Review: All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

'They say that matter is all things that make up the universe: energy, stars, space... 

And you, dear child, matter.'

This moving poetic piece came literally in a dream to American author Tami Charles, so it's no surprise that reading it has a wonderfully calming effect. 

It's a hope-filled lullaby for all Black and brown children that gently prepares them for the reality of today's racial climate without going too far by suggesting the whole world is against them. 

Charles eventually penned her dream-inspired concept following the birth of her son Christopher, and, although the book is largely centred around his experience growing up in the US, his striking image, authentically depicted by renowned illustrator Bryan Collier, represents boys and girls worldwide.

Through eloquent soothing free verse, structured in irregular stanzas, a mother speaks lovingly to her son, charting his past, present, and future, and reminding him of the awe and wonder in his creation. She explains how his existence on earth was written in the stars and foretold by ancient African ancestors. He has always been important—he is destined to be here—he matters.

In the endpapers, a collage of deep blue leaves symbolises these ancestors, who quietly support the son during his formative years. In the main text, this leaf motif recurs within the fabric of everyday items: furniture, books, floors, wallpaper—the ancestors are ever-present, deeply rooted in the boy’s sub-conscience and willing him on to succeed. 

Collier's outstanding watercolour illustrations support the text beautifully. Each double-page spread is a mix of heady realism and surrealism, and his masterful use of perspective challenges us to engage head-on with the boy's real-life challenges—good and bad. 

As well as analysing the themes and imagery in the poem, discussion of the illustrator's choices will support comprehension beyond the text with children in KS2. Children will use inference and deduction skills to discern the characters' thoughts and feelings from the images. More than that, the book provides a safe way to talk to children about the many guises of racial discrimination and its harmful effects. 

Children may want to share the names of people who support them in their life and they could take and upload digital portrait photos of them, replicating, cropping, and tinting the images to create abstract collages, online or on paper, in the artist's style (PSHE/computing). 

The book is filled with too many great scenes to mention, but two that are especially poignant are when the Muslim schoolgirl stares knowingly at the reader while her white peers poke fun and, later, when Christopher prays for murdered African-American males. In these darker moments, the ancestors are less obvious though can still be seen in a subtle painting of a plant, and as waves washing across Christopher's face.  

This is a heartfelt triumphant ode to all Black and brown children. It sets the tone for broaching the topic of racial discrimination and inequality while instilling in children a joyful pride in who they are. It's a timely and empowering keepsake! A great addition to your home or school poetry collection. 

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier is available in hardback (Scholastic 2020). You can buy directly from Scholastic.  

Guide for teachers and parents

Genre	Poetry: free verse
Child-led interests (EYFS)	N/A
Age group (EYFS, KS1, KS2)	KS2 (lower/upper)
Curriculum links/topics (EYFS/NC)	English: Spoken language (Y1-6): ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge;  give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings Reading comprehension (Y3/4): listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination recognising some different forms of poetry [for example, free verse, narrative poetry] checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding, and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding of a text drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts, and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say Computing: select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems, and content that accomplish given goals PSHE: being positive (self-belief/resilience), anti-bullying; my community
Suitability	class library, school library, independent reader, home reader
General features	single voice in the 2nd person; non-rhyming stanzas with irregular numbers of lines and containing short triple-word lists; similes; metaphors; some repetition; some questions directed at the reader; rich descriptions (adjectival phrases and unfamiliar vocab e.g. barrios, universe, knapsack, ancestors, empires, legacies, mahal kita, galaxies); supporting illustrations add layers of meanings

All the Black children's books that I review are checked against my Jericho Benchmark.