Alliah L. Agostini
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BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince |
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An exuberant picture book written by Alliah L. Agostini and illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice is about a boy with big dancing dreams who learns the meaning of courage and community. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
It’s the weekend, first in June; speaker’s blasting out big tune!
Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends pack the house, and fun begins.
Shane is shy but loves to dance—and all year long, he’s picked up cans
to earn some money toward his goal: high-tops with a pump-up sole.
But then the speaker blows—it’s done! Will this stop his family’s fun?
Can Shane come through to save the day and bring back Big Tune Saturday?
Set within a vibrant Caribbean American neighborhood and told to a rhythmic beat, Big Tune is a story of Black boy joy that touches on determination, confidence to express who you are, selflessness, and community gratitude.
It’s the weekend, first in June; speaker’s blasting out big tune!
Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends pack the house, and fun begins.
Shane is shy but loves to dance—and all year long, he’s picked up cans
to earn some money toward his goal: high-tops with a pump-up sole.
But then the speaker blows—it’s done! Will this stop his family’s fun?
Can Shane come through to save the day and bring back Big Tune Saturday?
Set within a vibrant Caribbean American neighborhood and told to a rhythmic beat, Big Tune is a story of Black boy joy that touches on determination, confidence to express who you are, selflessness, and community gratitude.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Publication March 28, 2023
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780374389949
Available for purchase here.
Praise for Big Tune
"This lively, vibrant narrative has an infectious spirit, and Shane is irresistible... Themes of joy, solidarity, and artistic expression are effortlessly woven throughout the words and images... An exuberant celebration of community that leaps off the page." ―Kirkus, starred review
"Portrayals of diasporic Caribbean culture and a child’s selflessness distinguish Agostini’s 1990s Brooklyn-set story celebrating connection and community... Agostini’s buoyant rhyming verse pulses with details, and Knight-Justice’s stylized illustrations layer bold patterns and textures... building a joyfully immersive portrait of neighborhood gatherings where 'Swaying hips wine fast and slow./ Brown skin shines with black light’s glow." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
"...The vibrant beat of the rhyming text makes a splendid complement to the energetic art." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"...This unique picture book’s celebration of Jamaican culture and community is a great addition to every library." ―School Library Journal
Praise for Big Tune
"This lively, vibrant narrative has an infectious spirit, and Shane is irresistible... Themes of joy, solidarity, and artistic expression are effortlessly woven throughout the words and images... An exuberant celebration of community that leaps off the page." ―Kirkus, starred review
"Portrayals of diasporic Caribbean culture and a child’s selflessness distinguish Agostini’s 1990s Brooklyn-set story celebrating connection and community... Agostini’s buoyant rhyming verse pulses with details, and Knight-Justice’s stylized illustrations layer bold patterns and textures... building a joyfully immersive portrait of neighborhood gatherings where 'Swaying hips wine fast and slow./ Brown skin shines with black light’s glow." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
"...The vibrant beat of the rhyming text makes a splendid complement to the energetic art." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"...This unique picture book’s celebration of Jamaican culture and community is a great addition to every library." ―School Library Journal
The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States
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With colorful illustrations and a timeline, this introductory history of Juneteenth for kids details the evolution of the holiday commemorating the date the enslaved people of Texas first learned of their freedom.
On June 19, 1865—more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation—the enslaved people of Texas first learned of their freedom. That day became a day of remembrance and celebration that changed and grew from year to year. Learn about the events that led to emancipation and why it took so long for the enslaved people in Texas to hear the news. The first Juneteenth began as “Jubilee Day,” where families celebrated and learned of their new rights as citizens. As Black Texans moved to other parts of the country, they brought their traditions along with them, and Juneteenth continued to grow and develop. Today, Juneteenth’s powerful spirit has endured through the centuries to become an official holiday in the United States in 2021. The Juneteenth Story provides an accessible introduction for kids to learn about this important American holiday. |
Publisher: becker&mayer! kids
Publication May 3, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780760375143
Publication May 3, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780760375143
Available now:
About Alliah
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Alliah L. Agostini has marketed everything from tampons to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children's literature. She writes to spread joy, truth, and to help more young readers see reflections of themselves on the page. Alliah is the author of non-fiction picture book The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States, the Kirkus-starred rhyming picture book BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince, Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography, and more.
Alliah and her books have been featured on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, Good Housekeeping, Amazon Editors' Picks, Scary Mommy, PBS.org, CNN, Washingtonpost.com, and more. She lives in New Jersey where she enjoys impromptu dance parties and making up jokes with her husband and two children. She has an A.B. and M.B.A. from Harvard.
Learn more about Alliah at http://www.alliahagostini.com
Follow her on Instagram or Twitter: @alliago
Alliah and her books have been featured on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, Good Housekeeping, Amazon Editors' Picks, Scary Mommy, PBS.org, CNN, Washingtonpost.com, and more. She lives in New Jersey where she enjoys impromptu dance parties and making up jokes with her husband and two children. She has an A.B. and M.B.A. from Harvard.
Learn more about Alliah at http://www.alliahagostini.com
Follow her on Instagram or Twitter: @alliago
