My Name Is Ai Lin

In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.

When Ai Lin starts school, her classmates cannot say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it properly. They ask Ai Lin if they can call her by another name. But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Her name is part of her identity and heritage. When Ai Lin shares her family history, her classmates come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name, and all that it means and stands for, is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake.

⭐STARRED REVIEW from School Library Journal⭐
“This is an excellent book for the beginning of the school year and will pair well with other books about names like Kevin Henkes’s Chrysanthemum or Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow’s Your Name is a Song. With a very light touch, it offers discussion points on respect for others, cultural traditions, and the how and why parents choose names. The author’s notes about her own experiences with her name as well as the Chinese characters for the names in the book are a nice addition. VERDICT This charming book about a girl navigating new situations belongs in every collection.“

🏆59 Stellar Picture Books Honoree🏆
🏆Grand Prize Winner: Seasons of Kidlit Book Awards🏆