The first week of school is always full of getting to know you activities. A very important part of this is learning our students’ names and teaching students the value of our names. So I’m sharing my favorite books about names that you can use with students this school year!
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10 Books About Names
Your Name is a Song
Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a beautiful tribute to how special each individual’s name is and the meaning behind our names. Not only are the illustrations gorgeous, but the book also has such a powerful message. The author has recorded herself saying the names to help readers pronounce them correctly. Definitely a book worth sharing with students!
My Name is Elizabeth
My Name is Elizabeth by Annika Dunklee tells the story of a spunky girl who loves her full name. After all, she DOES have a queen named after her! She is not amused when people try to give her nicknames like Lizzy or Beth. This is the perfect book about respecting people’s names and not using nicknames unless given permission.
The Name Jar
In The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, Unhei is a new student from Korea who is worried about fitting in. She fears that her classmates will not be able to pronounce her name. When asked to introduce herself to the class, she says she will pick her name by next week. Her plan is to choose an American name from the jar, but begins to realize the beauty of her own name.
Chrysanthemum
My go-to book about names as a classroom teacher was Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes! Chrysanthemum has always loved her name, that is until she started school. The other kids teased her about her name, until an unexpected discovery helps her love her name again.
Alma and How She Got Her Name
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal explores the story behind our names. Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela is a small girl with a long name. But as she discovers the meaning behind her name, she begins to realize it is just the perfect fit for her.
The Change Your Name Store
The Change Your Name Store by Leanne Shirtliffe is an imaginative story about a store that lets us try on different names. With each name that Wilma Lee Wu chooses, she is transported to the country from which the name originates. Through her journey of discovering her own self-identity she eventually finds the name that is the perfect fit for her.
Andy That’s My Name
Andy That’s My Name is written by the legendary Tomie DePaola. Andy is a little kid with an important name. He’s so proud of his name that he brings the letters of his name in a wagon wherever he goes. But the big kids begin to play a game with his name and won’t let him play. Eventually, he takes his name home because he realizes the importance of his name. This book is perfect to use to introduce names activities where students can manipulate the letters of their names or Making Words activities.
A My Name is Alice
A My Name is Alice by Jane Bayer is the perfect book to use when introducing names activities that encourage students to use alliteration with their names. This alphabet book introduces us to a character for every letter of the alphabet. We also meet each character’s husband, find out their jobs, the kind of animals they are, and where they live – all of which start with the same letter! You could easily create a class book where each student makes a page about themselves using words that start with the first letter of their names.
My Name is Yoon
My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits tells the story of a young Korean girl named Yoon. Her father tells her she must learn to write her name in English, but Yoon prefers how it looks in Korean. Instead of using her name at school, she decides to try out other names such as Cat, Bird, and even Cupcake!
Hello My Name is… How Adorabilis Got His Name
Hello My Name is… How Adorabilis Got His Name by Marisa Polansky is a different type of names book. This is inspired by the true story of the discovery of a new species of octopus. The author imagines how the Adorabilis was named. Through this story, students are also introduced to many other new and fascinating ocean creatures. It could lead to a lot of interesting and engaging research projects on these animals!
Hopefully, you found some new books or were reminded of some old favorites! Which books about names are your favorite to use at the beginning of the school year? Tell us below!
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