That's Not My Name

4.3

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Author(s)

Anoosha Syed

Publisher

Viking Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

July 12, 2022

ISBN

978-0593405178

Buy This Book

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.

Editor review

1 review

A story of being proud of who you are

August 16, 2022

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Mirha is starting school and is looking forward to making new friends. Unfortunately, her first day isn't at all as she pictured. In her class, the students pronounce Mirha's name incorrectly and she is frustrated. She wonders if she would make new friends if she changed her name.

Mirha's mother explains that her name means happiness in Arabic, and she should be proud of it. When Mirha goes to school the next day she corrects anyone who mispronounces her name. Mirha makes a lot of friends by the end of the book and learns how to handle any situation where someone mispronounces her name.

The colorful illustrations in this book are wonderful. I appreciate how the author Anoosha Syed ensured that Mirha's class was diverse and that children of all ethnicities and abilities were represented.

This story is a perfect read-aloud for elementary school-aged children. It has an important message of being proud of who you are and learning to advocate for yourself.