A review by ainun_farhan_zahra
Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan, Keturah A. Bobo

4.0

It tells the real life story of Opal Lee, an activist, also known as Grandmother of Juneteenth and reflects on the dark past of black people forced to work as slaves. I didn't know that Opal Lee is a real person before starting the book. That might seem weird but I live faraway from America and though I know bits and pieces of information about the history of slavery, the name Opal Lee never came in front of me before. The story begins with Opal Lee narrating story of how Juneteenth came into existence to her grandson and his friends. She also talks about Jim Crow laws, ignorant people, blinded by prejudices trying to harm her family by burning the house they used to reside in. There's a timeline at the end of the story that sums up the occurrences in short. It is a great book to educate young readers about the value of Juneteenth, why its important and the high cost of freedom. I personally loved it. The history is quite complicated, so I appreciate how it's presented in a child friendly way. The illustrations are well-done as well.. Recommended.