Book Review: My Name Is Not Alexander By: Jennifer Fosberry

When you were little did you like to pretend that you were someone famous?  A cartoon character?  A president?  A movie star?  My brother was Mighty Mouse - I can still see him with his red robe tied around his neck screaming "Here I come to save the day!"  I'm not quite sure I was any one specific character.  I remember pretending I was a nurse, a mommy, teacher etc.  But I remember how "cool" and sophisticated it made me feel to wear someone else's shoes.

My Name Is Not Alexander is a story about a little boy, named Alexander, who wakes up in the morning and declares that his name is not Alexander!  During events throughout the day, Alexander proclaims which famous person he is.  Who will he be next?  A president?  An inventor?  Or perhaps a ball player!

My kids absolutely LOVE My Name Is Not Alexander and ask for it regularly.  And when my husband or I are not reading it to the kids, you can hear them "reading" the book to themselves.  The illustrations alone provide the kids endless adventures thru their imaginations.  I read this book several times to my son after his surgery a few weeks ago.  I had my husband bring it to the hospital and I'm so glad I did.  It was an instant hit!

In the back of the book you will find a glossary that contains short bios of the "Men Who Changed The World" that are featured in My Name Is Not Alexander.  Perfect for explaining why the men in the book were so famous!  Never too early for a history lesson, right?

My Name Is Not Alexander is the follow-up to the New York Times Bestseller and Indie Bookseller 2010 Favorite (heard on NPR’s Morning Edition) My Name Is Not Isabella, which I had the opportunity to review several months ago.

My Name Is Not Alexander

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; ISBN: 978-1-4022-5433-8; Picture Book; $16.99

March 2011

About the Author

Jennifer Fosberry is a science geek turned children’s book writer. After working in the high-tech industry in Silicon Valley and running away to Costa Rica for a few years, she returned to the San Francisco Bay area to read, write, raise kids, and not do too much housework. She lives with her husband and three children and wishes for a puppy.

Praise for My Name Is Not Isabella:

Winner of the NAPPA Gold Award

Indie Bookseller 2010 Favorite on NPR’s Morning Edition

“The exuberance of the text and typography, coupled with Isabella's force of personality, ensures that the pages fly along, largely and blessedly free of the earnestness that plagues so many "girls can do anything" books.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Use this story to ignite young readers’ interest in women’s history”

—School Library Journal

“Speaks frankly about self-identity and self affirmation... 
as Isabella decides she possesses the best parts of all of the women she looks up to.”
—ForeWord

“Will inspire other little girls to go for their dreams, no matter how big or hard the road may be to get there.”

—New York Journal of Books