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That's Not My Name!
A debut picture book about loving your name, finding your voice, and standing up for yourself from the critically acclaimed illustrator of Bilal Cooks Daal and I Am Perfectly Designed.Mirha is so excited for her first day of school! She can't wait to learn, play, and make new friends. But when her classmates mispronounce her name, she goes home wondering if she should find a new one. Maybe then she'd be able to find a monogrammed keychain at the gas station or order a hot chocolate at the cafe more easily.Mama helps Mirha to see how special her name is, and she returns to school the next day determined to help her classmates say it correctly--even if it takes a hundred tries.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2022
16 people are currently reading
780 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
December 3, 2023
I was inspired to read Anoosha Syed’s PB, “That’s Not My Name!� because my son also has a name that is not an easily pronounced name. This story is important because it’s not just the children of immigrant families or families that use non-Western names for children that often have to deal with people mispronouncing their names, but even indigenous people as well.
The author is clearly talented. Not only did she write an excellent PB, but she also illustrated it as well. And the illustrations were beautiful. Not many authors have the artistic ability to illustrate well. Syed made sure to include a lot of ethnic diversity and even made sure to feature a disabled child.
Given the great job that Syed did, one might wonder why this book isn’t a 5-star review. Well, to be clear, this is NOT the author’s fault. It’s the publisher’s fault.
I was surprised that Penguin Random House published this book—not because of the book itself, but because of the sloppy editing job that they did for the Kindle edition. Namely, the text had absolutely no spacing in between the words, making it annoying and even difficult to read. This is a real problem because if a grown woman with a PhD is having trouble reading it, then what about the kids!
Penguin Random House did a great disservice to Syed. They need to immediately rectify this problem by fixing the wording and republishing the corrected version **immediately**. The author obviously spent a lot of time writing and illustrating this book only to have it botched by a publishing company. It’s not fair and Syed deserves better.
The author is clearly talented. Not only did she write an excellent PB, but she also illustrated it as well. And the illustrations were beautiful. Not many authors have the artistic ability to illustrate well. Syed made sure to include a lot of ethnic diversity and even made sure to feature a disabled child.
Given the great job that Syed did, one might wonder why this book isn’t a 5-star review. Well, to be clear, this is NOT the author’s fault. It’s the publisher’s fault.
I was surprised that Penguin Random House published this book—not because of the book itself, but because of the sloppy editing job that they did for the Kindle edition. Namely, the text had absolutely no spacing in between the words, making it annoying and even difficult to read. This is a real problem because if a grown woman with a PhD is having trouble reading it, then what about the kids!
Penguin Random House did a great disservice to Syed. They need to immediately rectify this problem by fixing the wording and republishing the corrected version **immediately**. The author obviously spent a lot of time writing and illustrating this book only to have it botched by a publishing company. It’s not fair and Syed deserves better.
March 4, 2022
As someone who grew up constantly having their name mispronounced, this book really hit home. Anoosha's debut speaks out to all those who've struggled with accepting their beautiful name and is a wonderful reminder for children and adults everywhere that names are an big part of our identity and the affirmation someone feels when their name is pronounced correctly.
It made my heart swell to see the main character, Mirha, overcome her insecurities and shyness to speak up and let others know that they're wrong. It's so inspiring to see a character that stands up for themselves, as it was something I struggled to do as a child when people mispronounced my name. I even struggle to bring it up now! The impact this book will have some children who have names that are deemed "hard" to pronounce will be so great. Even for readers who have easy to pronounce names, it'll be a great book to open up discussion about how important names are and to not take pronunciation for granted.
Aside from the absolutely wonderful message, the art in this book is STUNNING. Anoosha takes all of her years of experience and has created a feast for the eyes. The colors are so luscious and every page is thoughtfully designed. A wide range of characters are depicted and the relationship between Mirha and her parents is so tender and loving I could feel the warmth from the page.
All in all, a brilliant debut from a brilliant author and illustrator! Would highly recommend to all.
It made my heart swell to see the main character, Mirha, overcome her insecurities and shyness to speak up and let others know that they're wrong. It's so inspiring to see a character that stands up for themselves, as it was something I struggled to do as a child when people mispronounced my name. I even struggle to bring it up now! The impact this book will have some children who have names that are deemed "hard" to pronounce will be so great. Even for readers who have easy to pronounce names, it'll be a great book to open up discussion about how important names are and to not take pronunciation for granted.
Aside from the absolutely wonderful message, the art in this book is STUNNING. Anoosha takes all of her years of experience and has created a feast for the eyes. The colors are so luscious and every page is thoughtfully designed. A wide range of characters are depicted and the relationship between Mirha and her parents is so tender and loving I could feel the warmth from the page.
All in all, a brilliant debut from a brilliant author and illustrator! Would highly recommend to all.
March 4, 2022
A touching and relatable authorial debut from Anoosha Syed, illustrated gorgeously as always. Mirha's experience will absolutely ring true to so many children, and the book offers a welcoming and safe place to begin to have those conversations.
August 3, 2022
2.5
I have been looking forward to this book, as I've enjoyed so many of the illustrations the author has created for other authors, and was anxious to see what kind of story she would write for her own authorial debut. Unfortunately, the book didn't wow me. It is rather forgettable, the book conflates notions of not being able to pronounce someone's name with not being memorable and with not having a "normal" name, and then recognizing how so many classmates have unique names too. A bit scattered in messaging, and overall reading like an adult talking, not a young girl of four or five, on her first day of school. No doubt the illustrations are beautiful, and the book isn't "bad" or a "waste of time," but it isn't a strong clear story. I've seen reviews where people find the little girl rude, and I don't know that I'd agree with that, she is frustrated and wants to scream, "that's not my name" when people say it wrong, but I do agree that she could model what to say better and how to handle it. Not that I expect those with uncommon names to have to carry the weight of making things easy, but the little girl at the end remarks that she has so many new friends at school with "unique, beautiful names, and she always makes sure she says them right," implying that some dialogue, both about her name and about theirs, takes place to ensure pronunciation is correct, and some "showing" of how that is achieved would be nice. Before the story starts, on the title page, there is a pronunciation breakdown of Mirha, but not in the text itself. There is nothing Islamic in the book, the Grandmother wears a scarf loosely draped over her head, there is a crescent and moon wall hanging in an illustration, and the girl's name is claimed to be Arabic in origin.
The book starts with it being Mirha's first day of school. She is excited to learn, to play, and to make friends, but when no one seems to be able to say her name, she starts to feel shy. Frustrated and sad she decides to change her name, and tells her mom when she gets home. Her mother tells her, her name is beautiful and why she was named what she is named. She builds her up and the next day armed with her mother's words she is ready to make friends and teach them how to say her name. By the end of the book Mirha has friends, and wants to be your (the reader's) friend too.
The voice of the book is inconsistent at times it feels very older kid, almost adult, even though the 40 page book is meant for three to five year olds. The examples read like an adult reflecting on their childhood struggles with their name, not as a young girl finding her voice and appreciation for the name she has.
When Hayden asks if he can call her Maya instead of Mirha it is because Maya is easier. Kids are hearing all sorts of names for the first time when they enter school, that conversation seems so forced. Whether the kids are in preschool or daycare or kindergarten, most of the names they are hearing of their classmates are being heard for the first time. If they watch a lot of tv and YouTube and movies, they have heard a whole variety of names, they are not going to have a dialogue that sounds like that, at that age, just not realistic. Similarly after the first day of school she wants to change her name to something "normal?" What is a "normal" name even, then the mom even reinforces that notion when saying she knows she named her something "unique and different." A concept that returns at the end when asserting that Mirha has friends with lots of unique names. Seems to go in circles.
I appreciate that examples are given about not seeing your name on keychains or having the barista get it right, but again, she is under the age of five, are these really her points of reference for having a less common name than those around her? When her mother is making the case that she shouldn't change her name she references that names such as Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and Michelangelo are memorable. First of all, what (under) five year old knows those names or who those people are, and second of all, now her name is not memorable? I thought it was hard to pronounce? Has she done something worthy of history books and admiration? I get what the author is trying to do, I often tell my students that they need to demand people say their names right. If they can rattle off names from Pokemon, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Beyblades, they can say the beautiful names they have been given. But the kids I am saying it to are not in preschool, nor am I conflating the pronunciation of their names with being names of famous people that are memorable. Additionally, I do not speak Arabic, but a quick Google search does not show that Mirha means happiness in Arabic, and I have heard from native Arab speakers that they also found the meaning off.
The illustrations are engaging, the broader message of getting people's name right and demanding people get your name right is important, it just needed a more age aligning voice and connecting with the reader.
I have been looking forward to this book, as I've enjoyed so many of the illustrations the author has created for other authors, and was anxious to see what kind of story she would write for her own authorial debut. Unfortunately, the book didn't wow me. It is rather forgettable, the book conflates notions of not being able to pronounce someone's name with not being memorable and with not having a "normal" name, and then recognizing how so many classmates have unique names too. A bit scattered in messaging, and overall reading like an adult talking, not a young girl of four or five, on her first day of school. No doubt the illustrations are beautiful, and the book isn't "bad" or a "waste of time," but it isn't a strong clear story. I've seen reviews where people find the little girl rude, and I don't know that I'd agree with that, she is frustrated and wants to scream, "that's not my name" when people say it wrong, but I do agree that she could model what to say better and how to handle it. Not that I expect those with uncommon names to have to carry the weight of making things easy, but the little girl at the end remarks that she has so many new friends at school with "unique, beautiful names, and she always makes sure she says them right," implying that some dialogue, both about her name and about theirs, takes place to ensure pronunciation is correct, and some "showing" of how that is achieved would be nice. Before the story starts, on the title page, there is a pronunciation breakdown of Mirha, but not in the text itself. There is nothing Islamic in the book, the Grandmother wears a scarf loosely draped over her head, there is a crescent and moon wall hanging in an illustration, and the girl's name is claimed to be Arabic in origin.
The book starts with it being Mirha's first day of school. She is excited to learn, to play, and to make friends, but when no one seems to be able to say her name, she starts to feel shy. Frustrated and sad she decides to change her name, and tells her mom when she gets home. Her mother tells her, her name is beautiful and why she was named what she is named. She builds her up and the next day armed with her mother's words she is ready to make friends and teach them how to say her name. By the end of the book Mirha has friends, and wants to be your (the reader's) friend too.
The voice of the book is inconsistent at times it feels very older kid, almost adult, even though the 40 page book is meant for three to five year olds. The examples read like an adult reflecting on their childhood struggles with their name, not as a young girl finding her voice and appreciation for the name she has.
When Hayden asks if he can call her Maya instead of Mirha it is because Maya is easier. Kids are hearing all sorts of names for the first time when they enter school, that conversation seems so forced. Whether the kids are in preschool or daycare or kindergarten, most of the names they are hearing of their classmates are being heard for the first time. If they watch a lot of tv and YouTube and movies, they have heard a whole variety of names, they are not going to have a dialogue that sounds like that, at that age, just not realistic. Similarly after the first day of school she wants to change her name to something "normal?" What is a "normal" name even, then the mom even reinforces that notion when saying she knows she named her something "unique and different." A concept that returns at the end when asserting that Mirha has friends with lots of unique names. Seems to go in circles.
I appreciate that examples are given about not seeing your name on keychains or having the barista get it right, but again, she is under the age of five, are these really her points of reference for having a less common name than those around her? When her mother is making the case that she shouldn't change her name she references that names such as Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and Michelangelo are memorable. First of all, what (under) five year old knows those names or who those people are, and second of all, now her name is not memorable? I thought it was hard to pronounce? Has she done something worthy of history books and admiration? I get what the author is trying to do, I often tell my students that they need to demand people say their names right. If they can rattle off names from Pokemon, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Beyblades, they can say the beautiful names they have been given. But the kids I am saying it to are not in preschool, nor am I conflating the pronunciation of their names with being names of famous people that are memorable. Additionally, I do not speak Arabic, but a quick Google search does not show that Mirha means happiness in Arabic, and I have heard from native Arab speakers that they also found the meaning off.
The illustrations are engaging, the broader message of getting people's name right and demanding people get your name right is important, it just needed a more age aligning voice and connecting with the reader.
July 8, 2022
As someone whose last name was butchered by teachers, substitutes, coaches, announcers, classmates, etc. over the years, this story resonated with me. (My last name is pronounced TOYT, by the way). It's so much better to ask and learn than to slaughter the pronunciation and cause giggles/ laughter and potential teasing. I can't believe adults have not yet learned etiquette for learning to say someone's name, and therefore, students pick up on the habit. It's embarrassing for both the child and the person mispronouncing. A story that is both reassuring, but hopefully a call to action that we can do so much better for those in our classrooms and communities.
November 10, 2022
It was a cute story that tried putting other cultural names in perspective. I have quite an ethnic long name and I’m okay with people not pronouncing correctly, mainly because I sometimes cannot say certain words correctly no matter how many years I have been trying to say them. I understand struggle the little girl might have gone through it, though. This is not something that particularly bothers me for the reason I said above. There are certain sounds and words my mouth and throat do not seem to form. I can make an approximation, with a heavy accent. I, however, agree that she shouldn’t take an “easier� name either. Her name is her name� I just hope she would come to accept peoples phonetical differences.
For instance: My grandmother to this day cannot say vanilla (she says something along the lines of Bau-nilla). Took me 3 years to learn how to say my friend’s name. We have set on an approximation of what the sound is meant to be. I don’t call him by nick names or anything. We laugh about it now because I have cried about it enough 😅. He can’t say my middle name without his accent killing it either� and that’s okay.
For instance: My grandmother to this day cannot say vanilla (she says something along the lines of Bau-nilla). Took me 3 years to learn how to say my friend’s name. We have set on an approximation of what the sound is meant to be. I don’t call him by nick names or anything. We laugh about it now because I have cried about it enough 😅. He can’t say my middle name without his accent killing it either� and that’s okay.
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September 12, 2022This picture book *really* hit home: since I was a kid, kids and adults have mispronounced my name and even sometimes added letters to my name (somehow they thought my name was Cassandra at one point). On the first day of school each year, I always knew when the teacher(s) reached my name, cause there was a hesitation as they figured out how to say it. I hated my name when I was a kid, as a result. I, too, wanted to change my name (to Samantha). Finally, sometime in college, I embraced my name and fell in love with it. But, when I'm out in public, and they want a name for a drink or food order, I will say "Kate" cause in my mind, "No need to stress myself out, and no need to stress them out either." So yeah, this picture book really, really spoke to me. And I loved it for that reason!
December 30, 2022
A cute, colorful, and great picture book about embracing your name and making sure people respectfully say it correctly.
May 20, 2023
Extremely cute with an important message!
February 8, 2023
I feel conflicted about That's Not My Name a children's book written by Anoosha Syed about the correct pronunciation of the protagonist's name. But before I explain my thoughts, let me preface this review by noting that I read the ebook and listened to the audio book at the same time. Okay, onto my thoughts!
Firstly, the narrator's pronunciation of "Mirha" changes when she is reading the English text "Mirha" and when she pronounces Mirha's name when reading the Arabic "Mirha" (on page 13 of the ebook). The two pronunciations are different: one sounds like an anglicized pronunciation and the other sounds like it's being said by someone who is, at least aware of, Arabic pronunciation. Furthermore, as one reviewer noted, "Mirha" doesn't directly translate to happiness. Now, I don't speak Arabic, but I was SO curious about this and believe that I've at least found Google's translation of مرحا (I think that this is the same Arabic that appears in the story, but please tell me if I'm wrong!). Google translates the Arabic word 'مرحا' as "fun" and as "merry" in Urdu. So I'm a bit confused. Syed is Pakistani Canadian and has lived in two GCC countries: Saudi Arabia and the UAE which makes me wonder if the translation of "happiness" into Arabic is dialectic (from either Saudi or the UAE). Since Egyptian Arabic can differ quite a bit from other Arabic dialects, I wonder. If anyone has any insight, please share!
Secondly, I think that there were points that weren't realistic. For example, I don't know a child who buys their own hot chocolate and has their name written on the takeaway/to go cup. This could happen if the child was with a parent, but in the illustration, Mirha is on her own, and to me it just seemed odd. Also, while I can understand that Mirha believes that she won't find her name on a key chain, again it seems odd that Mirha would think that, especially since it's likely that there would be cultural markers (or a lack thereof) highlighting to her that her family's culture is different from the western culture that she lives in. For example, my name is Mikiko. It's Japanese. I grew up in southwestern Ontario where I quickly learned that my name was different/unique/impossible for others to pronounce. I knew I wouldn't find my name on a key chain, just as I know that unless people know Japanese, they'll likely always mispronounce my name, hence why Mirha's realizations seem a bit out-of-place even though it's clear what Syed is trying to convey with this part of the story.
Thirdly, the name "Aiko" doesn't translate to "little loved one". While it could translate to love + girl child (the direct translation), the meaning of "Aiko" will completely depend on the Japanese kanji. Since Japanese kanji is a derivative of Chinese, the name could have another meaning, but without the kanji, "Aiko" may not mean "girl child of love" or Syed's interpretation, "little loved one" (which isn't an accurate translation). In addition, the name "Aiko" may not even include kanji which would also change the meaning of Aiko's name, so I feel like this was a bit of a leap for me.
As someone who grew up pre-internet and the western world's obsession with Japanese anime and manga, I can appreciate where Mirha is coming from. My Japanese last name begins with the three letters F-U-K, just in case you don't believe me. So I can appreciate the lesson, message, and plot arc of Syed's book, but I think it slightly missed the mark for me. I love that there is a book that includes an Arab family, culture, and text because this kind of story was missing from my public library when I was a kid. I also loved the illustrations and the arc. I think the representation is fantastic, and is much more realistic to me as I grew up with kids of different ethnicities and different abilities, so I would be happy to share this book with my friends' kids, but I don't think that this will ever be one that I purchase as a gift or add to my own kid's book collection (Yes, I collect kid's books. No, I don't have kids.).
I can't wait to read other children's books that Syed publishes and will definitely read her backlist!
[Audio book & ebook, borrowed from library]
Firstly, the narrator's pronunciation of "Mirha" changes when she is reading the English text "Mirha" and when she pronounces Mirha's name when reading the Arabic "Mirha" (on page 13 of the ebook). The two pronunciations are different: one sounds like an anglicized pronunciation and the other sounds like it's being said by someone who is, at least aware of, Arabic pronunciation. Furthermore, as one reviewer noted, "Mirha" doesn't directly translate to happiness. Now, I don't speak Arabic, but I was SO curious about this and believe that I've at least found Google's translation of مرحا (I think that this is the same Arabic that appears in the story, but please tell me if I'm wrong!). Google translates the Arabic word 'مرحا' as "fun" and as "merry" in Urdu. So I'm a bit confused. Syed is Pakistani Canadian and has lived in two GCC countries: Saudi Arabia and the UAE which makes me wonder if the translation of "happiness" into Arabic is dialectic (from either Saudi or the UAE). Since Egyptian Arabic can differ quite a bit from other Arabic dialects, I wonder. If anyone has any insight, please share!
Secondly, I think that there were points that weren't realistic. For example, I don't know a child who buys their own hot chocolate and has their name written on the takeaway/to go cup. This could happen if the child was with a parent, but in the illustration, Mirha is on her own, and to me it just seemed odd. Also, while I can understand that Mirha believes that she won't find her name on a key chain, again it seems odd that Mirha would think that, especially since it's likely that there would be cultural markers (or a lack thereof) highlighting to her that her family's culture is different from the western culture that she lives in. For example, my name is Mikiko. It's Japanese. I grew up in southwestern Ontario where I quickly learned that my name was different/unique/impossible for others to pronounce. I knew I wouldn't find my name on a key chain, just as I know that unless people know Japanese, they'll likely always mispronounce my name, hence why Mirha's realizations seem a bit out-of-place even though it's clear what Syed is trying to convey with this part of the story.
Thirdly, the name "Aiko" doesn't translate to "little loved one". While it could translate to love + girl child (the direct translation), the meaning of "Aiko" will completely depend on the Japanese kanji. Since Japanese kanji is a derivative of Chinese, the name could have another meaning, but without the kanji, "Aiko" may not mean "girl child of love" or Syed's interpretation, "little loved one" (which isn't an accurate translation). In addition, the name "Aiko" may not even include kanji which would also change the meaning of Aiko's name, so I feel like this was a bit of a leap for me.
As someone who grew up pre-internet and the western world's obsession with Japanese anime and manga, I can appreciate where Mirha is coming from. My Japanese last name begins with the three letters F-U-K, just in case you don't believe me. So I can appreciate the lesson, message, and plot arc of Syed's book, but I think it slightly missed the mark for me. I love that there is a book that includes an Arab family, culture, and text because this kind of story was missing from my public library when I was a kid. I also loved the illustrations and the arc. I think the representation is fantastic, and is much more realistic to me as I grew up with kids of different ethnicities and different abilities, so I would be happy to share this book with my friends' kids, but I don't think that this will ever be one that I purchase as a gift or add to my own kid's book collection (Yes, I collect kid's books. No, I don't have kids.).
I can't wait to read other children's books that Syed publishes and will definitely read her backlist!
[Audio book & ebook, borrowed from library]
August 16, 2022
I am 'Michele' with one 'l'. Growing up, I can't tell you how many times I was called "Michael" by a teacher at the beginning of the year. Whether it's elementary school or high school, it always makes for an embarrassing moment. And when it happens time and time again, it's frustrating. So yes, I understand when Mirha loses it and is frustrated with a classmate. This book is important to share at the beginning of the year because we have students who will sympathize with Mirha, because they too have to explain their name again and again. And it will help others understand the importance of names and saying them correctly.
September 6, 2022
I am Mary Lee, not Mary, so I TOTALLY get the necessity to advocate for proper identification. And I totally get how hard it can be sometimes.
This is a book that needs to be read in every classroom, both for the kids whose names are perpetually mispronounced AND for the kids who have the names that are not mispronounced ever. Perfect example of a book that's a mirror and a window.
If you are the teacher who ever suggested a child change their name to make it simpler (for you), read this and repent. Names are sacred. Periodt.
This is a book that needs to be read in every classroom, both for the kids whose names are perpetually mispronounced AND for the kids who have the names that are not mispronounced ever. Perfect example of a book that's a mirror and a window.
If you are the teacher who ever suggested a child change their name to make it simpler (for you), read this and repent. Names are sacred. Periodt.
July 12, 2022
I got this for my 6 year old sister and she loved it! She is also South Asian like Mirha and has a name that people butcher all the time. She keeps reading it again and again and she loves the artwork in the book too. She asked me to thank the author somehow so Ms Anoosha Syed if you’re seeing this thank you for this book!
August 21, 2023
A gorgeous picture book that would be a great read aloud in the first weeks of school all about celebrating our names and what they mean to each of us. Ideal as a prompt for a gentle but inportant lesson on diversity & inclusion in junior primary classrooms.
October 23, 2024
Nuestros nombres son la primera cosa que conocemos de nuestra identidad. ¿Cómo hay gente que no se toma dos segundos para aprender cómo pronunciarlos?
October 11, 2022
Ah i really loved this book. It’s very very recognisable - made me feel a bit more validated ♥️
July 15, 2023
Great book to introduce students to each other and explain how special our names are.
September 4, 2024
This book's message is nice, and people with unusual names will relate to the main character's frustration with people pronouncing her name wrong, but the story seemed forced and preachy to me. The first-person voice frequently sounds much older than it should be, and I was surprised by this small child giving the example of a barista saying her name wrong. Kids that age are going to be interested in personalized keychains, yes, but the barista example seemed too adult for a kindergartener. Overall, it was clear that the author was reflecting on a lifelong frustration without creating an authentic voice for her very young character.
This book is still worthwhile as a teaching tool, showing kids the importance of standing up for themselves and taking care to pronounce other people's names correctly. However, even though parents and educators can use this to teach children, it doesn't have much of a story to it and is unlikely to appeal as a repeat read.
This book is still worthwhile as a teaching tool, showing kids the importance of standing up for themselves and taking care to pronounce other people's names correctly. However, even though parents and educators can use this to teach children, it doesn't have much of a story to it and is unlikely to appeal as a repeat read.
May 19, 2023
LOVE this book and the strong representation of the character of Mirha.
This resonates - kids and worse, teachers / adults not bothering to ask how to pronounce someone's name, and then a child being called an incorrectly pronounced named for a full school year usually, if the child doesn't correct them.
Seeing this ignorance still perpetuate with my children's names, and from people who should know how to pronounce them correctly, in the way they are written, but who choose to anglicise their names is the most frustrating things ever.
Giving children to empathise with Mirha is important for readers, and being able to see how they can tell people who pronounce their names incorrectly in a polite but firm way, in strong voices are a starting point that the book provides for young readers.
