Your Name Is a Song
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- $20.99
Publisher Description
Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.
Your Name is a Song includes back matter perfect for parents, educators, caregivers, and young readers who want to learn more about the names featured in the story. The "Glossary of Names" lists each name’s meaning, origin, and pronunciation. Additionally, readers can use a listed link to access an online video of the author pronouncing all the names in the book.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A conversation between a girl and her mother distinguishes this poignant second picture book from educator Thompkins-Bigelow. Distraught that her classmates don't pronounce her name correctly, a Black girl in goldenrod overalls complains to her Ummi, who wears a coral-colored headscarf, on the walk home. Describing the musicality of names, Momma encourages her daughter to "tell your teacher that your name is a song," and expounds on others: "Take the name, Olumide (O-loo-muh-DAY)./ Olumide is a melody, girl! And so is Kotone (KOH-tow-neh)." With a creative answer for each of the child's hesitations ("Made-up names come from dreamers.... They make a way out of no way, make names out of no names pull them from the sky!"), Momma imparts wisdom that her daughter shares the next day, teaching her name's correct pronunciation by singing it, and classmates' names, during roll call. In subtly surfaced illustrations rendered digitally by Uribe, the girl traces names including Trayvon through a mellow-toned sky. A resonant tale that honors and celebrates a rich landscape of names. Back matter includes a glossary of names featured with pronunciations and origins. Ages 5 10.
