All Because You Matter

August 14, 2020

K-Gr 3-A touching and uplifting story about a child of color being told by his parents how he matters. A Black couple who are expecting a child begin to speak to the baby while still in the womb about how his life matters. As the child grows, poetic text reveals that "stars sprayed across the sky" and that he comes from descendants of kings and queens. As he becomes a toddler and his mother reads to him, he sees in the pages of the story characters and images of children like him. Beautiful collages carry the messages of "you matter," not to give up despite adversity, and that "beauty and strength is within you." A powerful tale in a broken world, this will give children hope and parents comfort. VERDICT Like Kristina Evans's What's Special About Me, Mama? this also depicts a mother speaking to a child of color about his worth; a very timely story and a wonderful addition to school and public libraries.-Annmarie Braithwaite, New York P.L., New York City

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2020
Two accomplished creators invite Black children to take up their spaces in the world. Charles' lyrical text addresses "you, dear child," in the voice of a loving caregiver, recounting how the world anticipated and prepared for the child's existence. The child was "dreamed of, / like a knapsack / full of wishes / carried on the backs / of your ancestors," who worked and built, "because to them, / you always mattered." The word "matter" is used in both ways: as a noun, as the child is made up of the same stuff that makes up the universe, and as a verb, because "strength, power and beauty / lie within," even though the world will sometimes make the child question whether "they, / or you, / will ever matter." The universe made room for "you, / your people, / their dreams, / your future," Charles assures the child. The protesters ("take a breath, / take a stand, / take a knee") and victims of racist violence ("Trayvon, / Tamir, / Philando") are mentioned explicitly without becoming the focus; the journey from beginning to end of the book sends a message that is nurturing, nourishing, loving, and reassuring, expanding and deepening the words of the movement it echoes. Collier's trademark paint-and-collage illustrations use petal shapes with patterns and faces, blue and brown hues, and family scenes and close-ups to embody the child's growth within affectionate circles of family, community, and universe. A gem for every household. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 5-10)

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Starred review from August 31, 2020
Caldecott Honoree Collier’s (Trombone Shorty) tender, close-up watercolor portraits of a growing Black boy give visual power to this celebration of young Black lives. In an author’s note, Charles (Freedom Soup) writes about “The Big Talk”—words that every Black parent must speak to their child about discrimination and violence. Lyrical verse that aims to offer “a starting point for conversations about the racial climate in our country” underlines an important message: “you, dear child, matter.” Beginning with his birth and a spread of the boy toddling into his mother’s arms, text invokes his history and familial legacy: “you were dreamed of,/ like a knapsack/ full of wishes/ carried on the backs/ of your ancestors/ as they created/ empires,/ pyramids,/ legacies.” As a schoolchild in a green T-shirt, he faces hurdles: academic efforts go unrewarded, classmates jeer, “another name is called:/ Trayvon,/ Tamir,/ Philando.” Alongside these realities, Charles delivers a ringing affirmation of his life’s meaning—“Did you know that... strength, power, and/ beauty lie within you?”—as Collier shows the boy straight on, surrounded by collaged images of his ancestry. Universal declarations are often illustrated with images of many children; this book’s focus on a single child brings his experience and life—and the ways they matter—right up close. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2020
Grades K-3 In an era where the worth of Black lives is constantly questioned, it only makes sense to affirm and reify the importance, necessity, and inheritance of Black children. That's exactly what this book does, reaching back to generations alive before we were born, reminding Black people that our very existence is the manifestation of our ancestors' dreams. Following the life of a young Black boy from his mother's pregnancy to birth and through childhood, this story is a reminder that even when the world says otherwise?Black lives matter. Beautifully textured collage illustrations reveal both the sacred and difficult moments of growing up Black, while lyrical poetry envelops readers in a soft cadence sure to lull the most active of young readers. Full of potential for use beyond its recommended years, this is a title sure to be frequented by not only Black children but any child looking for a kind word and confidence boost. A natural companion for Grace Byers' I Am Enough (2018) and Derrick Barnes' I Am Every Good Thing (2020).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)