HURRAY! Book birthday posts are my favorite because it means we are welcoming a new book baby into the world! And this one is so special because it focuses on the importance of a child’s name…and especially in the early years, your name is a large part of your identity, who you are. And if folks mispronounce it or have trouble saying it and stumble each time they try, that can make a child feel like there is something wrong with them. I’m so happy to welcome Maria Wen Adcock and her debut picture book, MY NAME IS AI LIN, illustrated by Yu Ting Cheng, and published by Sleeping Bear Press…it launches TODAY!!!

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.

  And we are so lucky…author Maria has stopped by to share the story behind the story…what inspired her to write this.

ME: Hello Maria! Thank you so much for visiting Picture Books Help Kids Soar! And CONGRATULATIONS!!! What a beautiful book this is! And an important one! Can you tell us why you wrote it?

MARIA:
The idea for this book came about because I know many people who have assumed “American” names for various reasons. Sometimes they wanted to fit in, so they changed their names. For example, “Jose” became “Joe.” Other times, someone else asked them to change their names because to make it easier for them to remember or say – this is what happens to Ai Lin in my story. And then there were other times when it was not their choice, such as with my dad. When he immigrated to America, someone in the processing center told him he needed an American name and picked out “William” for him. I’m guessing it’s because my dad’s last name, Wen, started with a “W”, so the guy chose a first name with the same letter. My dad had no say in it.

For parents and children with diverse backgrounds, I hope they will be proud of their names. If it’s an uncommon one, they should know they don’t need to change it to make other people feel more comfortable unless they want to. Their names are their identities. 

For those who are curious about other people’s names that are different than what they’re used to, I’d encourage them to make an effort to pronounce someone’s name correctly. It’s okay to ask someone how to pronounce their name if their not sure how to say it.

Oh, that’s wonderful, Maria! Thank you for sharing all of this!

And thank you, dear blog readers, for spending your precious time with us. I hope you love this book as much as I do…and please remember that books become a success and get into the hands of the children who need them when we:

Buy the book
Review the book
Tell friends about the book – please share the post on your social media
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their shelves

Happy 4th of July week and weekend, dear friends. Please stay safe and share positivity!