ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS

Today we are celebrating the 7th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day around the world. The fabulous book I was gifted to review for the event this year is ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS.

*this post contains affiliate links

P.S. Scroll to the end to add your book reviews to our giant linky.

ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS

In this beautiful non-fiction picture book, #ownvoices author and illustrator Gwendolyn Hooks and Simone Agoussoye chronicle the true story of an enslaved woman who took her freedom back from her owners, George and Martha Washington.

Celebrating the 7th annual Multicultural Children's Book Day with ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS. A fabulous narrative #nonfiction #PB from @GwenTheGweat, @simoneagoussoye, and @CapstonePub #readyourworld @MCChildsBookDay Share on X

“The attention-grabbing text & unique illustrations will make this a welcome addition for all history collections” – @sljournal on ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE WASHINGTONS by @GwenTheGweat @simoneagoussoye #ownvoices #ReadingIsForEveryone #PictureBookMonth #picturebook pic.twitter.com/jdGkbaNwxI

— Capstone (@CapstonePub) November 17, 2019

What sticks out to me as I read this book was the historical accuracy. As children (or adults) read the book, they are getting a lesson on the importance of knowing the whole story.

Yes, George Washington was the first American president, commander of the Continental Army, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. But he owned people, before, during, and after his presidency. That fact is part of his legacy, too.

—Gwendolyn Hooks

The illustrations in this book are stunning, but you can tell that the colors take on meaning. They too, are a part of the story.

I wanted to use a strong but still soft color. Lilac comes from the purple family and purple is known to evoke creativity and royalty. Ona had to think on her feet and be creative, and she knew her own strength even as an enslaved woman. 

– Simone Agoussoye

224 years ago (May 21, 1796), an enslaved woman named ONA JUDGE escaped her captors George & Martha Washington and lived the rest of her life on the run as a free woman. In fact, we learn that George Washington hunted her relentlessly until his death. For the first First Family, she was truly “the one that got away.”

Judge’s story offers an opportunity to present a more complicated portrait of Washington – moving “beyond cherry trees and false teeth” and to really look at the George Washington. He was at the epicenter of the decision to build American on the foundation of slavery.

As political tensions are soaring in America right now with the impeachment trial for removal from office for President Trump, reading this story gave me hope. In the end, my hope that equality and freedom for all will prevail.

For ONA JUDGE, even though she brilliantly evaded being recaptured by the Washingtons, she lived for 49 years after George died as a poor widow as well as outliving all three of her children.  Justice for Black women like Ona is a battleground we are still having to fight for today.

The idea that Sally Hemings’ life mattered just as much as Thomas Jefferson’s is radical.

The idea that Ona Judge’s life mattered just as much as Martha Washington’s is radical.

The idea that Black lives matter just as much as other human life? *Radical.*

— Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (@Ebonyteach) March 30, 2018

Purchase ONA JUDGE on Amazon| Shop your local indie bookstore

Connect on Twitter

Author Gwendolyn Hooks |Illustrator Simone Agoussoye | Publisher Capstone Books

Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

BONUS Read after ONA JUDGE:

NEVER CAUGHTT: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave Ona Judge

For a fabulous historical account of ONA JUDGE’s story to read along with this book, check out NEVER CAUGHT by Erica Dunbar.

Young Readers Edition HERE.

About Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Multicultural Children’s Book Day is a non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.  

Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.

MCBD 2020  is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board:

Super Platinum

Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings, 

Platinum

Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls, 

Gold

Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS : A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Jo, Candlewick Press,

Silver

 Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe,

Bronze

Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard. Barnes Brothers Books,  TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books,  Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books Talegari Tales

Author Sponsor Link Cloud

Jerry Craft, A.R. Bey and Adventures in Boogieland, Eugina Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Kenneth Braswell & Fathers Incorporated, Maritza M. Mejia & Luz del mes_Mejia, Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Josh Funk and HOW TO CODE A ROLLERCOASTER, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove,  Lauren Ranalli, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! By Dr. Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang and Me On The Page, Afsaneh Moradian and Jamie is Jamie, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Gwen Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen & The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher (Founders of Inner Flower Child Books), Ann Morris & Do It Again!/¡Otra Vez!, Janet Balletta and Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo & Bruna Bailando por el Mundo\ Dancing Around the World, Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, Sarah Jamila Stevenson, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Teresa Robeson  & The Queen of Physics, Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore & Stories by the Girlfriends Book Club, Finding My Way Books, Diana Huang & Intrepids, Five Enchanted Mermaids, Elizabeth Godley and Ribbon’s Traveling Castle, Anna Olswanger and Greenhorn, Danielle Wallace & My Big Brother Troy, Jocelyn Francisco and Little Yellow Jeepney, Mariana Llanos & Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess/La Ñusta Diminuta, Sara Arnold & The Big Buna Bash, Roddie Simmons & Race 2 Rio, DuEwa Frazier & Alice’s Musical Debut, Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series  Green Kids Club, Inc.

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts

A Crafty Arab, Afsaneh Moradian, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Biracial Bookworms, Michelle Goetzl & Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Educators Spin on it, Shauna Hibbitts-creator of eNannylink, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joel Leonidas & Descendant of Poseidon Reads {Philippines}, Imagination Soup, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Serge Smagarinsky {Australia}, Shoumi Sen, Jennifer Brunk & Spanish Playground, Katie Meadows and Youth Lit Reviews

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

• Free Multicultural Books for Teachers 
• Our New FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit http://ow.ly/kcbZ30p3QWz
• Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators
• Free Understanding Developmental & Physical Challenges Classroom Kit

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Connect with Biracial Bookworms

Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook Group | Facebook Page | Newsletter