The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name by Sandhya Parappukkaran

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name by Sandhya Parappukkaran Sarah Sahn Parappukkaran, Sandhya The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name; illus. by Michelle Pereira Abrams, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781419761584 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781647006594 $15.54 Reviewed from digital galleys R* 4-8 yrs Zimdalamashkermishkada’s long name always trips him up, “like long shoelaces that always come undone,” so at his new school, he decides to be Zim. To his dismay, however, every time someone asks his name, it springs back to its usual size (“like a scared puffer fish at sea), and even when he does finally manage to introduce himself to a new classmate as Zim, that doesn’t feel right, either. “We named you after the coconut trees that stretch high and hold up the sky while sheltering all underneath,” his mother tells him, encouraging him to give his classmates a chance. He finally does so with new pal Elly, adding another syllable each day for his new friend while she teaches him new tricks at the skate park. With gentle compassion and tender wisdom, this Australian import portrays the challenges and joys of starting over in a new setting, juxtaposing fraught school days with the cozy warmth of evenings at home. Pereira’s block print style digital artwork brings Zimdalamashkermishkada’s name to vibrant life in bright orange against the muted pink, green, and brown palette as it sprawls across the pages trailing after him, strikes his desk as a lightning bolt, and unfolds into an endless paper accordion that won’t stay neatly [End Page 161] contained. When he begins to teach Elly his name, the unruly shapes begin to take the form of a bird, adding more detail with each syllable until it soars gloriously across a two-page spread in joyous, fiery tones when Elly says the whole thing. This sensitive book will make an excellent lead-in to age-appropriate discussions about difference and belonging. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois