Dads Read Too

JER: “ The Day You Begin ” by author Jacqueline Woodson and illustrator Rafael López does a great job discussing all the ways people can be made to feel different, from race, appearance, accent, ability, or socioeconomic status. “There will be times when the world feels like a place you’re standing all the way outside of . . . “. Since I grew up with an unusual last name: Valentiner (sounds Italian, but my father is Danish). I used to really care that people would pronounce it “right”. I felt for “Rigoberto” because they don’t understand “the way words curl from your mouth” or how to say your name.  I hope the kids of the future treat my girls with kindness, especially my youngest girl who has a family name “Ejler” (my grandfather’s name pronounced like “Tyler” without the “T”, and she will probably have to explain it for the rest of her life like my niece Anja (my grandmother’s name)). But I have hope they will grow to realize that we all have things in common and our differences ...

JER: “ ALMA and How She Got Her Name ” by Juana Martinez-Neal touches on family history and cultural norms in different countries.  At first, Alma is frustrated with a name that she felt was “too long”, but after she learns the intention and meaning behind each name she feels a greater connection to her ancestors and feels inspired by their legacies.  This book resonates with me personally, since I also felt a deep connection to my ancestors and relatives as Mallory and I started thinking of names for our children. My oldest daughter, Lake Marie, has Mallory’s last name - “Lake” - and her grandmothers middle name - “Marie”. Our youngest daughter Ejler Rae has her great grandfather’s first name - “Ejler” and her great grandmothers nickname - “Rae” (my great grandmother was named “Anna Rebecca” after each of her grandmothers: “Anna” and “Rebecca” - whom, unfortunately, happened to [be very jealous of] each other.  To avoid any jealousy over being called by either grandparen...