My Name is Maria Isabel

over the weekend, i read the book My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada. The book was about a little girl named Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez, whose family moves to a new city-- forcing Maria to switch schools. She is taken away from her friends and the life she once knew. When she arrives at her school, her teacher tells her that there are too many Maria's in the class already, and decides to call Maria "Mary". Maria doesn't say anything at the time, but as the class progresses, she is constantly getting in trouble for not answering the teacher when she is called upon. Oddly enough, what the teacher doesn't realize is that "mary" is not her realy name-- so of course she is going to have trouble answering to it. In the end, Maria is able to show her teacher that what is most important to her is to be called be her real name- Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez. I really enjoyed this book, because of the way it simplifies the multicultural concept. Names are really important, and I don't believe that anyone has the right to call you by anything other than your god given name regardless of how many other children share your name. I feel that a persons name is often something very important to them--and to be called by another name because it's easier is simply insulting. I know that the thought of someone changing my name, even if it's just slightly would not only bother me, but it would give me the impression that somehow I was not as important as the other students who were able to keep their names. I look forward to introducing this book to my classroom, accompanied by a lesson on the importance of individual voice and creativity.