If My Name Was Amanda

by Curtis Edmonds, Mat Sadler (Illustrator)

"If my name was Amanda I'd live in Atlanta, and I'd wave hello to a shark..."
A little girl with a big imagination dreams of the adventures she might have, if she was somebody else instead of herself - from befriending sharks in Atlanta to playing jazz in New Orleans to riding her bike in Zanesville.
The possibilities are endless, but her favorite person to be is still herself, at home with her family.
With playful, rhyming text and colorful, engaging illustrations, this whirlwind introduction to the richness and variety of life in the USA is a story that children will delight in reading over and over, and using as a springboard for their own imaginative adventures.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2017

About the author

My name is Curtis Edmonds; I am a self-published author living in central New Jersey. My new novel, A CIRCLE OF MOONLIGHT, comes out on December 21, 2021.

Reviews

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for my son’s bedtime. I love the facts of each location at the end of the book. The story itself is an okay read. Different names connect to different cities of the alphabet starting with A and ending with Z.

[Robin Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d received a PDF.file copy of this from the author through a giveaway he recently had on LibraryThing and the following is my honest opinion.

The author, Curtis Edmonds, has written a marvelous rhyming alphabetical listing of girl’s names that one girl imagines she might be instead of herself. Each time she images another name she’s in another state of the U.S. doing some sort of activity. Yet, her imagination is just that for she really enjoys being herself, doing the things she likes to do, but most of all she enjoys being with the family she. What adds to this book’s readers enjoying it is the fabulous illustrations done by Mat Sadler.

While each name appears to have a city and an activity haphazardly associated with it, there’s actually an educational reason behind it. An educational reason which parents can find at the end of the book, where a fact about the state and the activity each girl mention is mentioned is given. Parents can either copy each of these pages from the paperback edition, or copy/paste from the KINDLE and sit with their daughters the first time she reads the book. The inspiration for this book came from the author’s daughters, whose names are mentioned in the book.

For having given his young readers as well as their parents an enjoyable and educational reading experience there’s no way I can’t give its author and illustrator 5 STARS.

Now, that this author has given us a book written for parents and their daughters, I feel it’s no more than fitting that he writes one for parents and their sons.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If My Name Was Amanda" is a great children's rhyming book. First names are associated with places in the United States. It follows along with the alphabet. After the story, it shows where the places are on a map. At the end of the book there are facts about the places that are mentioned in the book that are very interesting. I would recommend this book. I received a Kindle Edition of this book from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for a review.

[Theresa Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great children's picture book about a girl an her imagination of her name being different and all of the cool places she would go visit and do. I loved how the writer came up with unique names and how they selected places and activities to provide a rhyme-tic cadence. A great addition to this book is extra tidbits/facts about the places that are visit to provide more information to a child. Not sure of the exact targeted children's audience age I expect a few of the names will be hard to pronounce.

The illustrations are colorful, bright and fantastic even on a kindle. The pictures matched the words on the current page. I loved that the kindle book is setup so that if you want to zoom in on the pictures or words you can. I recently read one where you couldn't zoom in and it was needed with the text so small.

An excellent children's book and I look forward to reading it to my grandkids.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this children's book through a goodreads giveaway.

If My Name Was Amanda by Curtis Edmonds is a rhyming children's book that takes the reader through the alphabet using names of people and cities within the United States with the matching letter - "If my name was Amanda I'd live in Atlanta...If my name was Katie I'd live in Kentucky..." and then some action follows. It is similar to the old children's game rightly named the "Name Game".

This is a delightful book that is beautifully illustrated. The author and illustrator have included a US map showing the adventure.

I cannot wait to share this with my new grandson.

[Sharon Bender · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this alphabet book more than an alphabet book is its list of descriptions of the places it names which appears at the end of the book. It's a way to discover twenty-six places in America and can lead to opportunities for a youngster to think about what places they would like to visit and to research and learn about them. While the main character imagines being other people, she lets the reader know that she is glad to be herself. After all, pretend is all in fun and learning.

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
― Fred Rogers

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a digital copy of this cute alphabet book in exchange for an honest review. I liked the book, and I think my kiddo will too when he's old enough for screen time on a kindle. This was an original take on an alphabet book, and also introduces kids to US geography. Only minor complaint is that some states were features more than once, and I would have liked to see as many states as possible. Great book, I like that facts about the locations were featured at the end.

[Tina Arkoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable rhyming picture book. Every girl has a name that begins with the first letter of the state she lives in. Not only is this appealing to young ones, but it encourages them to think of other words beginning with that same letter. I feel this would be most appropriate for the 3-5 year old audience.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely learning tool that takes children all around the country doing interesting things. It makes them interested in travelling to see or do some of what the book shows. I like the after story list that explains more about the places and things mentioned in the book, thereby teaching more and giving children a way to look up and learn more about them.

[Melinda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

If My Name Was Amanda by Curtis Edmonds is written for children especially thru elementary age, but adults will enjoy it as well. It is a rhyming book that teaches geography and used names that rhyme. It is well illustrated.

