Hello, friends! Our book today is You Matter by Christian Robinson, a book of self-esteem that reminds us of the preciousness of life.

As the book begins with a little girl peering at microorganisms through her microscope, the unadorned text lists a number of beings in our world; from the “small stuff too small to see”, to the “first to go and the last”, to the ones who “feel lost and alone”. For each of these descriptions, the text assures us: you matter. It doesn’t make a difference how small or seemingly unimportant, how different or unique, how old or how young, or our feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or pain. All life has value, each and every one of us upon this ball of blue floating through space.

Wonderful. Combining Robinson’s distinctive and always-charming art style with a message that is so desperately needed now and always, this simple message of self-respect and compassion towards others is another heartwarming title from the creator. The concept of each illustration being connected in some way to the ones preceding and following it are also a lovely touch, further impressing the importance of connection and empathy as well as giving the book a clever and often moving visual story all its own (I particularly liked the visual comparison of a colony of ants to a human city viewed from an airplane window). And in troubling times like this, the subtle inclusions of children of color, in hijab, and in wheelchairs is particularly important; these kids are often the ones who need this reminder most. The length is perfect for any storytime, and JJ loved the artwork. A beautiful story for a difficult time, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)