Like Vanessa

Reach for this book when your daughter starts comparing herself to filtered images or questioning if she is pretty enough or thin enough. It is a powerful tool for girls navigating the transition to middle school who feel like they do not fit the traditional mold of beauty. Set in 1983, the story follows Vanessa Martin, a young girl from Newark who enters a beauty pageant after being inspired by Vanessa Williams, the first Black Miss America. The book explores complex family dynamics, including a grandfather who provides steady love and a mother who is absent due to addiction. It is a realistic and hopeful exploration of self-worth, colorism, and the courage to take up space in the world. You might choose it to help your child understand that true beauty comes from finding their own voice and standing tall in their own skin.