Beautiful illustrations.
The book could have been fleshed out more, but I liked it all the same ad the central message shone through.
This resonates - kids and worse, teachers / adults not bothering to ask how to pronounce someone's name, and then a child being called an incorrectly pronounced named for a full school year usually, if the child doesn't correct them.
Seeing this ignorance still perpetuate with my children's names, and from people who should know how to pronounce them correctly, in the way they are written, but who choose to anglicise their names is the most frustrating things ever.
Giving children to empathise with Mirha is important for readers, and being able to see how they can tell people who pronounce their names incorrectly in a polite but firm way, in strong voices are a starting point that the book provides for young readers.
Beautiful illustrations.
The book could have been fleshed out more, but I liked it all the same ad the central message shone through.
September 16, 2022
Mirha's first day at school goes nothing like she had planned. Her classmates and even her teacher keep mispronouncing her name. When she goes home and tells her mother of her plan to change her name, her mother tells her about all the great things about Mirha's name, which gives Mirha the power to stand up for herself. In doing so, she makes friends and learns about where they got their names, too!
With fun illustrations and an interactive narrative inviting you to be Mirha's friend, Syed's picture book makes for an empowering story for all children searching for reassurance about their names and identity.
With fun illustrations and an interactive narrative inviting you to be Mirha's friend, Syed's picture book makes for an empowering story for all children searching for reassurance about their names and identity.
December 9, 2022
Working in education it always bothered me when teachers and students would not take the time to learn how to pronounce names that were different from their normal. So often students with seemingly “foreign� names would shorten them or just go by an Anglicized one. This picture book champions the children who struggle with the injustice of being othered because of their heritage and name. Its call to action is to speak up every time someone mispronounces your name, say that’s not my name. If we can learn how to say Tchaikovsky, we can learn other cultural names. Great read for all elementary school teachers and students who seek diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
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February 13, 2023Text-to-World connection: This was a cute little story. One of the main lessons you can take from this is to accept yourself and your name even if it is different. In America, we have several different people from several different cultures, and it is important for others to understand and respect that other people's names or beliefs might be a little different than ours. It's important to take the time to make sure you are addressing them correctly and not doing what feels best for yourself. This is a great book about accepting yourself and accepting others.
December 15, 2022
Okay, maybe my favorite children’s book of all time?? So so cute and important, especially to a young one (or grown up little one) who has what some may deem a “difficult name.� Was even cooler to see my name in the book? Even if it was spelt different :). Beginning of school was always miserable correcting people on how to say my name and the dream of changing it to something more phonetic was always there, but this book would’ve been great to have 20 years ago! Love it.
April 6, 2023
This is such a simple, important message that I’m so happy to see in a children’s book. Our names are such a meaningful part of our identity. Rather than relying on an easy nickname, this encourages kids (and adults) to put a few moments of effort into learning the correct pronunciation of their friend’s names.
October 26, 2023
I guess people of color have often had the conversation about if people can say [insert any "complicated" name of white person it is expected everyone know how to pronounce], they can say [your cultural/ethnic name]. Great for all children to learn the importance of learning to say people's names correctly.
November 21, 2023
3.5/5 stars. I love the premise of this book and had similar experiences with my name growing up. I would have preferred the author show, rather than tell, the importance of a name and the struggles when your name is uncommon or from a different culture. This book may be more tailored to a younger audience.
July 17, 2022
Anoosha Syed's signature art style is even more brilliantly displayed in her first author-illustrator release. This is the perfect picture book to share with any kid who gets their name regularly butchered. It's sweet, relatable, and inclusive. You'll want to read it over and over again!
July 31, 2022
Upset that everyone at school mispronounces her name, Mirha's mother helps to understand how special her name is, and she returns to school the next day determined to help her classmates say it correctly, even if it takes a hundred tries.
January 28, 2024
5 stars. To get a keychain with her name on it
Arabic means happiness
Reaffirms her pride in name with family love
Makes lots of friends and they share how their names are special
Read along version is a delight with all the different ways the little friends pronounce her name
Arabic means happiness
Reaffirms her pride in name with family love
Makes lots of friends and they share how their names are special
Read along version is a delight with all the different ways the little friends pronounce her name
Want to read
January 7, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
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