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Jay is an African American child, telling us about his life from early childhood into pre-adolescence. One day his parents & grandparents give him ‘the talk‘ —about the dangerous realities of racism. Afterwards: “The family reassures me that I‘ve done nothing wrong & no, I‘m not to blame.” Their “eyes say that I‘m the beat of their hearts” & “the joy in their smiles.” A powerful, important picture book with warm, poignant illustrations. #kidlit

There are several scenes in this picture book showing black kids joyfully playing or innocently shopping, and white people looking on with disapproval or suspicion. It‘s from the viewpoint of an African American child, who never seems to notice the way he and his friends are being observed. But young readers will take note. I love that subtlety.

I say, No one can call me shrimp anymore.
Mom looks sad. She says, They won‘t see you as a young boy anymore, either.
I tell her I‘ll always be her little man.

Williams makes this topic approachable by introducing a regular kid & his friends. Over time he gets taller & his family grows concerned for him. We see people‘s silent reactions (esp white ppl) to our young hero, which necessitates talks. Small talks lead to the big one. The big talk is wordless. The au & il do an artful job balancing the tension of a kid living his best life & the realities of being Black & male in the US.