Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Becoming Vanessa
- Narrated by: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- Length: 6 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.00 for first 30 days
Buy Now for £2.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Get ready to go back to school with this inclusive, empathetic story that will help kids new to the classroom transform from timid caterpillars into beautiful butterflies who love exactly who they are!
On Vanessa's first day of school, her parents tell her it will be easy to make friends. Vanessa isn't so sure. She wears her fanciest outfit so her new classmates will notice her right away. They notice, but the attention isn't what she'd hoped for. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. Her clothes are too bright, her feather boa has way too many feathers, and even her name is too hard to write.
The next day, she picks out a plain outfit, and tells her mom that her name is too long. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls- why couldn't her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa. Perfect for listeners of Alma and How She Got Her Name and The King of Kindergarten.
Critic reviews
"This classic school story offers a full range of emotions and situates this life-loving Black child in affirming family and school settings. A welcome addition to every shelf." (Kirkus)
"Bright, childlike mixed-media illustrations with a variety of patterns will appeal to youngsters, and the idea of a name having a meaning will be new to many children." (Booklist)
"A hopeful celebration of individualism and an ode to recognizing one’s inner specialness." (Publishers Weekly)
More from the same
Love Books? You'll Love Audible.
![Transform your day](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Cooking_16x9_2x.png)
Transform your day
Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.
![Listen everywhere](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Driving_16x9_2x.png)
Listen everywhere
You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.
![Carry your entire Library](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Walking_16x9_2x.png)
Carry your entire Library
Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.
![Listen and learn](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Exercising_16x9_2x.png)
Listen and learn
Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.
![Reach your reading goals](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Celebrating_16x9_2x.png)
Reach your reading goals
Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.
![Find your niche](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/anon/UseCase_Sitting_16x9_2x.png)
Find your niche
WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.