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All the Faces of Me
A young girl fascinated by her Nana’s set of traditional nesting dolls notes that they all have identical smiles. Deciding the dolls shouldn’t be stuck with the same smiles, the girl “fixes” them, adding a range of expressions to their faces. She’s happy with her effort. Nana is not, and she angrily takes the “ruined” dolls (and dessert!) away. The girl is mad too, insisting that “If those dolls were me … they would not all be the same” because she has different feelings at different times; there are even different kinds of happiness. “Somehow they all fit together. So many people wrapped up in one.” After considering, Nana agrees; the hug she gives “is big enough to hold all of me.” Brimming with humor and emotional honesty, this superb picture book skillfully translates complex ideas about emotions and identity into an accessible story full of child-appeal. Terrific pacing also distinguishes this tale of a loving (if momentarily fraught) relationship between a brown-skinned girl and her white grandmother. The exceptional storytelling is paired with illustrations that have a naïve yet slightly edgy quality. Honor Book, 2024 Charlotte Zolotow Award ©2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Salini Perera
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-7
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Anger
Feelings/Emotions
Grandmothers
Identity
Multiracial Characters/Families
Toys
Diversity subject:
Brown Skin Unspecified
Publisher:
Owlkids
Publish Year: 2023
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781771475334
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Alary