Author: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Illustrator: Luisa Uribe

Publisher: The Innovation Press

Summary

A little girl returns home from her first day of school feeling deflated and declares to her mother that she won’t be returning. With a teacher who can't pronounce her name, the little girl’s light feels dimmed—that is, until her mother chimes in with wisdom and song...

Join, chant, and tap along as the mother and daughter duo glide through town and sing the sweet melody of names, from the depth of their hearts and with spirit to reach the sky. Together, they sing the soulful melody of names–Hebrew, Dutch, Arabic, and Spanish;–each note inspired from their vibrant, buzzing neighborhood that demands to be heard, just like the names themselves.

Soon, the little girl’s spark is reignited, and she's ready to face her teacher with grace and confidence. And to her surprise, the entire class joins in, singing together the beautiful, resonant melody of her name, at last: Kora-Jalimuso!

Review

This book made me smile BIG! What an important topic and empowering way to approach the conversation of mispronouncing names. It’s a really joyful story where you can’t help but tap along, but it also really made me think critically of times in my life where I’ve shied away from less familiar names or even become comfortable with the frequent mispronunciation, claiming ignorance and reflecting on the impact this has on a relationship. This book was a necessary reminder for myself to put in the work and stay curious with others – there may be missed opportunities to more deeply connect with loved ones over their name, heritage, or family. The book also features a variety of roots with a glossary at the end for explaining each featured name’s roots which I really appreciated for the extended learning.

About the Author

I highly recommend that you check out this author’s website for her other children’s books, found here. Her stories all feature Black/African American and Muslim families, centering around themes of faith, family, and love. She also offers free resources and book companions, and runs writing workshops in the Philadelphia area.

Language Facilitation Ideas:

This is a brilliant free resource already created by a Speech-Language Therapist to pair with this book. Activities include reviewing story elements, creating sentences, learning new vocabulary, and group activities for singing your own name!