Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and crafter. Her passion for children s books began when she came across The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats as a child in the 1960s. Growing up in a musical family who loved to sing, Vanessa s illustrations are as fun and whimsical as a beautiful melody. Vanessa currently makes her nest in Charlotte, NC with her husband of 20 years, their daughter, and a very rambunctious cat named Stripes.