Saddened by her classmates’ and teacher’s mispronunciations of her name, a girl is empowered by her discovery that names are like songs when she and her mom celebrate the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names. Illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Published by The Innovation Press
Read more about it in my interview with John Schu here: YNIAS Cover Reveal
★ “This lovely celebration of African American culture, featuring a Muslim family, offers a fresh way to look at the tradition of creating new names. . . A delightful celebration.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “Simultaneously imparts a strong spark of sensibility and envelops readers in a warm embrace through an overdue, crucial lesson about the significance of honoring every individual’s cultural identity…”
— School Library Journal, starred review
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Time Magazine 10 Best YA and Children Books of 2020
African American Children’s Book Project Best Picture Books of 2020
Black Caucus of the American Library Association Best of the Best 2020 Booklist
Book Riot 20 Must Read Picture Books from 2020
Donna Norvell 2021 Book Award Nominee
Pacific Northwest Independent Bestseller List
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best of 2020
Children’s Book Council 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
CLEL Bell Awards 2021 Shortlist
Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids 2020
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2020
New York Public Library 2020 Best Books for Kids
Little Feminist Best New Children’s Books of 2020
The 2020 Nerdies Fiction Picture Books/Nerdy Book Club Award
2020 Picture Book Picks #Kidlit Creators’ Faves of the Year
