New York Times Bestselling author, Brit Bennett, brought the newest American Girl Doll, “Claudie Wells” to life.

Claudie is the franchises’ fourth Black girl doll, growing up in 1920s Harlem during the creative boom of Harlem Renaissance. She spoke with The Takeaway about the making of Claudie, and the responsibility to balance historical accuracy with the playfulness of American Girl Dolls.

The best-selling author shares what went into creating the book behind the storied franchise’s latest historical character.

Brit Bennett never thought she’d actually create an American Girl doll, but you could say it’s a reality she’s manifested for years.

American Girl is adding a new historical character, Claudie Wells, to its line of middle-grade books and toys. Meet Claudie is written by Brit Bennett, bestselling author of The Mothers and The Vanishing Half, who is making her first foray into children’s books.

Brit Bennett pushes questions of race and color to their extremes in her new novel, "The Vanishing Half." A three-generational work that is anything but old-fashioned, a central topic concerns identity fused with acting and lying. The main characters wonder what defines happiness. In this book’s case, it makes for great reading. Bennett discusses creating real people and not just types — forging a kaleidoscopic story about people and communities. The celebrated novel from 2020 is now available in paperback.

Such a storyteller is Brit Bennett. Racial passing, the phenomenon at the core of her astonishing novel The Vanishing Half, is as familiar to American literature as “Lush Life” is to the American songbook.

Black women have been honoring and lifting our voices, sharing our strengths, broadening our revolutionary scope since we got here. We tell stories that come through our hair and our hips, our shoulders and our ride-or-die stride as we walk alongside one another, tethered to our tropes, ever strong, mammified, over-sexualized but ultimately free together. Brit Bennett, Jasmine Guillory and Jacqueline Woodson are three of our finest novelists in America today. They tell narrative stories with grace and nuance, humor and curiosity, and with characters who exist because Black women called them to live. The four of us spoke about the long-standing contributions of Black women writers, who holds the power in publishing and the notion of a renaissance. —R.C.

There’s no denying that 2020 has been a year unlike any other. Despite it all, however, there have been some silver linings — one of those being the opportunity to spend more time at home in our favorite comfy clothes curled up with some of the year’s most exciting new books. From stunning new author debuts to highly-anticipated series additions, this year’s new releases have captivated the hearts and minds of readers of all ages and in every genre. Which is why, if one of your resolutions for 2021 is to read more, there’s no better place to start than Amazon’s Best Books of the Year list.

‘The Vanishing Half,’ ‘White Fragility’ top New York Public Library’s annual list of most borrowed books

"With a great premise and beautiful writing, this is a book that stays with you long after the last page."

2021 is right around the corner, meaning it’s time to set those New Year’s goals in stone. No matter what you’re into there’s something here for you. Dive back into reading with one of these five books from five different genres.

"One of 2020’s most successful bestsellers for a reason."

It’s been a great year for books, and many of us have been in the mood to disappear even more frequently into and their unforgettable stories. They transport us far and wide, into times and places that are not our own, which is always a welcome escape—but, of course, it’s more tempting during a year as unprecedented as 2020. Pick up one of the best books of the year and travel the globe without leaving your home.

"Brit Bennett’s rich and lovely sophomore novel, The Vanishing Half, tells the story of identical twin sisters from a color-struck town.. . . What ensues is a layered and extravagant fairy tale that tracks America’s ideas about race and Blackness across decades, and somehow manages to find a possibility of redemption at the end."

"instant bestseller + No. 1 book on Amazon + seven-figure deal with HBO after an intense bidding war between 17 bidders = the book everyone was reading this summer. . . . Her debut novel, The Mothers became one of the most successful books of 2016, and her latest, The Vanishing Half, is—dare we say?—even better. . . . You get a riveting and revelatory read."

"This stunning sophomore novel is that rare literary treat you can’t put down — at once rushing to finish it and hoping it’ll never end. Bennett’s mastery is given the perfect showcase in this taut decade-spanning reflection on race and family."

As the winter solstice approaches, nights grow long, and you're stuck at home because of the pandemic, it's a good time to curl up with a book. New York Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul joins us to share her favorite books of 2020. We'll also hear from some local authors to get their picks, and open the phone lines for listener recommendations for a great read.

"This book has been on nearly every year-end list and it’s no surprise. Brit Bennett’s book sticks with you long after the last chapter, as your mind grapples with questions about who we are and what defines us. . . . It’s a delicately layered book that grapples with difficult questions about race and identity while also telling a really compelling story. Plus, your book club is inevitably going to read this, so you may as well get a jumpstart."