One Day in June: A Story Inspired by the Life and Activism of Marsha P. Johnson

by Tourmaline Narrated by Tourmaline

Overview

You can sparkle, shimmer, shine - just like Marsha did.

This vibrant and joyful audiobook celebrates the legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman and activist who played an instrumental role during the Stonewall Riots that lead to PRIDE month, written by award-winning filmmaker and artist Tourmaline.

You wouldn't even believe the things Saint Marsha used to get up to-she had more of a zest for life than anyone I've ever known, and the biggest heart, too.

It's a hot summer day and New York City is buzzing like a hive of eager honeybees. From Riis Beach to the Flower District, into the West Village and over to the Brooklyn Museum, folks young and old embrace the resolute and love-filled spirit of icon activist Marsha P. Johnson in all that they do.

Told through the eyes of an old friend, this jubilant story celebrates the indelible stamp that Marsha P. Johnson left on New York City and beyond, culminating in a powerful convergence one day in June 2020, when activists from across all five boroughs rallied loudly for Black trans lives.

The spirit of Marsha has never been more alive and present in what we do.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

★"A tribute as bright, luxuriant, and giving as Marsha herself." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★"Tourmaline movingly explains how people still benefit from the figure’s work...Kristensen’s electric-hued illustrations focus solidly on community, affectionately painting Johnson as a larger-than-life star who passed her deep knowledge to others." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A lively, lyrical, and evocative picture book." —Mombian.com

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2025-03-08
On a day in June 2020, people across New York City gather in defense of Black trans lives—and to honor queer activist and icon Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992).

“You see…the way we are exactly ourselves, no more, no less? That’s because of Marsha.” Addressing both a young child and readers, a Black caregiver offers glimpses of Marsha’s life: her style, her attitude, her struggles, but most especially her seemingly simple but radical acts of kindness and acceptance. Connecting these past moments to the present, Tourmaline’s text is wonderfully light on its feet, dancing through rather than around the threats faced by Marsha and by Black trans people today while also showing that the sunshine of connection and joy is more than a match for the shadow of all-too-real struggle. A distinctly intergenerational pulse thrums under every word, emphasizing the storytelling and living knowledge at the heart of queer, trans, and Black community resilience and resistance. Kristensen’s illustrations bring Marsha’s full glory to bear as she sweeps not only skirts too fabulous for words, but also a larger-than-life light across the cityscape of her home and her people. Most impressively, Tourmaline brings Marsha the icon into the more intimate space of Marsha the person as she finds joy in accepting herself and others, knowing “that’s how we change the world”—something the youngest of readers will understand they can do.

A tribute as bright, luxuriant, and giving as Marsha herself. (author’s note, additional resources)(Informational picture book. 3-8)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191111186
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	05/20/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

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