Brantley-Newton highlights the bonds, both visible and invisible, that connect family members. Anyiaka's older sister, Sorie, has light brown skin like their mom's and grandma's. Anyiaka's darker skin causes her to wonder about her place in the family. "Everyone in my family is so beautiful and so smart. And then there's me." With the help of family portraits (mostly illustrated, with a couple of interspersed photographs) and a set of nesting dolls representing the women in their family, Grandma shows Anyiaka that her mahogany skin and thick hair come from her great-grandmother: "Our family has been workin' to make oonuh for years and years." In addition to Grandma's dialect, digital drawings provide more context to the story, set among the Gullah Geechee of South Carolina's Sea Islands. The bold-hued images depict a loving intergenerational family with deep roots. An author's note discusses Brantley-Newton's own Gullah Geechee roots and the group's long history on the Sea Islands. Nicholl Denice Montgomery

A young Black girl doesn't think she can measure up to her big sister.Anyiaka tells readers that her sister, Sorie, is pretty, helpful, and smart, and she looks just like Mom and Grandma. Anyiaka, whose skin tone is darker, wants to be helpful, too, but when she tries to prepare the red rice, she makes a mess. When she looks at the family photos on Grandma's wall, she wonders how she can ever fit into a family of such smart and beautiful people with "glamorous hair and golden brown skin." Spotting some nesting dolls, she starts to paint the smallest, darkest one (with whom she identifies) a lighter brown, but Grandma quickly sets her straight. Anyiaka may not look just like her sister, mom, and grandmother, but she has parts of all of them in her, and she takes after many family members, including Grandma's mama. The story doesn't explicitly make clear that Anyiaka is self-conscious about her darker skin, and some readers may not quite follow the story's multiple layers, though those aware of the impact of colorism will feel a kinship with her. Overall, the simple text, told from the perspective of a Gullah Geechee child, the use of dialect, the cultural details in the story, and the warm, collagelike art make for a unique and tender offering. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A sweet tale with a strong message about how families fit together. (note about the Gullah Geechee people, photos) (Picture book. 3-7)