Children's Corner: My Name Is Not Isabella

I came across this book while at the book store with my daughter and fell in love with it.  My daughter loves to pretend she's something else.  Lately we're on a princess kick, and while manners, decorum, and pretty dresses are all well and good, I want her to know that there are other things out there to aspire to and this book is perfect for that.

Isabella is constantly pretending to be someone else so her mother is never sure who she's going to get when she addresses her daughter.  From Sally Ride, to Rosa Parks, to Annie Oakley, and Elisabeth Blackwell, this girl knows which strong women to emulate, including, most touchingly, Mommy. But at the end of the day, she is still Isabella, "the sweetest, kindest, smartest, bravest, fastest, toughest, greatest girl that ever was."

This is definitely a book that can grow with your child too.  My daughter is three and a half and, for now, she is merely curious about the pictures of the "Women Who Changed the World" listed with little biographies at the end of the story. As she gets older, they will have more significance to her and we can explore them in greater detail.

There is also a boys version by the same author called My Name Is Not Alexander.  While I'm glad there is inspiration for boys out there too, I am pleased that My Name Is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream? is out there.  Even as at my age, sometimes a little girl-power reminder is a good thing.  I think this is a fantastic book for girls and I will happily discuss it with my daughter for years to come.