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Wilma Lee Wu
The Change Your Name Store
A staggering 93% of picture books feature Caucasian main characters. The spunky Wilma Lee Wu changes that.
Meet Wilma Lee Wu, a spirited girl whose quest for a new name takes her around the world.
Largely ignored by her slacker parents and constantly annoyed by her brother, Wilma Lee Wu marches to the Change Your Name Store where she meets Zeena McFouz, the outrageous owner. Soon Zeena helps Wilma try on new names. Each time Wilma selects one, she is transported to the country from which the name originates. Will Wilma find a new name that she likes? Will she discover her real identity and where she truly belongs?
Told in playful rhyme and filled with delightful illustrations, The Change Your Name Store is destined to become a read-aloud favorite.
Teacher's Guide, printables, activities and projects are available here: http://namestore.wordpress.com/
Meet Wilma Lee Wu, a spirited girl whose quest for a new name takes her around the world.
Largely ignored by her slacker parents and constantly annoyed by her brother, Wilma Lee Wu marches to the Change Your Name Store where she meets Zeena McFouz, the outrageous owner. Soon Zeena helps Wilma try on new names. Each time Wilma selects one, she is transported to the country from which the name originates. Will Wilma find a new name that she likes? Will she discover her real identity and where she truly belongs?
Told in playful rhyme and filled with delightful illustrations, The Change Your Name Store is destined to become a read-aloud favorite.
Teacher's Guide, printables, activities and projects are available here: http://namestore.wordpress.com/
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2014
3 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 14, 2018
It's clearly just me and I'm probably being grumpy old lady on this, but I found this book super off-putting. Wilma Lee Wu wants a new name so she heads off to this store and finds a crazy lady who helps her try on names, okay, so far we are cool. But each name transports her to its place of origin as a way of trying it out...um, okay, except your name can be of your family origin with you living someplace else, but okay, it's still cute, I'm with you. But then each place bothers her in some way so she comes back. Now it's starting to get weird. And then....she goes back to her own name. Which doesn't transport her anywhere, doesn't speak of her origin (again, it doesn't have to but every other name has so, what is going on here?) It's just hers because...it doesn't take her anywhere? Clearly I have missed the point and am just a grumpy old lady, but I feel like this book tried to give a lesson on diversity and missed its mark big time. Also, what is with the slacker parents ignoring her? I'm just totally confused by this book...I like the idea of a non-Caucasian protagonist with a name suggesting her heritage, but this one doesn't *do* anything with that premise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2015
Wilma Lee Wu doesn't like her name, so she goes to the 'Change Your Name' store to find a new one. The owner insists that she try out each name first. Each name indicates a different nationality and she finds herself in each country, including France, Bahrain, Belize, and Kenya. But will any name suit as well as her own?
An original story with educational value as we get a glimpse of the different countries. Good illustrations too, with lots to look at.
An original story with educational value as we get a glimpse of the different countries. Good illustrations too, with lots to look at.
August 21, 2018
The little girl in this book wants to change her name, so she goes to a special name store and tries on names. Each time she tries on a name, she lands in a different country / culture.
If you're looking for an appreciate-your-name and your background sort of theme, this is an amusing story and the artwork is lovely.
However, if you're looking to introduce children to different cultures, this is not the best choice. (Explaining that this is a fictional work and that Wilma's experiences abroad are exaggerated & unreal may help.)
The kids enjoyed this book.
If you're looking for an appreciate-your-name and your background sort of theme, this is an amusing story and the artwork is lovely.
However, if you're looking to introduce children to different cultures, this is not the best choice. (Explaining that this is a fictional work and that Wilma's experiences abroad are exaggerated & unreal may help.)
The kids enjoyed this book.
October 1, 2021
I'm a fan of rhyming books, and this one did a great job with the narrative rhyme. The illustration style is cute too. BUT... I cringed to see her try on other racial identities and then criticizing them instead of clarifying *why* that wasn't appropriate. Then the "moral" of sticking to one's birth name even if it doesn't feel like a good fit felt like a missed opportunity to support the trans community. There are identities children should feel comfortable testing out, such as gender or different activity-oriented communities; this is an inappropriate example of exploring diversity.
May 11, 2014
This is exactly what my 2nd graders need to see. They've been stuck in a world of "sames" and are not learning to respect and honor the differences around them!
