Absolutely adorable read! The images mixed with real photos was incredibly creative, and I know so many students who could relate. A true story of accepting and being proud of who you are and where you come from.

Thao is a beautifully illustrated and written picture book about a girl who gets made fun of because of her non-Western name. Readers will be able to use this story to discuss why Thao feels how she does and why "othering" people is wrong. Even though she chooses an American name to use she ultimately returns to her family name because she is proud of her heritage. This is a positive message about identity that many immigrants need to hear, as well as non-immigrants. The story is one that can foster peace, acceptance and understanding.

A beautiful picture book for young kids with collage art and a child’s writing in crayon throughout.

Thao is about the harm and trauma BIPOC children go through when their names are mispronounced because they aren’t “normal” white American (Anglo-American) names. The author shows how kids and adults alike, will say anything that they think sounds like their name, make up words, make jokes, say a name different each time, and even give a child an Anglo-American nickname to make it easier (easier for white people). Which leads Thao to want to change her own name to fit in and feel more American.

Thao is one way to teach children about racism and xenophobia. It’s a book that shows how non-westerners are bullied and harmed by the micro aggressions of mispronouncing names, and most importantly, a book for BIPOC kids to read, to see themselves, and to be seen and heard.

I feel that books like Thao are more impactful because it’s about one person’s experience, an experience that many BIPOC people go through. First person experiences are easier for most to connect to, rather than a concept. It leads to being able to understand bigger concepts and the harm they cause to marginalized communities.

All kids have a name story. Kids will get this book and they will enjoy the style of art with the author's actual pictures of herself when she was young.

This funny and relatable story illustrates the importance of respecting a person's name and culture in a humorous way. Speaking of illustrations, the art is wonderful, with paper collage in which young Thao is easy to spot - she's represented by cut-out photos, while everyone else is represented as delightfully detailed collaged paper. Thao's name is mispronounced a lot, and once she learns to recognize the ways people get her name wrong, she starts answering to the wrong names - it's just easier. Some of the names, however, are mean: Tofu, China Girl. One day, she decides to be Jennifer instead. But when lunch comes around and her mother has packed her favorite, gỏi cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls), Thao decides she'd rather be herself.
I can only imagine how annoying it must be to have people mangle your name all the time. This story is a gentle, non-preachy reminder to be respectful of a person's name - names are important, they carry part of our identity, after all - that everyone, not just children, can learn from.

#THAO #NetGalley

This is a real nice, fun to read to a little kid book. The art work is a different view, done in a 'cut-paper collage' type picture....& is really unique & fun for a change! Also a welcome/easy color scheme....the different fonts used are interesting too. The little book tells about the uniqueness of a name, & the ways that others mispronounce, & use it, & how a kid might feel about that. I think it's a great book to share with a kid, & maybe a kid with a unique name themselves might especially find something to relate to. I think little kids would like it.
I received this e-book from Owlkids Books via NetGalley for review purposes. These are all my own opinions.

My Thoughts:

The novel in verse When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez has a poem in the book titled "Roster" about students who have non-Western names and the moment of nervous waiting when the teacher inevitable mangles their name as it comes out of their foreign mouths, and how that changes your identity to the students around you. This picture book by Thao Lam does a beautiful job of acknowledging the way others have mangled her name by putting it out there and thus reducing the power of the taunts.

In addition, many children of immigrants, now adults, have talked about the trauma of being teased when they bring their home lunch as the smells, textures and ingredients of their food is different from the more vanilla school lunch. But in this book, Thao finds strength in her mother's Vietnamese spring rolls because for her it just reminds her that she is loved, and that helps her to love herself and gain confidence in her identity.

The collage art and the use of Ms Lam's own childhood photos makes this picture book feel very cinematic and playful. The cover is simple, but the inside is gorgeous!

From the Publisher:
Even though it’s only four simple, familiar letters long, nobody can ever pronounce Thao’s name. She’s been called Theo, Tail, even Towel! But the teasing names―Tofu, Tiny, China Girl―are worse. Maybe it’s time to be someone else? Thao decides to try on a different name, something easy, like Jennifer.

It works, but only until she opens her lunchbox to find her mother’s Vietnamese spring rolls, gỏi cuốn―Thao’s favorite! Now, it feels a lot more comfortable to be herself.

Simple on the surface, this story inspired by Thao’s own childhood is full of humor, heart, and important ideas of diversity, inclusion, and cultural pride. The story will be instantly relatable to readers who have ever felt different.

Designed with a playful emphasis on typography, and Thao’s own childhood photos added to her signature cut-paper collage, THAO champions being true to yourself and your background, and being empathetic towards others. It is a celebration of all that’s in a name and the power of owning your identity.

Gorgeous! Love the way the story is told. An especially important story that many students can relate to as world is changing and becoming more diverse.

Having grown up with a little sister who had a frequently mispronounced name, I felt for Thao in this story. The constant correcting and explaining get old after a while. Thao handled her situation with grace and humor. Kiddos with uncommon names will appreciate this book.

Such a fun book. I only wished it was a bit longer.
I can empathize with the names she was called and the foods brought to school that were given funny looks by the other kids. This is a simple and very touching way to show kids what other kids could be going through. I would definitely let my k-12 kiddo read this book.

This is a perfect simple book to help explain simple cultural differences to kids. Thao is used to being called anything but her name. Her name is unusual in american culture, because it is an asian culture name. Thao. They really wish they had a more normal name, but goes on to esplan how to say it. And then mentions her lunch which looks delicious. It’s the simplicity of this book that makes it perfect. It’s the simplicity of the illustrations. All the characters except Thao are paper dolls, while Thao is a real picture of the author as a child. It shows the differences between the author and the rest of her class that make them stand out. I just love it.

As a school librarian in a community gradually shifting from predominantly white to more diverse, this book will have an important place on my story rug and in conversation with students. In gentle language, clever cutouts of the author as a child, and interesting typography the book highlights the importance of learning to pronounce classmates (or students) names correctly. It shows rather than tells in a way I appreciate. Highly recommend pre-K to Gr 3

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this. I enjoyed Thao. It's variety of text and different types of illustrations was fun to look at. It was a short and simple book that is a great way to start a conversation with children about cultural differences and the importance of names. The only frustrating thing was that I am still unsure how to pronounce the name Thao Lam. It is never addressed in the book, only examples of how NOT to say it. Overall, an enjoyable and important book.

This is an adorable picture book addressing the emotions behind names. When Thao is disheartened about how her teachers and friends mispronounce her name, she decides to "Americanize". She realizes, though, that doing so also takes some of the favorite parts of her culture away. A great way to explain to kids how important respect for another person's name is!

Thao's name is mispronounced many different ways but there is only one correct way to say the four letters that make it up. Tired of the accidental and intentionally cruel mispronuciations Thao tries on Jenniferfor size. Though there are more letters, it's pronounced properly and she enjoys the break. When Jennifer opens her lunch to findThao's favorite Vietnemese spring rolls she decides her name is Thao after all. A joyful book about self-acceptence that students will enjoy. A great option for a back-to-school read aloud this picture book will present oppurtunities to help children learn how to respectfully learn to pronounce names correctly. The use of images from the author's childhood set amouong the mixed-media collage illustrations is brillant! This technique allows the reader to focus on the idea of the progatonist as a real young girl who realizes her name deserves respect. Definnitely a must have for picture book collection.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my elementary library friends. It is very sweet and I love how it showed how a name is powerful, but can be very disheartening for children when people can't pronounce it or don't take the time to learn how to pronounce it correctly.

In Thao: A Picture Book, the author-illustrator gives us an inside look at what it was like to be a child with a name that was often mispronounced by kids and teachers at school. The book is written very simply, which works to total perfection. It begins with, “It’s not easy being Thao,” on a double page spread with a photo of a very young Lam and cut paper collages of students outside of school. Using these same mediums throughout the story on a plain beige background, Lam’s point comes across very clearly.

There are four letters in her name. They are the same letters that everyone else in her class uses. Why did her name have to be so hard to say? So, one day, she decides to be Jennifer. There is only one problem. Thao isn’t Jennifer. What is she to do?

This is one of my favorite books of the year. It is simple. The artwork and spare text work together splendidly. There is a perfect message to be gleaned. Just marvelous!

Time and time again I see my fellow Latinx demoralized and accepting alternate pronunciations of their names. Young Thao can identify with that struggle. Constant name-calling led to a brief period where she chose a typical English name... until her mom's lunch reminds her of who she truly is.

This book hits close home. As mother of a Korean little man, I have lost count of how many times I had to spell it out his last name.
As for book, I wish there was a storyline a bit more developed. Somehow it feels flat and too simple.

Thank you to Netgalley and Owlkids Books for access to a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thao: A Picture Book is a deceptively simple story that perfectly conveys how it feels to be othered because of a name. It’s simple enough to share with little ones who still need an adult to read aloud, but it will resonate with early elementary readers as well.

The book features beautiful cut-paper collages by author Thao Lam. They drew me into the story, inspiring wonder and creativity. (I definitely wanted to collage when I finished reading!) It’s fitting that only Thao is represented by an actual childhood photo, emphasizing how her identity is viewed and treated differently by adults and kids at her school.

Her name is mercilessly and consistently mispronounced by adults and children, leading her to resignedly respond to anything even close to Thao. “Letters get added, scrambled, and left behind.” Her teachers call her Thou, Theo, or Towel. Her classmates not only butcher her name but call her racist nicknames like Tofu and China Girl.

Thao longs for an “easier” name and finally decides to be called Jennifer. The book’s artwork disappears as “Jennifer” goes about her day and Thao disappears into a new identity. But at lunchtime, “Jennifer’s” mom sends Thao’s favorite — gỏi cuốn — and her face lights up. I loved that her mother’s cooking reconnected her to her culture and family, returning her name to her.

As someone who’s gone through life with a ‘hard to pronounce’ last name (and even my own family members are confounded now that I’ve hyphenated), I took special joy in this book. If you enjoy it, visit Thao Lam’s website to view more of her joyful art.

Thao: A Picture Book is available to purchase now.

Related articles and resources

How We Pronounce Student Names, and Why It Matters by Jennifer Gonzalez for Cult of Pedagogy
Pronouncing Students’ Names Correctly Should Be a Big Deal by Punita Chhabra Rice for EducationWeek

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