The Girl Who Did Not Like Her Name Book Review

Just recently, author Chloe Jon Paul provided me with her children’s book to review here on Michigan Home Mommy Works.  I was especially excited because one of the character’s names in the book happens to be my 6 year old’s name: Alessandra.

We typically call her Alyssa or Lyssa, for short.  When we call her by her full birth name, she looks at us like we are from another planet and really does not like to be called Alessandra.  Not as of yet anyways.  I figure it’s because she is so used to her nickname and I guess that makes a whole lot of sense, right?

Before I summarize the book, let me introduce to you Chloe Jon Paul:

Chloe Jon Paul, M.Ed., is a “retired educator and writer of several published articles and a previous book entitled:What Happens Next: A Family Guide to Nursing Home Visits” and More.  Here are some other awesome achievements since the age of 55:

• Title of Ms. Maryland Senior America 2003
• Recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship Seminars Abroad award to South Africa, 1996
• Volunteer internship during the 2005 Maryland legislative session as a Legacy Leadership Institute graduate
• Lead facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project in prison and community workshops on conflict resolution for ten years
• State representative for the National Family Caregivers Association’s caregiver community action network 2006-2008
• Advisory board member: MD, Healthcare Commission and the Interagency Commission for Aging Services: Maryland Dept. of Aging
• Hospice and homeless shelter volunteer
• Coordinator for the Good Samaritan Project at her church
• World traveler – all 7 continents

Very impressive work as well as inspirational.

The Girl Who Did Not Like Her Name

Alessandra Theresa Petrucci doesn’t like her name one bit. When she was little, grown-ups would say, “My! My! Such a BIG name for such a little girl.”

Her mother insisted on calling her Alessandra. “Sandra or Sandy just isn’t right for you,” she would say. “No, Alessandra is just fine!” Her mother insisted that everyone else call her that too.

Last year when she had started first grade and learned to print her name, she couldn’t fit her full name across the paper. Her letters were too big and clumsy yet.

“You have a lovely name,” her teacher had said. “When your printing gets better, you’ll be able to write smaller. Maybe you could leave out your middle name for now.”

“My name is almost as long as the whole alphabet!” Alessandra Theresa wailed.

She knows that she was named after her great-great grandmother but her response to that is “I think that’s dumb! Why do I have to have the name of somebody who’s dead? She wasn’t even famous!”

Alessandra spends a lot of time trying to figure out how to change her name or at least shorten it but when she visits her grandmother during summer vacation, something unexpected and wonderful happens!

Young readers will be delighted and fascinated with what Alessandra Theresa discovers when she climbs up to the attic of her grandmother’s house. Later, when her grandmother asks her to tell her about the problem she has been having, she matter-of-factly replies, “Oh, that – it’s not a problem anymore!”

What makes Alessandra Theresa Petrucci change her mind about her name?

Read The Girl Who Did Not Like Her Name and learn what happens. ~Chloe Jon Paul

I love the ending!  Let’s just say I hope that my Alessandra will see that her name is special and beautiful just like her. 

Does your child happen to have an issue with their own name?  This book might be of a help to them.  My Alessandra isn’t quite convinced as of yet, but that’s probably because she is only 6.  In time she will see she has a ballerina of a name.

If you would like to learn more about this book or about the author, visit: www.chloejonpaul.com

A big thank you goes to Chloe Jon Paul for allowing me to review her book today.  It has been an honor and a privilege to do so.

Image and sources courtesy of Chloe Jon Paul

If you have a book or product that you would like for me to review, please contact me at lindsey@michiganhomemommyworks.com for more details!