The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, is a beautiful book about being yourself and embracing differences. When Unhei moves with her family from Korea, people have a hard time pronouncing her name. So when she starts a new school, she decides she will pick a new American name. The kids in class all join in, making a name jar and adding suggestions to help her choose from. There are many she likes, but none seem right. But when one boy learns and likes her Korean name, his encouragement gives Unhei the courage to choose her own name and teach it to the kids in her class. This is a great book to inspire discussions about diversity and how we can be a friend to others by embracing who they are and celebrate our differences.
