's Story" about anticipation, emancipation, and jubilation, which has been retold across generations.