Advanced praise is in for Mama’s Work Shoes, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton.
Kirkus praises Brantley Newton’s illustrations: “Brantley-Newton’s collaged depictions of a middle-class, rambunctious, mixed-race child, her exuberant single mother, and the vivacious Nan (both women of color) are bright and dynamic.”
Publishers Weekly writes: “Levis skillfully relates the push-and-pull negotiations between a young child and a parent returning to work, and Brantley-Newton’s digital artwork renders the related range of emotional expression.”
And from Booklist: “It’s a clever approach to the common experience of separation anxiety…Brantley-Newton’s charcoal pencil drawings, digitally colored and collaged with handmade, vintage, and scrapbook paper, produce warm, vibrant images that keep the story upbeat.”
The book is out September 3rd from Abrams. You can pre-order your copy here.