Come Juneteenth

This is one of her better books, and people of all ages would like it.

Ann Rinaldi is my favorite Author. Come Juneteenth is a great book like every other she has written. I can't wait for her next book to come out. You have to read this book!!!

What would you do if you knew something important, but potentially devastating, about a close family member? What if you were sworn to secrecy about it, but you felt as though you were betraying someone you love? Would you tell or would you do as you were told? Such is the decision facing 13 year old Luli Holcomb when she learns that the slaves held on her family's ranch have indeed been set free almost two years earlier, though the Civil War itself wasn't quite at an end. Her "sister", Sis Goose, raised as one of the family and treated as a dearly cherished daughter, is in fact a free person of color, even though she's always had the benefits and privileges of being free. Luli is pressed into keeping the secret by her family so that the other slaves on the ranch won't leave, but she's not comfortable with it, especially after her older brother Gabe finds himself in love with Sis Goose and begins a relationship with her. Who holds Luli's loyalty? Rinaldi has taken Juneteenth, the "official" date in June 1865 when Texas slaves were told they were free, and built an interesting story around it. As with most things in life, there weren't cut and dried solutions, and Sis Goose's reaction to her "family's" decision to keep her in the dark brings about changes she could not have foreseen. Told from Luli's point of view, we see her placed between a rock and a hard place, loving and missing the sister she's always known and yet understanding the heartbroken anger Sis Goose unleashes. Luli must make hard choices herself as she sees her father dying and the Yankees settle into her once grand home. The twist at the end is truly shocking, and Rinaldi does a fine job of reeling the reader into this web of lies. This is a truly intriguing book, so much more than straight historical fiction. The biggest problem I had with it is the "luck" factor; at times things seemed to happen a little too conveniently, especially as Gabe and Luli track down the missing Sis Goose. And while I understood the nickname given to Sis Goose, I never liked it and found it distracting, as though it was almost a deliberate reminder that this vibrant young woman really was a slave. I also questioned Luli's recovery after the devastation that came; I just don't think it was played out realistically. However, Rinaldi's story and the characters themselves redeem any minor problems I have with this fine novel, and I can heartily recommend it to anyone of any age who enjoys excellent historical fiction.

Thirteen-year-old Luli Holcomb has lived her entire life on the family ranch in Texas. With her father weak from illness and her mother busy helping to run the ranch, Luli's older brother, Gabe, takes charge of her. But he doesn't teach her the ways of a proper southern belle. Instead, Gabe instructs her how to shoot guns, ride and care for horses, and survive in the Texas wilderness. The other influential person in Luli's life is Sis Goose. Sis Goose's enslaved mother dies right after giving birth, and her white riverboat father is completely uninterested. He immediately gives her to Luli's aunt, who in turn hands her over to Luli's mom. Three years older and unofficially adopted into the family as a baby, Sis Goose and Luli are best friends and sisters. Though legally a slave and belonging to Luli's aunt, Sis Goose is considered family; she goes with them to parties and balls, and shares a bedroom and an education right alongside Luli. Being in Texas and so far away from the other states, the Civil War seems a million miles away, yet the Holcomb family still feels the effects. Blockades force them to do without coffee and silk dresses, and Gabe enlists in the Confederacy --- though his job is to fight the nearby Native Americans, not the Union soldiers. And then one day a fellow arrives announcing that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation has set the slaves free. But the entire Holcomb family rebukes it as just a false rumor, despite knowing the contrary. On orders of her parents and Gabe, Luli must lie to her best friend and sister. When asked why, Luli is told that all Texas ranchers are keeping the secret. If the slaves knew the truth, then the crops would never be harvested, not to mention they would stage a bloody uprising and many people would die. So Luli hides the truth even though it burns inside of her. She knows that eventually the facts will emerge and wonders if Sis Goose will ever forgive her. And then one day, in June 1865, the Union soldiers arrive at their ranch, and the truth is finally revealed. Ann Rinaldi has vast experience in writing historical novels, and her incredible talent shines through once again. She perfectly brings the past back to life, including all of the hardships and challenges, the joy and the sorrow. Readers will be drawn into the story, quickly caring about the realistic characters and the impossible situations they must wade through. COME JUNETEENTH is a wonderful read for everyone! --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman