Your name is a song

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Your name is a song

Title:

Your name is a song

Author:

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah, author.

Uribe, Luisa, illustrator.

Summary:

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.

Audience:

005-010.

1-2.

General Note:

Includes glossary of names featured in the story, with their common pronunciations and meanings.

Physical Description:

40 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Names -- Juvenile fiction.

Names -- Pronunciation -- Juvenile fiction.

Names, Personal -- Pronunciation -- Juvenile fiction.

Cultural pluralism -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-confidence -- Juvenile fiction.

African Americans -- Juvenile fiction.

Schools -- Juvenile fiction.

Multiculturalism -- Juvenile fiction.

Mothers and daughters -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Uribe, Luisa,

Publisher:

Innovation Press,

Publication Date:

2020

ISBN:

9781943147724

Publication Information:

Seattle, WA : Innovation Press, [2020]

Call Number:

P THOMPKINSBIGELOW

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003581280	Picture Books	THOMPKINSBIGELOW	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

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.

Author Notes

JAMILAH THOMPKINS-BIGELOW is an educator and writer who centers Black and Muslim children in her work. She is the author of Mommy's Khimar, Your Name is a Song , and is a contributor to the Once Upon an Eid anthology. She provides free and fun community writing programs for local youth in Philadelphia where she lives with her family.

LUISA URIBE is an illustrator living in Bogotá, Colombia. She holds a graphic design degree from the National University of Colombia and an MA in art and design from Loughborough University. Find out more about her at luisauribe.com.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

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. (July)