How the book works and why the book matters

Though This Day in June may appear simple at first glance, there are several factors in both the writing and the way the image correspond with the text and provide additional context that make the book far more intricate. 

In this section, I will analyze pages 20-21 to demonstrate some of the tools and information that book uses and provides.

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Visual representation of AIDS awareness

Although there is nothing in the direct text or in the readers' guide for this page at the end to state as much, the visuals on this page very clearly are representing a section of a Pride parade that represents the AIDS awareness efforts of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

AIDS/HIV is an epidemic that has claimed the lives of more than 39 million people worldwide. It was first discovered in the 1980s and is wrongly stigmatized as being a disease that only gay men can have, due to the higher percentage of 2SLGBTQIA+ people who have been diagnosed with it (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 67 per cent of AIDS cases in the United States were sexually transmitted through male-to-male contact. That’s 21,400 cases. 

Again, the text itself says nothing about this, not even in the reading guide in the back of the book, which typically provides the missing context of the gaps between the visuals and the written aspects of the book. But there is no denying what the bright red all over the page and the ribbon-like design on the cheerleaders’ outfits are meant to represent. 

This solely visual aspect mimics the experience of the Pride parade. There is minimal written or oral explanation to be found about each float or section of the parade — only the occasional sign or banner, just as there is in the book. The attendees of the parade, similar to the reader, may or may not be aware of the symbolism behind the red ribbon. They may not know the stigma and discrimination that once came along with the AIDS epidemic that led people to wrongly believe that you could get infected by just touching gay people. They may not understand just how joyous and beautiful seeing these people proudly wearing their red ribbons, dancing, and supporting each other truly is. In order to get that understanding, they would have to do their own research, just as a pride attendee would. It shows how at parades, you may not understand everything shown to you, but it can give you an opportunity to learn and educate yourself.

Couplets and text

The actual words of This Day in June are minimal and usually take the shape of couplets with two sets of paired words that rhyme, lined up together on each page. While they offer little as far as a narrative story that readers can follow, they offer a different purpose. 

“The bouncy rhymes convey feelings and snapshots of parade scenes rather than a narrative storyline, but that doesn't lessen the book's impact. We're introduced to dykes on bikes, people in leather, drag queens and others of varying gender expressions, politicians, marching bands, and parents with their children. The diverse characters in Kristyna Litten's colorful illustrations jump and dance and swirl.” — Bay Windows (American Psychology Association).

Similar to how the images give the subjects and visual focus of a Pride parade, this illusion and mimicry doesn’t end there. By using rhyming couplets, Pitman has created a march-like rhythm that lets the readers walk from page to page as the parade moves forwards. 

The text is purposefully vague and only makes loose nods to references within the illustrations. On this spread, for example, the lines are “Sidewalk shaking / Tummies aching.” The art shows a marching band, all playing their instruments and dancing very enthusiastically. Tthe vibrancy of the illustrations allows the reader to feel the earth-shaking loudness as the band passes by. In the background, there are children, clutching their stomachs and frowning. It is not specified as to why they are frowning, why their stomachs are hurting, not even in the reading guide. This leaves some of the page up for interpretation, leaving it to the readers to find the small details and pick them apart. Is the boy sad, or is his stomach hurting? Is the gentleman in yellow frowning because his back is growing sore from having a child on his shoulders, or is it a reaction to that section of the parade? It is up to the reader to decide.

The crowd as a character

There is no empty space in this book. All of the pages are filled with life and joy and celebration. For the most part, rather than having buildings or landscape as the background for the parade, Littman made the artistic choice to use a sea of people, all coloured in muted tones so as to remain in the background.

Now, as explained in The book’s reception, there are some issues with this crowd. They have diverse physical traits and features, but unfortunately due to their all being coloured in white, there is no way to tell their ethnicity or race. However, it also adds another interesting twist on the ending line of the book that claims we are all united as all the people in the background blend together under their shared colour scheme and white colouring. 

Beyond their appearance, the crowd gives off a couple of options to demonstrate their personalities and thoughts on the displays happening in the parade in front of them. 

I previously gave the example of the children whose stomachs are hurting for seemingly no reason other than ice cream and discomfort. But if you look close enough, occasionally the little background characters will also be carrying signs. The signs typically relate to the imagery on the pages and provide the slightest glimmer of hidden context that the reader may be missing. For example, on pages 20-21, there is a sign that reads “AIDS Awareness”. Again, there are no other textual signs of this, only the bright red costumes of the cheerleaders. These signs occasionally function to fill in what could otherwise be missing information.

2SLGBTQIA+ families

Finally, in the back of the book is a reading guide. The guide is extremely helpful and provides a lot of really insightful knowledge on the parade and the events and sights within it and how to discuss said topics with your children. 

For pages 20-21, the provided context seems to have disconnected from what is in the text. The spread itself shows off the parade and the marching band walking beside it, all in awareness for AIDS. 

Instead, the notes for these pages talk about an organization called Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE), and they provide resources and support to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The explanation discusses the historic struggle that the community faced in order to adopt children or to have them through a surrogate. While the historical message is sweet and enlightening, I feel as though this is not at all reflected through the images on the pages. The only indication of this at all in the illustrations is the frown on the little children's faces, and the half hidden sign held by a child that reads "I love my moms!"

But Pitman recognizes that these are conversations that need to begin at a young age and to continue, and thus includes this and other information the text of the book doesn't provide. 

Final Thoughts

This text is a beautiful celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community! It demonstrates the diversity and complexity of the community and doesn't shy away from what others would deem the more "grown up" groups or topics, like this page demonstrating AIDS awareness or pages 9-10 that show the "Leather" bikers. In doing this, it doesn't underestimate or look down upon the maturity of a child. It simply gives them the information they need to make their own decisions and to aid them in growing their compassion and recognizing everyone as people, regardless of how different they may seem. 

Throughout this course, we have discussed whether books are "transformative" or not, in the sense of whether or not a book can create a lasting impact on a child and/or society through its message. 

I think This Day in June is one of those texts. And I think that others recognize it as such, which is exactly why extremist groups and people have been trying to so hard to have it banned, and went so far as to burn it. 

This Day in June is not just a book made to educate. It is a book that highlights the differences within each and every one of us and celebrates them, just as the 2SLGBTQIA+ community does at every Pride parade. It does as it exclaims on its final page, and unites us all.

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