Grandma's Purse

by Vanessa Brantley-Newton Narrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Overview

Spend the day with a grandma and granddaughter in this charming picture book, adapted for audio, about the magic found in their favorite accessory-a perfect gift this Mother's Day!

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, Vanessa Brantley Newton shows how an ordinary day can become extraordinary.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

…a tribute to the steadying force of grandparental love in a child's life…No illustrator does clothes, décor and style better than Brantley-Newton.

From the Publisher

A Chicago Public Library Best of the Year selection

"Brims with adorable small stuff to look at. No illustrator does clothes, decor, and style better than Brantley-Newton." —The New York Times

"Brantley-Newton creates a whimsical interplay of patterns, rich color, and her trademark lively expressions—a beautiful visual mélange. The magic of grandparents is undeniable, and this book is an excellent treat for grandkids to share with their own grandmas and grandpas, or the other way around." —Kirkus Reviews

"Brantley-Newton's vividly colorful images paint the happiness the little girl feels in her grandmother's presence. A strong intergenerational choice for any picture book collection."—SLJ

"An exuberant melange of brightly colored, cheerful images, perfectly matched to the cheerful tone of the intergenerational story." —Booklist

"A heartfelt homage to brown girls and their wonder-inducing grandmothers." —Horn Book

School Library Journal

11/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—A little African American girl eagerly awaits her grandma Mimi's arrival, because when Grandma comes, there is always a treasure in her purse! This visit is no different. With each item she removes from the purse comes an explanation from Grandma about how that item will come in handy ("You never know what you'll want to have with you!") or a bit about its sentimental value ("This coin purse holds my coins, of course, but it also holds memories"). Brantley-Newton's vividly colorful images paint the happiness the little girl feels in her grandmother's presence. By story's end, the child has taken everything out of grandma's purse and either tried it on or played with it, except for that very last thing in the bottom of the purse that has the girl's name on it! That special gift could lead to another book about this delightful family, or at least, we can hope so. This grandmother confidently seems to impart self-confidence and style to her granddaughter. VERDICT A strong intergenerational choice for any picture book collection.—Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

Kirkus Reviews

2017-09-18
Treasure could be hiding in the most surprising places.When grandma Mimi visits her young granddaughter, the story's narrator, the stylish black woman's huge purse provides endless opportunities for play. The little black girl imagines herself bejeweled and bedazzled with grandma Mimi's finery. Lipstick, hairpins, sunglasses, and candy are but a few of the riches stashed deep within the bag of possibilities, which she explores while engaged in an animated conversation about what she finds with her grandma. Brantley-Newton, a self-taught illustrator whose artwork is a combination of drawing, painting, and digital work, creates a whimsical interplay of patterns, rich color, and her trademark lively expressions. Grandma Mimi's purse itself is a patchwork of colors and patterns, and buried within it are objects of various sizes, some that sparkle and others that are soft and silky—a beautiful visual mélange. Grandma Mimi wears big, round spectacles and has a towering, white Afro, while the narrator pairs her lacy top with jeans—it's easy to see she gets her sense of fashion from her grandma. While the storytelling falters slightly and lacks nuance, the straightforward sweetness of the tale more than makes up for it.The magic of grandparents is undeniable, and this book is an excellent treat for grandkids to share with their own grandmas and grandpas, or the other way around. (Picture book. 4-7)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176056716
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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