All Because You Matter
Written by Tami Charles
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Orchard Books, 2020, 36 pp (unpaged)
ISBN: 978-1338574852
All Because You Matter serves as a letter to African American children to tell them they matter in a world that does not always show them favor and instead hands them hate and injustice. The letter affirms them, leading to inner peace, clarity about who they are and where they come from, and possibilities for their futures. The message uplifts and amplifies their voices while highlighting their history, in a stance of resistance to marginalization. The words and images portray the rich culture and the dynamic journey of African Americans.
The first page introduces readers to the protagonist, a baby yet to be born, with an image of a mother and father in deep thought, wishing and hoping for all good things for their unborn son. Tami Charles uses a double meaning of the word ‘matter’ to emphasize that while all things are made up of matter, this child’s life matters. On the next spread, his parents assure the baby that his existence was a dream of his ancestors: “You were dreamed of, like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on the backs of your ancestors as they created empires, pyramids, legacies.” Bryan Collier represents this history with faces embedded in petal shapes, creating a quilted background of people helping the child bloom. As the letter continues, the ancestors’ wishes and deep support carries the child through the many phases of his life. Even when he experiences the darkness of racial injustices and the many hindrances society allows, the child is able to stand tall, be brave, and shine. This is especially clear on the double-page spread when the young boy is in school and hears cruel jokes regarding his name. That he still matters is the message of his parents and ancestors. The next to the last page sends the message that his significance will continue because of the grit, determination and excellence the ancestors possessed. The book ends with the child knowing that no matter what has happened or will happen, he is important.
The collage and watercolor illustrations show the culture, passion, and hope in stories from African American history. The images are carefully created to emphasize the powerful words written off to the side of each page. One illustration shows the Black boy, standing with his parents in the middle of a circle of contemporary friends with a quilt of petals in the background, representing ancestors proudly standing behind him. The quilt with the faces of the ancestors appears to acknowledge his struggle, as they experience the ultimate struggles, but their history provides him the strength to survive his own battles. The last illustration shows the mother and boy embracing one another with a smile next to the text that states, “You mattered. They mattered. We matter… And always will.”
Tami Charles, in her Author’s Note, explains that she wrote the text to help answer her young son’s “why” questions about African American history and current injustices. She knew she needed a starting point for conversations about racial issues in the U.S. She wanted all children from marginalized backgrounds to understand that they matter. Bryan Collier added the visual element of many flower petals to her message, using them to demonstrate the efforts of centuries of ancestors to add dignity and value to their lives and history. The blossoming effect in the background expresses his wish that children today can blossom, face challenges to their identity and self-worth, and survive and thrive “surrounded by a community of family.”
Other titles that positively explore African American culture, using historical influence, are books in the same series by Tami Charles and Bryan Collier: We Are Here (2023), and Together United (2025). Books with similar themes that focus on affirmation, cultural pride, and self-worth, include I Am Enough (Grace Byers and Keturah Bobo, 2018), Hair Love (Matthew Cherry and Vashti Harrison, 2019), I Am Every Good Thing (Derrick Barnes and Gordon James, 2020), and You Matter (Christian Robinson, 2020).
Tami Charles is a former teacher and R&B performer turned best-selling author who has written over 20 books that appeal to children and young adults. Her books have received many honors including a finalist designation for the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Freedom Soup (illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara, 2019) and an Orbis Pictus Honor for Ketanji Brown Jackson: A Justice for All (illustrated by Jemma Skidmore, 2023). Readers can listen as Tami reads All Because You Matter for Scholastic’s World Read Aloud Day. More information about her work can be found on her website.
Bryan Collier is an outstanding author-illustrator. He is a four-time Caldecott Honor winner, a nine-time winner or honor recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award and was the U.S. 2014 nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. To find more of his work, visit the R. Michelson Gallery.
Krystal Cryer, Texas Woman’s University
© 2025 by Krystal Cryer
