All the Faces of Me, written by Laura Alary and illustrated by Salini Perera. Owlkids Books, 2023. $21.95 ages 4 and up

"I think the littlest doll needs a face. 
So one day, when Nana's not looking, 
I give her one. 

But then, something about the other dolls 
doesn't feel right." 

The young girl who narrates this family story admires the set of nesting dolls that sit side by side on her Nana's windowsill. She likes to fit them together as they are meant to be. They all have faces that look exactly the same, except the little one that is unpainted and looks like 'a raw peanut'. 

Although Nana explains that babies take time to become who they really are, it doesn't sit well with her granddaughter. One day when her Nana is busy, she paints a face on the little one. That soon has her thinking about the many different ways she looks - not always the same, depending on how she is feeling. Each of the other dolls gets a new face to show variety in the way they represent her many emotions. 

When Nana sees what has happened, she is not happy. Her granddaughter is able to explain the 'whys' for the changes she has made to the dolls. Her explanation satisfies her grandmother. This book is carefully told to reflect the child's thinking and the emotions she feels at different times. She is not always the same person, depending on her responses to life's events. Nana realizes that it is much the same for her. Both child and adult exhibit variety in their feelings and their responses. 

"Somehow, 
they all fit together. 
So many people 
wrapped up in one."

Thuougtful and lovely.