Your Name Is a Song

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Luisa Uribe (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943147724
Publisher:	The Innovation Press
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	10,496
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 10 Years

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

09/07/2020

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)

Publishers Weekly

★ "This lovely celebration of African American culture, featuring a Muslim family, offers a fresh way to look at the tradition of creating new names. . . A delightful celebration."
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Simultaneously imparts a strong spark of sensibility and envelops readers in a warm embrace through an overdue, crucial lesson about the significance of honoring every individual’s cultural identity..."
— School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

07/17/2020

PreS-Gr 3—This story simultaneously imparts a strong spark of sensibility and envelops readers in a warm embrace through an overdue, crucial lesson about the significance of honoring every individual's cultural identity, including the respectful care to correctly learn another's name. At the end of the first day of school, Kora-Jalimuso, the story's young Black Muslim protagonist, shares her sorrow with her mother over her teacher and classmates' inability to pronounce her name. Her mother's response lifts the girl's—and readers'—spirits by illuminating the resonating meaning and power of diverse names through song. As the gently rendered scenes of this heartfelt talk unfold, Uribe's expressive details capture the musicality of different names. Fine, swooping lines and blooming silhouettes of pastel color flow through each page, matching the mother's musical notes and Kora-Jalimuso's growing sense of understanding and confidence in her ability to pass this lesson on to others. The book concludes with a glossary and a pronunciation guide, emphasizing the beauty and significance of all the names featured. VERDICT For all collections, this is a heartwarming tale with a simple yet critical message of respecting the pronunciation of an individual's name and honoring the importance of identity and cultural heritage.—Rachel Mulligan, Pennsylvania State Univ.

School Library Journal

★ 2020-06-16
A girl learns to appreciate her long name and the diverse names of others.

A black child wearing cornrows braided into an afro puff watches her classmates in the schoolyard playing handball. Momma arrives, wearing a bright headwrap, and asks about her first day of school. The girl is upset because no one could say her name—not even the teacher. Reflecting the title, Momma tells her to tell her teacher her name is a song. As they walk through the streets, swaying and dancing to the sounds of street musicians and music from cars, Momma sings names from many different cultures. (Each name is spelled phonetically in parentheses for ease of caregivers reading aloud.) The next day, “the girl didn’t want to go to school, but she had songs to teach.” She even shows her teacher that “Miss Anderson” is a song. This lovely celebration of African American culture, featuring a Muslim family, offers a fresh way to look at the tradition of creating new names; Momma says, “Made-up names come from dreamers. Their real names were stolen long ago so they dream up new ones. They make a way out of no way, make names out of no names—pull them from the sky!” A glossary notes the origins and meanings of the names included in the text, with a note to always listen closely to how a person pronounces their name. The dynamic, pastel-hued illustrations reflect energy and strength.

A delightful celebration. (Picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews