Review by Booklist Review
Anyiaka admires everything about her older sister, Sorie, including how much she's like Mom and Grandma--Sorie even has their "golden brown skin," while Anyiaka is the darkest in her family. Anyiaka feels even more out of place in Grandma's art studio while looking at family portraits, then at nearby nesting dolls, one of which has darker skin than the rest, just like her--"Is this me?" she wonders. Upset and wanting to fit in, she begins repainting the doll with a lighter shade of brown, until Grandma enters and reassures, explaining that Anyiaka has attributes of every woman in their family, not just her skin. Uplifted, and with Grandma, Mom, and Sorie's help, Anyiaka completes the doll to look more like herself, realizing it fits with the rest perfectly. The lively, loving Gullah Geechee family is depicted in vibrant mixed-media illustrations, incorporating bright patterns and photographic elements. 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.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
During a trip to visit their grandparents, Anyiaka, a child with dark brown skin, feels like they "stick out like a sore thumb" among family members who have "glamorous hair and golden brown skin." After being sent out of the kitchen when trying to help make dinner, Anyiaka examines pictures of ancestors in their grandmother's art studio, and attempts to repaint a nesting doll figure that represents Anyiaka, using a lighter color. The child's grandma, who speaks in dialect, remarks that the family is similar in ways Anyiaka doesn't see, from the smile they inherited from her to their mom's "soulful eyes" and their sibling's "rosy cheeks." With Anyiaka's sister and mother, they make a set of nesting dolls that reflect all of them: "Every doll is different, but they come together to make one big doll. One big family." Brantley-Newton's abundant use of vivid textile patterns gives the story a homey atmosphere that suits its layered contemplation of family. A note about the Gullah Geechee people concludes. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Brantley-Newton's delightful story is clearly meant as a read-along: both the print and audio prove equally important for gratifying enjoyment. The back matter features her own family photographs, which need to be viewed to understand who's who. Hearing Brantley-Newton's voice is a must to fully appreciate how her Gullah Geechee people featured here speak in a melodic combination of Creole, African, and European languages. Brantley-Newton energetically self-narrates (her fourth as reader), ensuring a mellifluous experience discovering Anyiaka's extended family is "so beautiful and so smart." Anyiaka doesn't think she looks like her mother, and she's convinced she can't be helpful in the kitchen. Anyiaka worries she "stick[s] out like a sore thumb" until Grandma shows how they all fit wholly together just like nesting dolls. VERDICT Libraries considering one format should invest in all formats to entice and engage young readers.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Brantley-Newton highlights the bonds, both visible and invisible, that connect family members. Anyiaka's older sister, Sorie, has light brown skin like their mom's and grandma's. Anyiaka's darker skin causes her to wonder about her place in the family. "Everyone in my family is so beautiful and so smart. And then there's me." With the help of family portraits (mostly illustrated, with a couple of interspersed photographs) and a set of nesting dolls representing the women in their family, Grandma shows Anyiaka that her mahogany skin and thick hair come from her great-grandmother: "Our family has been workin' to make oonuh for years and years." In addition to Grandma's dialect, digital drawings provide more context to the story, set among the Gullah Geechee of South Carolina's Sea Islands. The bold-hued images depict a loving intergenerational family with deep roots. An author's note discusses Brantley-Newton's own Gullah Geechee roots and the group's long history on the Sea Islands. Nicholl Denice MontgomerySeptember/October 2023 p.46 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young Black girl doesn't think she can measure up to her big sister. Anyiaka tells readers that her sister, Sorie, is pretty, helpful, and smart, and she looks just like Mom and Grandma. Anyiaka, whose skin tone is darker, wants to be helpful, too, but when she tries to prepare the red rice, she makes a mess. When she looks at the family photos on Grandma's wall, she wonders how she can ever fit into a family of such smart and beautiful people with "glamorous hair and golden brown skin." Spotting some nesting dolls, she starts to paint the smallest, darkest one (with whom she identifies) a lighter brown, but Grandma quickly sets her straight. Anyiaka may not look just like her sister, mom, and grandmother, but she has parts of all of them in her, and she takes after many family members, including Grandma's mama. The story doesn't explicitly make clear that Anyiaka is self-conscious about her darker skin, and some readers may not quite follow the story's multiple layers, though those aware of the impact of colorism will feel a kinship with her. Overall, the simple text, told from the perspective of a Gullah Geechee child, the use of dialect, the cultural details in the story, and the warm, collagelike art make for a unique and tender offering. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet tale with a strong message about how families fit together. (note about the Gullah Geechee people, photos) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
