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Vendor
Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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TWELVE DINGING DOORBELLS

Ebony Glenn Tameka Fryer Brown

A cumulative all-holiday carol packed to the brim with family, food, love, and Black joy, especially perfect for Easter, Christmas, graduations, and all family celebrations.
Every holiday, aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and neighbors come over to eat, sing, and celebrate life. But all our main character can think about is the sweet potato pie Granny makes just for her. As tables fill with macaroni and cheese, chitlins, and other sides a-steaming, she and Granny move the pie to keep it intact. The task becomes tricker as the room fills with dancing and card games and pie cravings. Just when all seems lost and there's no more pie, Granny pulls out a sweet surprise.

Written to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," Twelve Dinging Doorbells is exuberant. Author Tameka Fryer Brown's cumulative rhyme is impossible to resist, and the humorous details in Ebony Glenn's cut-paper collage will welcome readers to this party again and again.

Tameka Fryer Brown wrote Around Our Way on Neighbor's Day, My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood, and Brown Baby Lullaby. She is a contributor to The Brown Bookshelf, an award-winning website dedicated to highlighting Black children's authors and illustrators. She is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ebony Glenn is an Atlanta-based illustrator. She has a passion for the arts, great storytelling, making new things, and advocating for more diverse narratives in children's books. Ebony is the proud recipient of the 2018 Wonders of Childhood Focus Fellowship given by AIR Serenbe, a nonprofit artist residency program of the Serenbe Institute. Visit ebonyglenn.com and follow her on Instagram @artsyebby.
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Published 2022-10-18 by Kokila

Comments

Taking its cue from the festive tune "12 Days of Christmas," this delightful book sees a large Black family gathering to share a holiday meal... The illustrations are eye-catching and bright, with bold yellows, greens, oranges, and purples lending a happy warmth and celebratory energy to the events. Glenn's cut-paper collages grow increasingly busy as more family members arrive, yet she manages to create a distinct personality for each while portraying a family full of love. Children from large families will relate to this boisterous holiday scene, and all will feel cheered by the warmth of their spirit. A terrific addition to any #RepresentationMatters collection, and a fun way to reinforce early math concepts.

Revamping "The 12 Days of Christmas" to sweetly bustling effect, Fryer Brown pens a lively refrain... It's a lovingly chaotic portrayal with a pleasingly ample feel.

[A] celebration of African-American families and culture. Brown-skinned people in colorful attire grace each spread. The illustrator combined collage art with digital renderings to produce dynamic images of the gathering. This vibrant celebration of African American families, fun, and culture will be a great addition to library collections.

Soul food and larger-than-life personalities populate the pages of this catch-all family celebration... [C]olorful... Brown cleverly turns an old tune into a modern, energetic romp. Glenn's bright art makes inspired use of perspective and a broad palette to emphasize the joys and chaos of large family gatherings... [A] funny riff on a familiar Christmas song... [A] delightful and dynamic story perfect for any time of year. A new classic that will ease children through any holiday season.