Freedom in Congo Square

A pulsating world music soundtrack energizes this iconographic-animated adaptation of the 2016 book by author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator R. Gregory Christie. In a foreword, Freddi Williams Evans explains the origins of the titular Congo Square—an open gathering space in New Orleans that sprung from the Sunday celebrations of slaves who finally got the day off. Featuring bright backgrounds and swipes of color to represent details, the story serves up rhyming vignettes for each day of the week—about hogs to slop, logs to chop, etc.—touching on the work that slaves were forced to do while always looking forward to meeting up on Sundays for music and dance in the park. Also including an "Author's Note" on the evolution of the meeting space—as well as a read-along option—this informative and imaginative history lesson is highly recommended. Aud: E, I, P. (J. Williams-Wood)