"When you are a newborn, I hold your hand and study your face. I cradle you as you drift to sleep. But I know that I will not always hold your hand; then, I will hold you in my heart and hope that God holds you in His hands."

A new mother, a black woman, holds her newborn and imagines his future. The beautiful text, written almost as poetry, speaks of her love for him and her desire for him to find a life where he fulfills his own dreams. She will care for and teach him along the way as she promises to kiss his scrapes, tuck him at night and remind him of the Golden Rule. But above all else, she is keenly aware of the inherent dangers in the world and prays that God will protect and shelter him from danger and injustice. She knows all too well that young black men can be held to a different standard.

"I will pray that the world sees you as a child of God; and, as you cast a longer shadow, that you will be viewed as a vessel to be steered rather than a figure to be feared."

Brian Pinkney's exquisite watercolor drawings are both soothing and provocative. Ultimately, a book of hope, the mother adds to her prayer, "Black lives matter, your life matters" and reminds us that we have responsibilities for the lives of all children.