Build a House

Based on a song written for the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, the book follows a Black family across generations. They build a house, which is taken away; they build a life, which is disrupted; but they continue to create music and community. The story culminates in the realization that while physical things can be seized, the culture and spirit of a people remain. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book addresses slavery, land theft, and systemic racism. The approach is lyrical and metaphorical but grounded in historical reality. It is a secular account that ends with a powerful, hopeful sense of agency and cultural permanence. EMOTIONAL ARC: The narrative begins with a sense of labor and creation, moves into the heaviness of loss and injustice, and rises into a triumphant, rhythmic celebration of resilience. It is a steady build from struggle to strength. IDEAL READER: An 8-year-old who is starting to ask questions about why history looks the way it does and needs a narrative that honors both the struggle and the joy of the Black experience. PARENT TRIGGER: A child asking, Why did those people take their house? or Why were they moved? PARENT PREP: Parents should be prepared to explain that this represents the experience of many African Americans during and after slavery. It is best read together to allow for questions about the transition from forced labor to the freedom of the song. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger children (6-7) will connect with the repetition of building and the vibrant art. Older children (9-10) will grasp the deeper historical implications of the words and the significance of the banjo and music as a form of resistance. DIFFERENTIATOR: Written by a Grammy-winning musician, the book possesses a unique rhythmic cadence that feels like a spiritual or a folk song, distinguishing it from more traditional prose-based historical accounts.