Say My Name Review

 Module 2: 2024 Notable Poetry Books and Verse Novels     Selected by the NCTE Children’s Poetry Award Committee


Say My Name by Joanna Ho

Bibliography
Ho, J. (2023). Say my name (K. Le, Illust.). HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063334359
Summary
Say My Name emphasizes the value of a person’s name as it links to their heritage, culture, and family values. Ho uses six children from different nationalities (Chinese, Tongan, Persian, Navajo, Mexican, and Ghanaian) to explore and celebrate the uniqueness of their heritage. The illustrations by Khoa Le are vibrant and each are crafted to reflect the culture and ethnic relevance of each child. The backmatter has a small thank you to friends that helped write about the diverse cultures and a pronunciation guide. The guide, however, is more than pronunciations, as it includes brief explanations of the names and their histories. 
Analysis
This book is a call to action that emphasizes the importance of learning to pronounce names of people of different cultures and languages. Names have significance and history associated with them; “Each syllable,/ each sound,/ is a building block/ in an architecture/ constructed over oceans/ and across generations. Say my name.”  When names are modified to fit the mouths of those who don't know how to say them, they lose their value. Ho calls for us to learn and practice names that are difficult for us and to “Wrap your tongue around its sounds/ and memorize its shapes./ Say it over/ and over/ and over/ again/ until its tones and rhythms,/… carve a home in your mouth/ and settle in your spirit” because as we say them, we are calling more than the person, but who they are. 

After a short opening of what names are, we are introduced to six children. Each child from a distinct culture introduces themselves with their name and who they are. Their introductions individually take up two two-page spreads with every one beginning with “My name is” and ending in the phrase “Say my name.” These phrases unify the otherwise completely distinct stories of the children by their common plea to have their name said correctly.

 Although they are not individual poems, they almost read as if they are because each one is telling a story of a new person. The repetition of the phrases previously mentioned is the common thread that makes them one poem instead of six. The free verses form allows each story to feel as original as the children and their names since each one stresses different lines, words, and rhythms. 

Excerpt
My name is 
Bijan Hosseini.
Once a jewel cradled
in my mother’s arms,
I look to Allah for guidance
and walk
with angels over my shoulders
and prayers to sustain my steps.
I am the poetry of my people,
its stanzas and verses
Weaving tapestries of history
And carried in my soul.
Say my name.
Activity
Although the target audience for this book is children, I would bring Say My Name into secondary classes as it is an excellent lesson for people of every age as the world’s cultures continue to blend more and more. For example, working in an international school with dorms that house high school students from several different Asian countries in addition to the already diverse population we serve provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss the value of learning how to pronounce each others’ names. 

After reading the book to the class, we will engage in a conversation discussing initial reactions and meaning behind some of the figurative language. Students will then look up their name and/or write their name story if they know it, reflecting on whether knowing the meaning of their names changes the way they feel about it and if they feel it is an accurate reflection of who they are. Finally, students will create a poem about their identity.

Reviews
From School Library Journal: “Many children understand the frustration and pain that comes with having a name that their teachers, doctors, and other adults outside of their families cannot seem to correctly pronounce. The book takes that experience very seriously, offering its readers an opportunity to take pride in the beautiful origins of their names.”

 From Publishers Weekly: “In a picture book that weaves ancestral and cultural identity into a fluid, rhythmic narrative, six children-of Chinese, Tongan, Persian, Diné, Nahua, and Ghanaian Akan descent-share the origins of their given names…Le’s velvety, intricately rendered images, meanwhile, use burgundy and teal tones to delineate expansive landscapes and patterned motifs. Together, they create an affirming, uplifting work focused on how correct pronunciation honors and respects: "Say my name./ Anything less/ is not/ me."

 

 


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