Nesting Dolls, Vanessa BrantleyNewton
Nesting Dolls, Vanessa BrantleyNewton
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Nesting Dolls

Author: Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Narrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Unabridged: 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/10/2023


Synopsis

A heartwarming picture book about how one little girl's unique beauty has been growing for generations in her family tree.

Anyiaka is in awe of her gorgeous Gullah Geechee family—she wants to be beautiful like her older sister, Sorie, a great listener like her mom, and a talented artist like her grandma. But on today's visit to her grandparents’ house, Anyiaka sticks out from the rest of the family like a sore thumb. She can't seem to do anything right, and a trip to Grandma's art studio confirms just how different she is from the rest of the family.

But Grandma’s artwork—a special set of nesting dolls—also shows that what’s on the outside doesn’t always tell the whole story. While they may be distinct, together, her family’s beauty and inner strength have deep roots that have been growing within each of them for generations.

About The Author

Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and crafter who studied fashion illustration at FIT and children's book illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She is the author and illustrator of Grandma's Purse, Just Like Me, and Becoming Vanessa, and has illustrated numerous children's books, including the New York Times bestsellers The King of Kindergarten and The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes and Sewing Stories by Barbara Herkert. Vanessa currently makes her nest in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, daughter, and a very rambunctious cat named Stripes. Learn more about Vanessa and her artwork at VanessaBrantleyNewton.com and on Facebook and Instagram.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Juniper Lee on February 01, 2024

Nesting Dolls is the story of a young Gullah Geechee girl learning to value herself and feel at home within her family. I think this book is important, since it addresses the topic of colorism within families. I have heard of how colorism can impact individuals but this book really illustrates how A......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on November 06, 2023

Anyiaka admires her older sister, Sorie, and wants to emulate her. But the two girls are very different, of course. During a visit to her grandmother's house, she starts feeling increasingly inadequate, comparing herself to others in the family and considering herself not as pretty, not as smart, no......more

Goodreads review by Tina on November 20, 2023

The love and affirmation in this delicious book got me a little misty. Little Anyiaka wants to be just like her pretty older sister, Sorie who looks just like their mom and grandmother. Feeling she doesn't fit in and sent to see a surprise in her grandmother's studio, she takes the smallest of a set......more

Goodreads review by Ellie on March 02, 2025

Nesting Dolls was a story of a young girl who is unsure how she fits into her family. She doesn't look like her sister, mom, and grandma, so she believes something is wrong with how she looks. Her grandma shows her pictures of other family and her great-grandmother to show her that she does belong.......more

Goodreads review by Anna on October 18, 2024

This book demonstrates the internal struggles of a little girl who feels as if she does not fit in with the rest of her family. She looks up to her beautiful older sister, who fits in perfectly with their family and struggles to accept that she is just as loved. After her grandma revealing their fam......more


Quotes

★ "Brantley-Newton highlights the bonds, both visible and invisible, that connect family members." —The Horn Book, starred review

"A sweet tale with a strong message about how families fit together." —Kirkus Reviews

"A sweet story about embracing your history, set amid a beautiful Black family’s reunion." —School Library Journal

"Along with Anyiaka’s expressive narrative, this offers an affectionate celebration of family through generations. A sweet and affirming book that gently tackles the issue of colorism." —Booklist

"Brantley-Newton’s abundant use of vivid textile patterns gives the story a homey atmosphere that suits its layered contemplation of family." —Publishers Weekly