A Family Prayer

A beautifully illustrated children's book that celebrates all the family—biological and chosen alike—who keep us safe and teach us to dream

In A Family Prayer, acclaimed novelist Shay Youngblood brings to life the prayer of a little brown girl who finds joy in asking God to keep her family safe. Young readers will celebrate every aunty, cousin, and grandmother in their life. But more than just her biological relatives, each family member is a maternal or paternal archetype, someone in her community who represents the title of mother, father, aunty, and the like.

My sister is a blessing                             
She keeps my secrets                              
Braids my hair
And helps me find my way
Sisters are a blessing
Keep them safe from harm

My Aunty is a blessing                            
She sings sweet songs                                                     
Rocks me to sleep
and whispers stories in the dark
Aunties are a blessing
Keep them safe from harm

A Family Prayer champions the age-old wisdom that raising a family takes a village—and that the love of a community runs soul deep.

Shay Youngblood is a playwright and the author of the children's book Mama's Home, the novels Black Girl in Paris and Soul Kiss, and a collection of short fiction, The Big Mama Stories. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards including a Pushcart Prize for fiction. She received her MFA in creative writing from Brown University and has taught at New York University and City College, NY. She currently lives in Atlanta.

At the age of five, Kristina Swarner decided that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Since graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Kristina has created many award-winning illustrations and exhibited her work internationally. She lives in Chicago with her mostly four-legged family.