Book Review of You Matter by Christian Robinson

 1. Bibliography Robinson, C. 2020. You matter. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781534421691 

2. Plot Summary This sweet children’s book is all about how no matter who you are or where you come from, you matter in this world. From fish in the ocean to Mars in outer space you matter. Whether you come in first place or last place, you matter. You can see different cultures represented in this story and we all can learn from the words to make our world a better place. Children everywhere will love the colorful pages as they explore different places in the world and see how everyone matters along the way. 

3. Critical Analysis There are many different characters in this story that are portrayed doing different activities. We are not formally introduced to any specific character, but we can see many from the illustrations in the book. We see many different characters from different cultures and abilities. We see kids in wheelchairs, ones with glasses, all shades of skin colors, young, and old people as well. We see many different settings in the book including houses, space, oceans, a city and even prehistoric times. Parts of this book are historical when the dinosaurs and meteors are referenced in the story. We also have contemporary times like a busy street in a city. This book celebrates diversity and offers many different cultures and shows that no matter how small, big, first or last you matter. We see a black woman in space and a black older man and white older women sharing a bench and feeding the birds together. We see a black girl with beads in her hair looking through a microscope as well as a girl wearing a head covering and a long sleeve shirt and pants walking her dog. This story shows us that we all matter in the world and how being different is okay. There are a few references for being first or last to show that it’s okay to go on your own, you don’t always have to go with the crowd. The illustrations are colorful and happy and show how important everyone is in their own way. 

4. Review Excerpt(s) Named Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal "Whimsy, intelligence, and a subtle narrative thread make this rise to the top of a growing list of self-love titles." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Robinson follows up his acclaimed debut Another with more of his spirited illustrations and spare, reaffirming prose...Robinson conveys complex themes, hinting at the universality of emotions, while validating the individual emotional journey of young readers...VERDICT: An earnest message and charming illustrations grow more poignant under closer reading." - School Library Journal, starred review 

5. Connections *I would do a follow up activity with my students and have them draw a picture of something they care about that others may not and write about why it matters to them.

*I would also have students draw a self-portrait of themselves and write a sentence about why they matter.