  | Becoming Vanessa Author: Brantley-Newton, Vanessa | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Vanessa is nervous she will not fit in on her first day of school, but she hopes a special outfit will show her new classmates she is someone they should know.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 2.60 Points: .5 Quiz: 521691 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/01/21)
Booklist (06/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2021 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. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
