While classics can be a valuable resource, and a book’s age doesn’t automatically disqualify it, with the vast advancements the children’s literature industry has made in authentic and inclusive representation, it necessitates evaluation of books you select with a more critical eye toward ensuring all identities are seen and valued and honored in schools. For that reason, I encourage you to branch out from what may have been used for the last thirty years into some of the newer titles that can provide similar conversations while encouraging a deeper sense of belonging and understanding for all students.

Instead of Chrysanthemum, try one of these newer titles!

My Name is Saajin Singh
Becoming Vanessa
Tell Teach Us Your Name
Call Me Max
Kantiga Finds the Perfect Name
Your Name is a Song
My Name is Long as a River
My Name
Yefferson, Actually
Banana Dream
My Name is Not Ed Tug
Do You Even Know Me?
Alma and How She Got Her Name
The Girl Who Named Pluto
The Arabic Quilt
THAO
My Name is Aviva
Josie Dances
I Am Not a Fish!
What’s Your Name?
Calvin
The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name
My Name is Sangoel
Always Anjali
Say My Name
Sora’s Seashells
That’s Not My Name!
Baba, What Does My Name Mean?: A Journey to Palestine
My Name is Bana
Naming Ceremony
Joyful Song: A Naming Story

You can shop this list, & many more for your personal or classroom collection, at my Bookshop page to support independent bookstores + my work.

September 2021
It’s back-to-school season, which means it’s the time of year when educators are meeting new groups of kids across the country. It also means educators are having to learn 15-100+ new names. What better time to choose picture books for your #ClassroomBookADay read-alouds that connect to identities through names? It’s vital that we honor all of our students by getting their names right. Refusing to use students’ stated names or to learn how to pronounce them correctly is steeped in xenophobic, bigoted, and racist mentalities. One of my most often used phrases this time of year is “Please correct me every time if I get it wrong until I learn to get it right,” because kids are human and deserve at least that much from us.

In this video, I share some book talks about a few of my favorite picture book titles that go with this theme!

Follett Classroom has partnered with me to spread the #ClassroomBookADay message. As part of that, my themed picture book recommendation lists are housed in Titlewave, one of my favorite free databases for looking up all things related to book information! Don’t have your free account? Grab it today.

Picture Books About Names | September 2021

Alma and How She Got Her Name
Always Anjali
Becoming Vanessa
Call Me Max
Chrysanthemum
Danbi Leads the School Parade
Hello My Name Is…How Adorabilis Got His Name
I Am Not a Fish!
Josie Dances
My Name is Elizabeth
My Name is Aviva
My Name is Blessing
My Name is Sangoel
My Name Was Hussein (out of print, check your local library!)
Rene Has Two Last Names
THAO
The Arabic Quilt
The Girl Who Named Pluto
The Name Jar
Your Name is a Song

You can shop this list & many more for your personal or classroom collection at my Bookshop page!