EMWF Kids' Reads

Written and illustrated by Thao Lam
Published by Owlkids Books

A book review by Sebastian (6) and Zosha (6)!


Welcome Sebastian and Zosha! Can you tell us about this book?

Sebastian: The book is about a girl who feels her name is different from most kids in her class. She also eats different. She thinks it would be easier to have a different name.

Zosha: This book is about a girl named Thao who people call names which are not her names. I think she feels sad and frustrated when she hears the wrong names.

What do you like about this book?

Sebastian: It's funny. I like the part where she says her name is Jennifer and she starts changing her name because it's really funny. I like that people in the book look like they are made of paper.

Zosha: I liked the happy ending, which was sort of happy.  She taught other people how to say her name and she was proud of her name.

What was your favourite part of the story?

Sebastian: My favourite part is when she says all the names that people call her and how they are different from her name. There were a lot of different names.

Zosha: My favourite part was when she called herself Jennifer.  It showed her idea that it would be easier if she had a different name, but it wasn’t actually her name.

What do you like about the illustrations?

Sebastian: I like that she is a picture and everyone else looks like paper and they're different.

Zosha: I like that there were real photos of Thao mixed in with the pictures. I also liked the class photo at the front and back of the book.

Why should kids read this book?

Sebastian: Because it's really really funny.

Zosha: Kids should know that kids have different names. It’s about respect.

If you could as the author a question, what would it be?

Sebastian: Why did you write this book?

Read Thao Lam's response

Zosha: Are your other books also about when you were growing up?

Read Thao Lam's response

Thank you Sebastian and Zosha!