The power of your name A praise poem

Rajan Gopal urges a widespread appreciation for names in this affirming work featuring Sua's crisp cut-paper artwork. Sunny spreads and alliterative and assonant lines systematically present different frames for valuing names, variously describing them as a "beat," "celebration," "feast," "hope," and well beyond. Energetic verse centers on self-empowerment, offering supportive assurances ("Your name is electricity./ A crackle and a sizzle/ in your very cells"). Amid scenes of human figures, depicted with various abilities and skin tones, botanical motifs adorn most pages, seemingly gesturing toward self-growth. Rhythmic prose emphasizes music motifs, and final pages appropriately offer a resounding exhortation: "let your name/ RING/ It is the sweetest ballad you can/ SING." An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Aug.)

An ABC book that celebrates that sweetest of sounds: your name. Climbing a rock wall, sailing across a starlit sea, and gamboling through floral landscapes, the diverse characters who populate these pages proclaim that your name is "the snap pop / of your essence / your presence / your superpower." Infused with alphabetically arranged positive descriptors ("Your name is Alive. / A melody of letters," "Your name is a Gift / Plucked from your family tree"), Gopal's rhyming text builds to a rousing crescendo of everything that makes you "zesty zingy zen-sational you." Quieter verses offer readers space to consider the origins of their names and to reflect on "your true self / and your place in this world." The use of made-up terms--vibrosonic,wonderific--feels a bit out of place in a book centered on the alphabet, though the words don't detract from the uplifting message. On each page, the main word appears prominently, styled in inventive ways:electricity presented in a jagged font, set against a sky filled with lightning;knowledge spelled out on a classroom blackboard. Sua's cut-paper artwork creates dynamic lines as well as movement that follows the rhythms of the text. An author's note advises readers to take special care to say people's names the way they would like; Gopal and Sua also explain the meanings of their own names. Bolstering and affirming.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Your Name is . . . ALIVE a melody of letters that thrum and hum that croon to the rhythm of your tune. Excerpted from The Power of Your Name: A Praise Poem by Jyoti Rajan Gopal All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.