{"product_id":"a-family-prayer-isbn-9780593234693","title":"A Family Prayer","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Family Prayer \u003c\/i\u003eis a beautifully illustrated children’s book that celebrates all the family—biological and chosen alike—who keep us safe and teach us to dream\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eA Family Prayer\u003c\/i\u003e, 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 auntie, 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, auntie, and the like.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMy sister is a blessing                              \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShe keeps my secrets                               \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBraids my hair\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAnd helps me find my way\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSisters are a blessing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKeep them safe from harm\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMy Auntie is a blessing                             \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShe sings sweet songs                                                      \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRocks me to sleep\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eand whispers stories in the dark\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAunties are a blessing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKeep them safe from harm\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Family Prayer\u003c\/i\u003e champions the age-old wisdom that raising a family takes a village—and that the love of a community runs soul deep.\u003cb\u003eShay Youngblood \u003c\/b\u003ewas a playwright and the author of the children's book \u003ci\u003eMama's Home,\u003c\/i\u003e the novels \u003ci\u003eBlack Girl in Paris\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSoul Kiss\u003c\/i\u003e, and a collection of short fiction, \u003ci\u003eThe Big Mama Stories\u003c\/i\u003e. She received 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. A native of Columbus, Georgia, Shay Youngblood passed away in June 2024.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the age of five, \u003cb\u003eKristina Swarner\u003c\/b\u003e 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.\u003cb\u003eAuthor’s Note \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI grew up an only child in Georgia, my family extending to include those in my neighborhood, school, and church communities. Whether related by blood or not, an African American elder was called auntie or uncle. Young Black men and women called one another brother and sister. Kids my age called one another cousin because we felt as close as siblings. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNearly three years old when my birth mother died, I was raised in the Southern Baptist Church by a community of mostly older women. We attended church every Sunday and sometimes during the week. I believed in the power of prayer and had faith in miracles. When I was very young, I consistently prayed for my mother to come back to me, and I prayed for siblings. When I was ten years old, I discovered I had an older brother and three younger sisters living in California with the father we shared. My prayers were answered, and we are connected to this day. Of course, my mother didn’t come back to life, but I began to see the world differently. I looked around my community and appreciated the fact that I was blessed with nearly a dozen mothers! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring my childhood, prayer was an essential part of my nighttime ritual. Each evening after homework was done and my favorite television shows were over, I would wash my face, brush my teeth, and get into my pajamas. Before going to sleep, I would kneel beside my bed, fold my hands, close my eyes, and bow my head. My great-grandmother Nettie Mae and my great-aunt Luellen taught me short prayers that I recited each night, but then I would want to pray for everyone I knew: family members, neighbors, teachers, the lunch ladies in the cafeteria, and even cashiers at the grocery store. My prayers were long and sometimes elaborate. At first it was a way to keep the light on in the room a little longer. My prayers were sincere, but I was afraid of the dark, scared that monsters or snakes were under my bed and, most terrifying of all, that some harm might come to the people I loved. Prayer was a way for me to remember that God was watching over everyone I cared about. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen I got older, I no longer knelt beside my bed or said my prayers out loud. I realized that I could pray silently anywhere I wanted for as long as I wanted. Saying a silent prayer whenever I’m afraid comforts me to this day. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe people in my community gave me a strong sense of identity, values to live by, pride in my culture, and a sense of belonging. My hope is that children reading this book will feel the same sense of belonging in their own communities and see how prayer can lift them up as they pray for those they love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShay YoungbloodAuthor of Mama's Home","brand":"Convergent Children's","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305196966117,"sku":"NP9780593234693","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593234693.jpg?v=1767720449","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/a-family-prayer-isbn-9780593234693","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}