My Name Is Ai Lin
Written by Maria Wen Adcock
Illustrated by Yu Ting Cheng
Published by Sleeping Bear Press
In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.
When Ai Lin starts school, none of her classmates can say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it properly. They ask Ai Lin if they can just call her by another name. It’s not that important, right? But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Her name is part of her identity and heritage. Her name was chosen not only for what it means, but also for how it sounds. It ties her to her family—present and past—and to its traditions.
When Ai Lin shares her family history with her classmates, they come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name, and all that it means and stands for, is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake.
Primary ISBN: 9781534113114
Publication Date: June 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 06 or older
Community Represented: Chinese/Chinese American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Cross-Group Friendship, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Celebrations & Traditions, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Discrimination: Cultural, Discrimination: Microaggression, Family Relationship: Parents, Family Relationship: Siblings, Identity: Multilingual, Identity: Names & Pronunciations, Multilingual: Mandarin Featured Words, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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