First-person statements in the voice of a young Black boy assert all the good things he stands for: "I am a roaring flame of creativity. I am a lightning round of questions, and a star-filled sky of solutions. I am an explorer, planting a flag on every square foot of this planet where I belong." The accompanying oil paintings show a variety of Black boys in middle childhood engaging in play, sports, scientific study, celebration, and family hugs. Barnes' strong, poetic text is a love letter to all Black boys, affirming their brilliance and beauty in a world that often is hostile to them. It concludes with the powerful lines: "I am worthy of success, of respect, of safety, of kindness, of happiness. / And without a shadow of a doubt, I am worthy to be loved. I am worthy to be loved." Amen. (Ages 4-10)