When I saw the title of today’s Perfect Picture Book and its gorgeous cover, and when I saw who wrote it, I knew that I had to read it as soon as possible. So I reached out to the publisher on a site for reviewers, and I requested an electronic copy (in exchange for a fair and unbiased review). I’m so happy I did so, and I know you won’t be disappointed when you get your hands on this not-yet-released picture book!
Title: Your Name is a Song
Written By: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Illustrated By: Luisa Uribe
Publisher/Date: The Innovation Press/July 2020 (note: this launch date may be delayed due to Covid-19)
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: names, self-esteem, pride, heritage, multicultural
Opening:
“I’m not coming back ever again!” The girl stomped.
Brief Synopsis:
On the first day of school, a young girl is upset because neither her teacher nor fellow classmates can pronounce her name, until her mother reminds her of the musicality and beauty of her name and others like it and empowers her to sing it.
Links to Resources:
- Do you have a name that others have trouble saying or spelling? How do you feel when someone mispronounces your name? How do you think a classmate feels if you can’t pronounce their name?
- Try tapping out each syllable of your name or singing your own name;
- Try these name games;
- Check out the interview Thompkins-Bigelow had with Mr. Schu about the meaning and importance of names.
Why I Like this Book:
I think any child, and even adult, feels awful when peers or an adult can’t pronounce or spell their name, or when someone uses a nickname not generally used or liked. A name is such a personal aspect of identity, which even young children recognize, I think.
In Your Name is a Song, Thompkins-Bigelow captures that feeling and offers solutions that help the young main character find beauty in her name and others that some people may have difficulty pronouncing. The words of her mother empower this young girl to sing her name, and others, when her teacher stumbles on her name once again, and to help her teacher and classmates find beauty in names that had seemed unfamiliar at first.
I particularly like how Thompkins-Bigelow addresses not just the inability of someone’s mouth to form words, but the reality that some names arise from the heart.
Uribe’s colorful illustrations show the young girl and her mother journeying from school to home and then back again the next day, and include magical scenes in which made-up names come from dreams and emanate from the sky, appearing in clouds through which our young girl travels.
Your Name is a Song is a joyous celebration that will help bolster the self-esteem of children whose names are difficult to pronounce or which reflect a particular culture. It also provides a way for other children and adults to think about the importance and beauty of names that may, at first, seem difficult to pronounce or different, and a solution, via song, to overcome that difficulty.
A Note about Craft:
Thompkins-Bigelow doesn’t name the main character until near the end of the book (I’m not going to spoil the ending and reveal it here). I think she does this to keep the reader wondering what name has caused the other children, and even the teacher, to stumble on the pronunciation and to build tension.
A glossary of the names mentioned, their origins, and their pronunciations is included as back matter. The pronunciations also appear in parentheses within the text, to help readers who might stumble while reading.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 
Yes, I remember a girl at school with a name no one knew how to pronounce. Her name was Siobhan – pronounced Shi-vahn. She dreamed of the day she would be old enough to have it legally changed. I wish this book had been published all of those years ago, it would have helped her a great deal. I love the idea of singing a name like a song. That is so beautiful. 🙂
This is such a beautiful book to give to a child with an unusual name — or any child. I have a great grandson named Rhys (Reese), Celtic spelling. I hope he doesn’t have a lot of trouble. You have me hooked wondering what her name is. Will have to read the book. Thanks for sharing.
I would have loved to have had this book when I taught ESL! 🙂
Ooh…Great choice! And I love the empathy-building questions/resources you’ve included. I’m going to put in a purchase request at my library for this one right now.
Names are so important, so closely related to our identity. As someone with a name that many stumbled over so much I shortened it to Jil for years, I love the premise of this book and look forward to reading it. Thanks for the rec!
Oo, so glad you received an ARC of this so we can get a pre-published glimpse. Names are so important and this is such a creative way to learn proper pronunciation. Sounds a gem.
Nice blog 💖
Love this! Similar to The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. Great themes!