February 10, 2015
Wilma Lee Wu likes many things. She likes to read. She likes puzzles. She likes to cook. She even likes to pester her brother. One thing she does not like: her name. It's too boring. She sets off on a mission—to find The Change Your Name Store.
Once there, Ms. Zeena McFouz, the store's proprietor, helps her find many lovely new names. She tries several on for size. She soon discovers that when you take a new name, you must also take the culture of that name. When she chooses Dominga Delfino, she lands in Belize; adopting Nuru N'zinga drops her in Kenya. Which will Wilma choose?
There are several things that struck me upon reading The Change Your Name Store. I enjoyed the ethnic diversity portrayed throughout the story. I loved the variety of names sprinkled across each page. Each list or wall littered with names included not only common Caucasian names like Jennifer and Michael, but Ishmael, Sadiq, Olga, Ashanti, Demetrius, Dao, and even names in Chinese and Arabic characters. *love* The embrace of many ethnicities and cultures is the true gem found here. That the rhyming text flows beautifully and the whimsical illustration makes you smile is simply icing on the cake.
From the review I posted at TheBookChildren.com.
Once there, Ms. Zeena McFouz, the store's proprietor, helps her find many lovely new names. She tries several on for size. She soon discovers that when you take a new name, you must also take the culture of that name. When she chooses Dominga Delfino, she lands in Belize; adopting Nuru N'zinga drops her in Kenya. Which will Wilma choose?
There are several things that struck me upon reading The Change Your Name Store. I enjoyed the ethnic diversity portrayed throughout the story. I loved the variety of names sprinkled across each page. Each list or wall littered with names included not only common Caucasian names like Jennifer and Michael, but Ishmael, Sadiq, Olga, Ashanti, Demetrius, Dao, and even names in Chinese and Arabic characters. *love* The embrace of many ethnicities and cultures is the true gem found here. That the rhyming text flows beautifully and the whimsical illustration makes you smile is simply icing on the cake.
From the review I posted at TheBookChildren.com.
January 14, 2015
This Seuss-inspired rhyming story follows the journey of young Wilma Lee Wu as she contemplates changing her name. I appreciate how the story draws connections to names and cultures and that it includes a wide variety of diverse names in the illustrations, but I wish there had been a little bit more to this story. A brief end note about names, meanings, and countries of origin would really have made this a more useful resource for a class discussion instead of just a cute idea.
Reviewed: http://www.thelogonauts.com/2015/01/IMWAYR2.html
Reviewed: http://www.thelogonauts.com/2015/01/IMWAYR2.html
June 5, 2014
If a book full of fun, is something you like
This book is for you, and for your young tyke!
Wilma Lee Wu is the kind of small girl
Who'll make you instantly smile and break out in a twirl!
The story is original, the message is great
It's all told in rhyme, which is something you won't hate!
The illustrations are bold, colorful and fun
They add to the story from page number one!
My kids are grown up, but we all still agree
"The Change Your Name Store" is the best it can be!
This book is for you, and for your young tyke!
Wilma Lee Wu is the kind of small girl
Who'll make you instantly smile and break out in a twirl!
The story is original, the message is great
It's all told in rhyme, which is something you won't hate!
The illustrations are bold, colorful and fun
They add to the story from page number one!
My kids are grown up, but we all still agree
"The Change Your Name Store" is the best it can be!
September 13, 2014
This book is like comfort food - spirited, warm and nourishing. When my grandchildren and other small visitors and I read it together, we smile and understand. The Change Your Name Store offers endless possibilities for conversation about the world. Thank you and hugs Leanne.
September 3, 2014
The Change Your Name Store would be a great way to show students that they are who they are. They cannot change who they are because they will not find a place where they fit in better. It could lead students into writing about what they love about their lives.
October 5, 2018
Rhyming text tells the story of Wilma Lee Wu who wants a new name. A store for choosing names takes Wilma on a journey to different places trying out new names. And her final choice is one she loves the best of all the choices she has tried. This book could be used as a class story starter to write about what a child would like to be called if they could change their name or something else about themselves for one day.
October 24, 2022
This book is tone deaf at best. Making your mc a token Asian is not the solution to diversifying picture books. There is 0 Asian culture displayed in this book, just a family of people with slanted eyes. Also:
A staggering 93% of picture books feature Caucasian main characters. The spunky Wilma Lee Wu changes that.
This "statistic" is not true whatsoever
https://www.slj.com/story/an-updated-...
A staggering 93% of picture books feature Caucasian main characters. The spunky Wilma Lee Wu changes that.
This "statistic" is not true whatsoever
https://www.slj.com/story/an-updated-...
August 31, 2019
Cute book about a girl who doesn't like her name and goes to the "Change Your Name Store" only to find out that other names don't fit her and that hers was the best in the first place. Love the pictures and that it written by an author from Calgary as well.
August 29, 2024
Hi, I volunteer to go to a magical name store where I try on names from around the world and get transported to different countries! This funny, cute, clever story with its quirky characters pulled me right along until the end when Wilma discovers the very best name for her.
June 23, 2018
While it can be enticing to have someone else's life, sometimes you realize that the life you have today fits you and is just right.
January 22, 2022
I was really excited about this book and then really disappointed by the ending. The illustrations are cute, the premis is cute, but it just lands flat and cringey.
October 31, 2018
Genre: Poetry and Verse
This was a cute, rhyming book about a little girl who thought her name was too boring and so she went on a search in the Change your Name Store to find a new one. This book did play off of stereotypes, but I do not think it was done in a bad way. When Wilma chose a name that was French, she was shown with a beret on her head and a cup of tea. When she was given a name that was Arabic she was shown in the market wearing a hijab with different pots, rugs and foods in the background. When she chose a name that came from Belize depictions of the Carnaval celebration were shown. I think because this book was intended to be more fun than it was informative it did a good job of using rhyme but also using the imagery to represent cultural aspects of the names that she chose. I also liked that the illustrations in the Change your Name Store showed so many different names and different languages too. There was a lot of detail in the pictures that students would be able to pick up on.
This was a cute, rhyming book about a little girl who thought her name was too boring and so she went on a search in the Change your Name Store to find a new one. This book did play off of stereotypes, but I do not think it was done in a bad way. When Wilma chose a name that was French, she was shown with a beret on her head and a cup of tea. When she was given a name that was Arabic she was shown in the market wearing a hijab with different pots, rugs and foods in the background. When she chose a name that came from Belize depictions of the Carnaval celebration were shown. I think because this book was intended to be more fun than it was informative it did a good job of using rhyme but also using the imagery to represent cultural aspects of the names that she chose. I also liked that the illustrations in the Change your Name Store showed so many different names and different languages too. There was a lot of detail in the pictures that students would be able to pick up on.
November 10, 2016
Summary:
This is a story of a little girl named Wilma Lee Wu. Wilma loved to do lots of different things, but one thing she doesn't love is her name. She was determined to change her name. So she went to the one place that could take care of her problem, the Change Your Name Store. Ms. Zeena McFouz is the woman who runs the store. Zeena helps Wilma try out a few different names. Each name she tried transported her to a different place in the world where the new name belonged. For example, the name Babette Bijou took her to Paris and the name Samiya bint Sami al Sala took her to Bahrain. After trying five very different names, Wilma came to the conclusion that none of them were right for her. She continued to search until she came across the name Wilma Lee Wu. She exclaimed that this one was perfectly her! She returned home to tell her parents which name she selected and told them proudly that her name is Wilma Lee Wu.
Activity:
This activity would require two days of classroom time. Day one would consist of reading the book aloud and giving homework instructions. Each student would be required to go home that evening and talk to their parents about the history of their name. They would interview their parents with questions like, "Was I named after anyone?" "Is my name a family name?" "What does my name mean?" "How did you decide to name me this?"
The following day they would each make a 1-2 minute oral presentation of their findings. The students would be expected to explain to the class what their name means and why they were given that name. They would then explain why they are proud to have their own unique name and what it means to them.
Citation:
Shirtliffe, L., Kugler, T. (2014). The Change Your Name Store. New York, NY: Sky Pony Press.
This is a story of a little girl named Wilma Lee Wu. Wilma loved to do lots of different things, but one thing she doesn't love is her name. She was determined to change her name. So she went to the one place that could take care of her problem, the Change Your Name Store. Ms. Zeena McFouz is the woman who runs the store. Zeena helps Wilma try out a few different names. Each name she tried transported her to a different place in the world where the new name belonged. For example, the name Babette Bijou took her to Paris and the name Samiya bint Sami al Sala took her to Bahrain. After trying five very different names, Wilma came to the conclusion that none of them were right for her. She continued to search until she came across the name Wilma Lee Wu. She exclaimed that this one was perfectly her! She returned home to tell her parents which name she selected and told them proudly that her name is Wilma Lee Wu.
Activity:
This activity would require two days of classroom time. Day one would consist of reading the book aloud and giving homework instructions. Each student would be required to go home that evening and talk to their parents about the history of their name. They would interview their parents with questions like, "Was I named after anyone?" "Is my name a family name?" "What does my name mean?" "How did you decide to name me this?"
The following day they would each make a 1-2 minute oral presentation of their findings. The students would be expected to explain to the class what their name means and why they were given that name. They would then explain why they are proud to have their own unique name and what it means to them.
Citation:
Shirtliffe, L., Kugler, T. (2014). The Change Your Name Store. New York, NY: Sky Pony Press.
January 4, 2015
With the happiest of illustrations and humorous rhyme, little girl Wilma Le Wu searches for a name that fits. She thinks her name is boring! At the Change Your Name store, she chooses more than one name that sounds wonderful, and off to France, Bahrain, Belize and Africa she goes. Those places happen to be wonderful, but just don’t fit Wilma. After the exploration, a satisfactory solution is found. Read the book to see if you guessed the ending! It’s a great story for discussing names and interesting names that come from other countries or cultures. Some may even be a classmate’s name!
September 19, 2014
Who hasn't thought about changing their name or maybe tried out a different name when playing as a child? I would be so happy to find out that The Change Your Name Store was nearby where I could go and try out lots of different names and along with the name comes the culture of its background. YaY! I'd be trying out so many names. This is a fun story with great illustrations that will stimulate yours and your child's imagination.
February 21, 2015
What happens when you want to change your own name to something more exciting? Visit the Change Your Name Store! A delightful adventure as Wilma Lee Wu seeks her unique identity by trying on others' names and cultures. Kids will have a blast looking at the name lists in the store to find their own names or names of classmates, family, and friends. Bright and colorful illustrations give this story even more appeal.
August 4, 2016
Many kids feel like they wish they had a different name, so I think there will be a lot of young readers who enjoy this rhyming picture book. Wilma Lee Wu wishes she could change her name. When she goes to the Change Your Name Store, she gets to try on several different names to find one that is right for her. This book would be a good companion to Thunder Boy by Sherman Alexie, which also deals with how special a person's name is.
July 3, 2014
Is anyone ever satisfied with their name? I know as a kid I dreamed of many names I would rather have than the one I was "stuck" with. Wilma Lee Wu is ready for a change so she visits the Change Your Name Store. If only it was that easy. She tries on many names and takes "a ride" in them by visiting the country of origin. Perfect book for young readers.
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June 24, 2014Written by Leanne Shirtliffe with illustrations by Tina Kugler, The Change Your Name Store showcases diversity and self-acceptance. Cheerful pictures partner with the rhyming story perfectly inviting reader participation. I know readers will be scanning the streets of every town they visit in the future, looking for this fascinating shop.
My full review: http://bit.ly/SZBQ9j
My full review: http://bit.ly/SZBQ9j
August 6, 2014
Wilma Lee Wu does not like her name. So she heads to the change your name store to try on a few different names. As she tries on a new name, she gets transported to the country where that name might occur. She sees things she likes and things she might not. What name will Wilma settle on? Fun story, fun illustrations with a great message without being at all didactic.
December 19, 2014
Lovely story and phenomenal illustrations. Way to go, Tina!
June 20, 2014
Excellent! A fun story and awesome illustrations!
August 15, 2014
a rhyming book! I thought this book was a lot of fun. what a great idea for a story. I loved the illustrations and the book was just fabulous
December 17, 2014
Recommended to all the kids!
Wilma Lee Wu wants to change her name, so she goes to The Change Your Name Store and travels around the world.
Wilma Lee Wu wants to change her name, so she goes to The Change Your Name Store and travels around the world.
January 5, 2015
This story is a very clever one, my kids really enjoyed it (as did I). We especially loved poring over all of the fabulous details in Tina Kugler's beautiful illustrations!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews