Your Life Matters

“Equal parts homage to Black historical and contemporary figures and a reminder of the greatness that lives within each Black child, this is a title for every collection.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“. . . shines in its positive messaging to children . . . . A welcome addition to any Black Lives Matter collection.” —Booklist

A 2022 Notable Social Studies Trade Book (NCSS-CBC)

Empowering and validating, Your Life Matters reassures Black children everywhere that no matter what they hear, no matter what they experience, no matter what they're told, their lives matter. Written by national speaker Chris Singleton, who lost his own mother in the 2015 Charleston church shooting, Your Life Matters teaches kids to stand tall in the face of racial adversity and fight for the life they dream of. Each page depicts a famous hero from Black history mentoring a child of today and encouraging them to use their mind, heart, voice, and hands in that fight.

Hero-mentors in the book include: Maya Angelou, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Aretha Franklin, Katherine Johnson, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, and others. 

Chris Singleton is an inspirational speaker and former professional baseball player. He travels the country sharing a message of unity and love to more than 50,000 students annually. Chris’s speech on overcoming hate with love has been seen or shared millions of times and has led to him being featured on Lifetime, ESPN E:60, USA Today, CNN, and Fox News. Chris is a proud father to his three children, CJ, Caden, and Carter, and a proud husband to his high school sweetheart, Mariana. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina.