I Love My Name

Eight-year-old Tahirih finds courage and a connection to her namesake, a nineteenth-century Persian woman poet, women's rights activist, and follower of Báb.

Featured in the film Twenty Feet From Stardom, the woman whose voice the New York Times said "is as embedded in the history of rock 'n' roll as Eric Clapton's guitar and Bob Dylan's lyrics" tells her story Right out of high school, Darlene Love began singing lead vocals for legendary producer Phil Spector, cutting such classic hits as the number one "He's a Rebel," "Da Doo Ron Ron," and "He's Sure the Boy I Love." As part of the girl group the Blossoms, she held a regular spot on television's Shindig!, and with Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans she toured the country. Later, she sang backup—and collected numerous scintillating backstage stories—with, among others, Dionne Warwick, the Mamas and the Papas, and Sonny and Cher. Now in My Name Is Love, Darlene is ready to tell her tales about Elvis coming on to her backstage during his famous '68 Comeback Special, about wild parties she witnessed at Tom Jones's house, and about her love affair with Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers. She also recalls how she found herself cleaning houses in Beverly Hills, heard herself on the radio, and vowed to make a comeback. That comeback has included roles in all of the Lethal Weapon movies, starring roles on Broadway, and headlining concert appearances worldwide. A dishy, behind-the-scenes showbiz memoir, My Name Is Love is also the inspiring story of a woman who refused to give up.

Hello, I know we've met before, at least momentarily a time or two since you were conceived. Recently I've heard you've mistaken others to be me. I wouldn't typically be bothered by that, as I don't force myself upon anyone who doesn't want to befriend me. The reality is I am keenly aware of the truth that without me you are nothing. I'm not being arrogant when I state this fact. I'm just being loving. I always tell the truth. Missing me or mistaking others to be me may be the gravest mistake anyone could ever make. If anyone on earth finds me, befriends me, understands me, and emulates me, they will find the ultimate peace, hope, joy, purpose, euphoria, power, fulfillment, meaning and satisfaction. These are the things for which the world and all that is within her have longed. So, I had to write this autobiography to reintroduce my TRUE self to all the people of the world, the ones I live for, the ones who have grown grievously estranged from me, and the ones I love. Forever Yours, Love

Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.

Gabriela Mistral, a teacher, poet, and the first Latina woman to win the Nobel Prize.

“Calling My Name is a treasure.”—Nic Stone, New York Times–bestselling author of Dear Martin Calling My Name is a striking, luminous, and literary exploration of family, spirituality, and self—ideal for readers of Jacqueline Woodson, Jandy Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Sandra Cisneros. This unforgettable novel tells a universal coming-of-age story about Taja Brown, a young African American girl growing up in Houston, Texas, and deftly and beautifully explores the universal struggles of growing up, battling family expectations, discovering a sense of self, and finding a unique voice and purpose. Told in fifty-three short, episodic, moving, and iridescent chapters, Calling My Name follows Taja on her journey from middle school to high school. Literary and noteworthy, this is a beauty of a novel that captures the multifaceted struggle of finding where you belong and why you matter.

Every year, 6 million companies and more than 100,000 products are launched. They all need an awesome name, but many (such as Xobni, Svbtle, and Doostang) look like the results of a drunken Scrabble game. In this entertaining and engaging book, ace naming consultant Alexandra Watkins explains how anyone—even noncreative types—can create memorable and buzz-worthy brand names. No degree in linguistics required. The heart of the book is Watkins's proven SMILE and SCRATCH Test—two acronyms for what makes or breaks a name. She also provides up-to-date advice, like how to make sure that Siri spells your name correctly and how to nab an available domain name. And you'll see dozens of examples—the good, the bad, and the “so bad she gave them an award.” Alexandra Watkins is not afraid to name names.

Kids will relate to Elizabeth’s fervent wish to be called by her proper name.

This powerful first novel is heart wrenching, poetically unsettling, and has the potential to brighten our entire outlook on the life we live. My Name Is Thank-You meticulously weaves together the lives of two very different thirteen-year-old girls. We follow them into a world of chaos, contrasting continuously from light to dark. To Thank-You, the world is full of promise. Despite being raised an orphan, she carries within her the ability to find the beauty in any situation. To Josephine, the world is a sad and lonely place. Although born into wealth, she is plagued by a life wrought with abuse. We follow their journeys into self-discovery, forgiveness, and ultimately redemption, finding bits and pieces of ourselves along the way and getting a first-hand look at what freedom truly looks like. Their stories are our stories; their voices are our voices, teaching us that no matter the circumstances we may be facing, perspective is everything. This is the kind of story that will have you smiling through your tears and asking yourself, "How can I become a light?" *B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree*