My name is a gift by Zeshan Akhter illustrated by Asa Gillano

When I met Daddy and fitted in his hands, I didn't have a name. 

So Daddy and Mommy whispered one in my ear. 

My name is the first present I ever got. 

It came wrapped in Daddy and Mommy's love.

Publisher blurb:  On the day Sitara is born, she receives a very special gift from her parents—her name. As Sitara grows, some people tumble up her name in their mouths until it's not her name anymore. So Sitara learns about the history, tradition, and culture that went into choosing her name, giving her the confidence to help others say it right. This heartwarming story not only teaches us the significance of our names, but it also highlights that trying to say names correctly, or asking if you're unsure, goes a long way.

"People I meet have never heard my name before." - this means they make up names or miss out letters. If you don't know how to say someone's name - just ask. The little girl in this story will also show you a world map as a way to explain where her name comes from. Her name means 'shine like a star'. Her name is Sitara. 

"When someone says my name carefully and kindly, it lights up my heart."

Names are so important. I have two sad stories to share about names. When my little mum moved into an aged care facility (it was a dreadful place) each of the resident names were displayed on the door of their room - I went to set up her room a few days before her arrival only to discover her name was spelt incorrectly - I really think there is absolutely no excuse for this. To my horror the registered nurse who had printed the sign was quite "put out" that I dared to ask for it to be corrected. The second example is from the same facility. My name has a silent letter. Many of the staff have English as a second or even third language but the nurse who needed to tell me when my mum needed help or had fallen could never ever get my name right in spite of repeated corrections. At first my friends thought this was very funny but over time it really upset me. Her way of mangling my name actually sounded quite rude. My name actually means "pearl". 

My name is a gift is an Empathy Lab title. It was published in 2024 and is available in paperback. I think this book should be an essential purchase for all Primary school libraries. Take a look at this post for other book titles that explore names. 

I am Nefertiti