I won a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fabulous tale for kids and a great geography lesson to boot!

[Mellissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute book and the pictures were beyond great. I always loved the kids books that do the alphabet in different ways. This way incorporates different cities and names.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully charming, entertaining book, and the artwork is beautiful. Fun!!!

[Tena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geography made FUN! ** I won this in a kindle version #GoodreadsGiveaway

[Lourdes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed

Very cute book with some Interested information of some cities in the USA.. For kids will enjoy, every where. Love the pictures.

[Sonia Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhyming rules

This is a good story book for children to learn about different places across America and what they are known for.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for teaching geography!

I read this to my granddaughter and she loved it. I did change the name on the J page because her name is Jane!

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If my name was Amanda I’d live in Atlanta, And I’d wave hello to a shark….” A little girl, who is not named Amanda but does have a big imagination, thinks about all the alphabetical adventures that she might have if she had different names and lived in different places. “If my name was Bonnie Then I’d live in Boston Where I’d chase the ducks in the park.” These include playing jazz in New Orleans and learning to ski in Vermont. Which name does she imagine for “Z”? Where would she live? And what would she be doing?

This cleverly written picture book for children, with its playful, rhyming text and Mat Sadler’s colorful, engaging illustrations, is a great way to help youngsters who are starting to recognize the alphabet and at the same time to introduce them to different cities and states throughout America. There is a map in the back of the book to show where the different places are located. It would also be good practice for early readers. I do have to agree with the reader who was confused regarding the letter “X.” Xenia wou!d live in Topeka because “No towns start with X, after all.” When we lived in Dayton, OH, we were about twenty miles from Xenia, and now we live about twenty miles from Xenia, IL. Of course, that might require a change in the girl’s name. Xanthippe? Xaviera? Maybe it is best to leave it alone.

Author Curtis Edmonds is a novelist and attorney. His work has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Untoward Magazine, Liberty Island, The Big Jewel, Yankee Pot Roast, and National Review Online. He has written two novels, Wreathed, a humorous contemporary romance set in the beach resort of Cape May, NJ, and Rain on Your Wedding Day, a literary romance set in the mountains north of Atlanta, GA. If My Name Was Amanda is his first book for children. It is a cute story featuring a little girl’s journey across America with great facts about 26 places in our country that children can use as a springboard for their own imaginative adventures.

[Jess Greenland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute book which will be added to the group that I give to new babies.

[Kelly Knapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book, right up to letter "X." I did have a few smirks that the author jumped from cities to states and back again. Had never hear of some of the towns. In addition, it wasn't the standard couplet form but branched into an "AAC/BBC" rhyming pattern. I liked that the author felt children were ready to take rhymes to the next level. However, I am sorry but Xenia, Ohio exists and makes this a little hard to swallow if you live in or have ever lived near Xenia, Ohio.

If you can get a second printing done, you might consider correcting that. like, Xena from Xenia...

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel Coast to Coast

This cute book has wonderful illustrations, short reading passages and great facts about 26 places in our country.

I was only confused regarding the letter 'X.' In the story section of the book Xenia wou!d live in Topeka because there are no towns that start with X after all...yet at the back of the book it lists Xenia, Ohio...one of the few towns in America that start with X.

I'm not certain why the author wouldn't select one of these towns.

Otherwise I really enjoyed this ARC I received through the Goodreads Giveaway Program!

[J Layne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and that geography is a part of the book, one place for each letter of the alphabet. I also like that the author explained at the end [Acknowledgments] why he used "was" instead of "were" in the title. However, I don't agree with him that it "sounds better" to use incorrect grammar. Since this is a children's book, and children learn while reading children's books, the correct grammar should be used. I also like that at the end are "Facts about the Places in this Book". This adds to the interest and educational value of the book.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

In If My Name Was Amanda, we discover a little girl with a huge imagination can go all over America and do amazing things. A great lesson on being true to yourself is clear here. Beautiful illustrations match up with fun rhyming phrasing in this must-read children's book. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little lady with a big imagination conjures the adventures she might have, if she was somebody else instead of herself. Befriending sharks in Atlanta, playing jazz in New Orleans, riding her bike in Zanesville, the possibilities are endless! However, her favorite version is to be herself, at home with her family.

[Mary Meade Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

If My Name Was Amanda

Cute books for kids that connects the first letter of her name to different cities throughout the alphabet. Looking forward to reading it with my 4 year old granddaughter who is starting to recognize the alphabet

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this e-book free through Goodreads First Read.

Cute book, but some young kids will have issue with the names and will have no idea where the locations are (even after looking at the map at the back of the book).

I really liked the drawings throughout the book.

[April Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely illustrated

I liked the style of the illustrations and the various places that the little girl visited in the story. I appreciate that it teaches kids that they can use their imagination and visit a number of different places. Well done!

[Kathleen Hohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the whole book. The children I babysit for loved it and ask me to read it often. Keep up the good work.

[Tehila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another version of “A My Name is Alice . . . . “

The toddler was bored.

[Jenn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little children’s story. It would be a fun read for a little girl.