Sandhya Parappukkaran

Written to reflect her South Indian heritage, this book contains an important lesson for all readers. This is a story about a boy who is embarrassed because of the length of his name. When he makes a new friend, he realizes that she has skateboarding skills she can teach him. In the same way, he decides to teach her his full name. Over time, they learn from each other and learn that they don't need to change who they are for other people. Sometimes it just takes time and practice. This book is well-written and could be used with any age in elementary school. The writing has excellent examples of imagery as the boy describes what he wants to do with his name. The illustrations are captivating and the colors on each page match the mood of the main character as he struggles with trying to appreciate and share his name.… (more)