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
