What's In a Name?

Names are so important.  In my post on Monday, I discussed how to choose a character name.  And Sunday's poem featured a unique name.  Today's post is a picture book about children and names.  Very clever.  Love it!


This week's Gemstone: My Name is Sangoel

• Written by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed 
• Illustrated by Catherine Stock
• Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• 2009
• Summary: As a refugee from Sudan to the United States, Sangoel is frustrated that no one can pronounce his name correctly until he finds a clever way to solve his problem.

Sparkle Element:  I loved how I didn't pronounce his name correctly, either, until he shows everyone else how to say it right, including me.  What a surprise!  Can't we all relate, or at least remember, how others' names were always mispronounced.  And what about last names?  We've all done that!  This would be a great book to use in a classroom in the beginning of school when everyone is learning each other's names.  I just loved it!  If I were reading aloud to my own class, I would say his name incorrectly the whole way through, I think, until he is able to teach everyone how to say it the right way.


Just remember, when you're writing, create a character name that is also easy to pronounce.


What names do you guys remember saying wrong or hearing others say wrong?  For me, it was mostly spelling, not pronouncing.  You know, there's a hundred ways to spell Christie!