• Read Out Loud

Read Out Loud | DON’T LET AUNTIE MABEL BLESS THE TABLE

Sunday dinner is on the table. Whatever you do — DON'T LET ANTIE MABEL BLESS THE TABLE! Find out why on this Read Out Loud episode as author/illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton reads her tale of family, thanksgiving, and patience.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Auntie Mabel and her family and friends have gathered for their big Sunday dinner and can't wait to dig into a delicious, mouthwatering meal. Before they can begin, Auntie Mabel starts and doesn't stop blessing everyone and everything she surveys: the yams and Brussels sprouts, the table and chairs even the president of the United States! Author and illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newton's delectable celebration of food and family is a joyous appreciation of how traditions and rituals bring us, and keep us, together.

ABOUT VANESSA

Vanessa Brantley Newton was born during the Civil Rights movement and attended school in Newark, NJ. Being part of a diverse, tight-knit community during such turbulent times, Vanessa learned the importance of acceptance and empowerment in shaping a young person’s life. When she read Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, it was the first time she saw herself in a children’s book. It was a defining moment in her life and has made her into the artist she is today. As an illustrator, she includes children of all ethnic backgrounds in her stories and artwork. She wants all children to see their unique experiences reflected in the books they read so they can feel the same sense of empowerment and recognition she experienced as a young reader.

CONNECT WITH VANESSA
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