Best Selling Books by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

An ode to the girl with scrapes on her knees and flowers in her hair, and every girl in between, this exquisite treasury will appeal to readers of Dear Girl and I Am Enough and have kids poring over it to find a poem that''s just for them. I am a canvas Being painted on By the words of my family Friends And community From Vanessa Brantley-Newton, the author of Grandma''s Purse, comes a collection of poetry filled with engaging mini-stories about girls of all kinds: girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls who don''t; country girls, city girls; girls who love their mother and girls who wish they had a father. With bright portraits in Vanessa''s signature style of vibrant colors and unique patterns and fabrics, this book invites readers to find themselves and each other within its pages. "A dynamic, uplifting, and welcoming world of girls."--Kirkus "Thoughtful, inclusive, and celebratory"--Publishers Weekly "Bursting with positivity, this would be a great book to use in primary school classrooms when discussing issues of friendship, diversity, and self-esteem."--Booklist

Get ready to go back to school with this inclusive, empathetic story that will help kids new to the classroom transform from timid caterpillars into beautiful butterflies who love exactly who they are! On Vanessa''s first day of school, her parents tell her it will be easy to make friends. Vanessa isn''t so sure. She wears her fanciest outfit so her new classmates will notice her right away. They notice, but the attention isn''t what she''d hoped for. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. Her clothes are too bright, her feather boa has way too many feathers, and even her name is too hard to write. The next day, she picks out a plain outfit, and tells her mom that her name is too long. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls--why couldn''t her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa. Perfect for readers of Alma and How She Got Her Name and The King of Kindergarten.

Spend the day with a grandma and granddaughter in this charming story about the magic found in their favorite accessory. The littlest fashionistas will love this adorable purse-shaped board book that''s as fun to carry as it is to read! When Grandma Mimi comes to visit, she always brings warm hugs, sweet treats...and her purse. You never know what she''ll have in there—fancy jewelry, tokens from around the world, or something special just for her granddaughter. It might look like a normal bag from the outside, but Mimi and her granddaughter know that it''s pure magic! In this adorable, energetic ode to visits from Grandma, beloved picture-book creator Vanessa Brantley-Newton shows how an ordinary day can become extraordinary. "A heartfelt homage to brown girls and their wonder-inducing grandmothers."—Horn Book

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.

The whimsical tale of a clever little goat who rises above everything that threatens to keep her down Meet a sweet, curious little goat, who loves to sing and climb on everything. Some neighbors find her annoying, but nothing can keep her down—even when she gets stuck in a well and it looks like she’s doomed. When everyone has given up on her, the clever goat surprises them all by taking advantage of her precarious predicament to win the day! Inspired by Vanessa Brantley-Newton’s own experiences with adversity, this playful story about persistence, determination, and thinking outside the box is sure to make readers cheer.

This poetry anthology, edited by Miranda Paul, explores a wide range of ways to be grateful (from gratitude for a puppy to gratitude for family to gratitude for the sky) with poems by a diverse group of contributors, including Joseph Bruchac, Margarita Engle, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Naomi Shihab Nye, Charles Waters, and Jane Yolen.

An illuminating picture book biography of an artist and former slave whose patchwork quilts bring the stories of her family to life. Harriet Powers learned to sew and quilt as a young slave girl on a Georgia plantation. She lived through the Civil War and Reconstruction, and eventually owned a cotton farm with her family, all the while relying on her skills with the needle to clothe and feed her children. Later she began making pictorial quilts, using each square to illustrate Bible stories and local legends. She exhibited her quilts at local cotton fairs, and though she never traveled outside of Georgia, her quilts are now priceless examples of African American folk art. Barbara Herkert’s lyrical narrative and Vanessa Newton’s patchwork illustrations bring this important artist to life in a moving picture-book biography.

On benches just for ''colored, '' black folks obeyed the rules. Rosa Parks at the front of the bus, she let her light shine. In the 1950''s and 1960''s, the struggle for civil rights forever changed the landscape of America. In her debut Blue Apple book, Vanessa Newton candid images illuminate anew the inequality that affected Americans, young and old. With an introduction by Ruby Bridges and text to the tune of "This Little Light of Mine," Newton''s rich, mixed-media illustrations create a vivid message of hope.