Published: 2022
Author: Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Illustrator: Bethanie Deeney Murguia
Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, LGBT, Cultural, Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): Elementary / Pre-K to Grade 3
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: What’s Your Name?
Triggers: None
Review By: Mary Beth Cavalieri
Publisher’s Summary:
What’s your name? Maybe you’ll find it in this effervescent picture book—an ode to an important part of each of us from the creator of The Favorite Book.
Everyone has one . . .
or maybe a few.
So what’s in a name?
What does it do?
Names hold power. They can be a greeting, provide comfort, act as a warning, or honor our ancestors and heroes. Sometimes growing into a name, or selecting a new one, can take a little time. Names connect us to others and help create who we are and what makes us uniquely special. With an engaging visual narrative buzzing with people and names of all stripes, and a lilting text that’s perfect for reading aloud, the creator of The Favorite Book and Do You Believe in Unicorns? offers a celebratory and affirming story that will have readers reflecting on their names—and proudly sharing them.
Review:
This is an adorable book, with a poetic rhyme that made me smile the entire time I was reading it. It would make a fantastic first day or first week of school read as students get to know each other and learn names. It emphasizes celebrating all names, no matter their origin.
The illustrations that accompany the text are funny and endearing, something that is sure to delight students. I love the inclusiveness of the story. My favorite parts were of the pets whose names didn’t necessarily match their personalities, such as the grey cat with a terrible frightening face named Sunshine. This is a perfect book to emphasize acceptance.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & Identity: A premier anchor text for the first week of school to build classroom community, foster a sense of belonging, and explore how personal names shape identity, self-worth, and individuality.
- Language Arts / Phonological Awareness: Excellent for early elementary read-aloud sessions to highlight poetic rhyme schemes, rhythm, and wordplay while investigating the linguistic roots and syllables of students’ own names.
- Social Studies & Cultural Heritage: Provides a gentle, child-friendly entry point for discussing multicultural history, family lineages, and the diverse ways across global traditions that people inherit, grow into, or choose their names.
Extension Activity / Library Application:
- The “What’s in a Name?” Narrative Shield: Inspired by the book’s exploration of how names hold power, have students create a personal “Name Crest” or shield. In separate quadrants, students can illustrate who named them (or the origin of their name), what their name means to them, a nickname they enjoy, and a word that describes their unique personality.
- The “Mismatched Pet” Creative Writing Prompt: Highlighting the reviewer’s favorite humorous scene—the terrifying-looking cat named “Sunshine”—ask students to draw a fictional pet whose physical appearance or behavior completely contradicts their name (e.g., a tiny, gentle hamster named “Goliath” or a hyperactive puppy named “Sloth”). Have them write a short, funny paragraph detailing a day in the life of that animal.
Diversity & Representation:
This book offers beautiful, intersectional equity and representation by actively celebrating names of all linguistic origins, cultural frameworks, and backgrounds without emphasizing a singular dominant structure. By gently addressing that selecting or growing into a new name can take time, the text also serves as an inclusive, affirming resource for gender-expansive, transgender, or adopted youth who are navigating name changes, normalizing identity transitions with immense dignity and joy.
Readalikes:
- Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
- The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
- Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
