Have you ever thought about how important your name is? Which part is most important to you? I remember changing my name when I got married (which I do sometimes regret) and trying to figure out what I wanted my full name to be. I decided to drop my maiden name and keep my middle name. One of my sisters often uses my first and middle names when talking to me so it felt right. Of course, with the ideas of requiring IDs to vote and in some states the requirement of having a birth certificate with the same name, makes me question anyone changing their name ever. But I won't get political today. Today I get to share a beautiful new picture book about the importance of a name. It is My Name is Ai Lin by Maria Wen Adcock, blogger over at Bicultural Mama, and illustrated by Yu Ting Cheng. It is recommended for ages 5 to 8. And it is being released this week!!
About the Book:
In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.When Ai Lin starts school, none of her classmates can say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it properly. They ask Ai Lin if they can just call her by another name. It’s not that important, right? But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Her name is part of her identity and heritage. Her name was chosen not only for what it means, but also for how it sounds. It ties her to her family—present and past—and to its traditions
When Ai Lin shares her family history with her classmates, they come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name, and all that it means and stands for, is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake.
About the Author:
About the Illustrator:
From Me:
A name is special. It is part of you. Some names are hard for people of different cultures to pronounce. Sometimes the first language of a person does not have the same sounds as the language of the name so creating those sounds can be tough. However, it is important to try. When a baby is named, most parents think, discuss, debate baby names for quite a while. It is well thought out and has some meaning for the family. I know Hazel's does. She is named after two great grandmothers. These grandmothers were the ones Steve and I were closest to and we wanted to honor their lives by naming our child after them. Just like Hazel's name is special Ai Lin's name is special to her and her family. The kids at school have trouble pronouncing it and want to call her a different name. However, instead of giving in, Ai Lin explains her name and its meaning to them. Soon the kids learn her name and call her Ai Lin, because it is important.
I love how Ai Lin stays strong and does not let the other kids change her name. She knows it is hers and makes her special. I also love that she explains her name to them and helps them understand why she doesn't want it changed. I also love how diverse the class is! Starting school can be tough but imagine starting it with a name kids may struggle to say or being asked to change your name. Maria writes this story based on her own experience with people mispronouncing and misspelling her last name, Wen. Ai Lin is actually the Chinese name of one of her daughters. You can see pictures of the real-life Ai Lin at the age of the story Ai Lin here. This book is perfect for back to school. It is a wonderful introduction for an early elementary classroom on why learning how to correctly pronounce other people's names is important. It would also be fun to do a name study with it or an ask families the importance/meaning of kids' names assignment. To go with the book, you also could do some sort of name craft.
Another book that is about the importance of names is My Name Is Not Ed Tug.
What a lovely review. Thank you!
ReplyDelete