The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name is about a boy named Zimdalamashkermishkada starting classes at a new school. His name is long, and he is worried about introducing himself to his new schoolmates. One friend, Elly, calls him “Zim”. It is easy to say, but it does not feel true to Zimdalamaskermishkada. His mom reminds him of the beautiful meaning of his name and encourages him to “give people a chance to say it right”. I love this message, to be optimistic that our peers around us have our best interests in mind rather than not giving them the chance to be kind.
The illustrations in The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name are striking and lush. Michelle Pereira uses bright colors and clever doodles to represent the anxiety that Zimdalamaskermishkada’s name brings him.
The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name is a great read for all. It teaches young readers to take pride in themselves, empowering all to embrace their names and heritage. This story also celebrates friendship, showing that friends will try to understand us. Sandhya Parappukkaran is the author of two other picture books: Amma’s Sari and Stay for Dinner. Michelle Pereira also illustrated Parappukkaran’s other picture books. These books also celebrate connection and cultural heritage.
Elinor Serumgard is a poet, artist, and book reviewer from Issaquah, WA. Elinor graduated from Western Washington University in 2022 with a degree in Creative Writing. For more of their work, please see elinorserumgard.com
