![]() ![]() – The fact that every name mentioned is followed by a pronunciation aid, so that readers can sing them along with Kora-Jalimuso and Momma. – The musicality and lyricism of the text, not only in the names, but also in stunning phrases such as “…the twinkle in stars, the glimmer in minds that think and tinker.” – The subtle but powerful message of being proud of your heritage and of who you are as an individual. There’s so much to love about this book that I barely know where to start! So for the first time, I’m describing my favourite aspects in list form: By the time she returns to school the next day, she’s ready to sing her name – Kora-Jalimuso – to her classmates and teacher, as well as teaching them to sing their own names. The girl’s skepticism gradually turns to excitement as she practises singing different names, accompanied by sounds from the street. However, to cheer the girl up during the walk home, Momma teaches her that each name is a song – some names stretch out like love songs, some need to be said from the heart or the belly, others are full of fire, or lunge like a dragon. ![]() ![]() ![]() Two girls acted like they were choking on it, a boy pretended to find it scary, and even the teacher couldn’t correctly get it past her lips. When the main character (whose name we don’t discover until the end of the story) is picked up by Momma after her first day of school, she’s sad that no one was able to say her name. Today I have the pleasure of reviewing what I believe is one of the most beautiful picture books of recent times, or quite possibly of all time: Your Name Is a Song. ![]()
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