Review by Booklist Review
Hoping to look special for the other children in her classroom, new student Vanessa chooses her favorite clothing to wear on her first day: her tutu, polka-dot leggings, feather boa, and a green hat. Though she feels confident, she quickly ascertains that the other kids aren't quite so dressed up. She also observes that her name, with its two squiggly s's, takes longer to write than the shorter names of the others. At the end of the day, she doesn't feel special and doesn't "want to be Vanessa" anymore. After her mother reveals that the name means metamorphosis and explains how caterpillars change into butterflies, Vanessa feels proud of her name and happily returns to school. Bright, childlike mixed-media illustrations with a variety of patterns will appeal to youngsters, and the idea of a name having a meaning will be new to many children. One discrepancy that doesn't negate the positive message is that Vanessa's mother defines the girl's name as meaning metamorphosis while Vanessa interprets it more simply as butterfly.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Vanessa, a Black child with round blue spectacles, has first-day-of-school jitters. Attempting to show her classmates that she's a special "someone they should know," Vanessa dons a frilly multicolored tutu, yellow boa, and a green beret, paired with polka dot leggings and new red shoes. But as soon as she arrives at school, she runs into difficulties: her more simply dressed schoolmates don't "get" her outfit, and she finds that her name is "long and hard to write." Vanessa returns home dismayed, but a parentally bestowed revelation helps change her outlook. Brantley-Newton employs simple, rhythmic prose from the third-person perspective: "This day wasn't special. Her outfit wasn't special./ And neither was Vanessa." Multimedia illustrations construct a cheerfully colored world and classroom populated by children of varying skin tones. A hopeful celebration of individualism and an ode to recognizing one's inner specialness. Ages 3--6. (June)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Vanessa's first day of school doesn't go as planned, but she learns that what makes her special is not on the outside. Vanessa is nervous about her first day of school. What if the other kids don't like her? She and her mom decide she can choose an outfit that will showcase her personality and invite the other children's interest in her. All decked out in her tutu, feather boa, shiny shoes, and favorite cap, Vanessa feels ready. But at school, her outfit doesn't have quite the desired effect. And when it's time to write her name, she finds herself wishing her name were shorter and easier to write. At home, Vanessa doesn't want to tell her parents about her day. The next morning, she puts on a plain outfit and complains about her long name with two S's. But when her mother tells her the meaning of her name--it means "metamorphosis," says her mom--Vanessa realizes that she is special even without her unique accessories, and she learns to relate authentically with her peers. This classic school story offers a full range of emotions and situates this life-loving Black child in affirming family and school settings. The illustrations use variety in texture, color, and composition to effectively draw readers into the energy on the page and to hold interest to the beautiful last endpaper. Vanessa's classmates are racially diverse. A welcome addition to every shelf. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
