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THAO: A Picture Book Hardcover – Picture Book, April 15, 2021

by Thao Lam (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 28 ratings
See all formats and editions
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An honest #OwnVoices story about growing up with a name that is unfamiliar to the kids around you, told with humor and heart by critically acclaimed author/illustrator Thao Lam
Even though it’s only four simple, familiar letters long, nobody can ever pronounce Thao’s name. She’s been called Theo, Tail, even Towel! But the teasing names―Tofu, Tiny, China Girl―are worse. Maybe it’s time to be someone else? Thao decides to try on a different name, something easy, like Jennifer.
It works, but only until she opens her lunchbox to find her mother’s Vietnamese spring rolls, gỏi cuốn―Thao’s favorite! Now, it feels a lot more comfortable to be herself.
Simple on the surface, this story inspired by Thao’s own childhood is full of humor, heart, and important ideas of diversity, inclusion, and cultural pride. The story will be instantly relatable to readers who have ever felt different.
Designed with a playful emphasis on typography, and Thao’s own childhood photos added to her signature cut-paper collage, THAO champions being true to yourself and your background, and being empathetic towards others. It is a celebration of all that’s in a name and the power of owning your identity.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    24 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    2 - 5
  5. Lexile measure
    AD420L
  6. Dimensions
    8.5 x 0.75 x 10.5 inches
  7. Publisher
    Owlkids
  8. Publication date
    April 15, 2021
  9. ISBN-10
    1771474327
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1771474320
  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

anyone in an unfamiliar environment will be able to relate... kirkus reviews

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1–3—Lam (The Paper Boat) again draws from her experience as a young immigrant from Vietnam, recalling how her new classmates and others mispronounced or even made fun of her name so much that finally she announced to her comically stunned parents that she just wanted to be called "Jennifer." The conceit lasts until lunchtime, when "Jennifer" discovers that her mom has packed "Gỏi cuổn! Thao's favorite!" From then on: "My name is Thao. It helps if you take out the h when you say it. But remember to put it back in when you spell it." For illustrations Lam inserts a family snapshot of herself amid a diverse and expressive crowd of paper collage school children in some scenes, and large hand-lettered words in others suspended, like the pithy narrative, on generous expanses of white space. The premise has been explored elsewhere, most notably in Helen Recorvits's powerful My Name Is Yoon, and Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed's My Name Is Sangoel, but the autobiographical element here adds a distinctively personal inflection. VERDICT A lighthearted assertion of identity, particularly strong on appeal for younger children who have had to adjust to the demands of white American culture.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York

Review

"Collage illustrations combine a paper cast with trimmed snapshots of Thao herself, a visual strategy that grounds the story in an all-too-real past and underscores her unassailable pride in identity. This is a genial but pointed primary-grade reminder that names matter, and names deserve respect." ― Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Anyone in an unfamiliar environment will be able to relate... This work’s clever construction and stark simplicity embody a kaleidoscope of 'mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.'" ― Kirkus Reviews

"Lam depicts young Thao’s predicament using visual precision and detail in her text and illustrations, delivering her message without fuss or complication and with a touch of humor." ― Booklist

"Exquisite ... A story that will resonate with children who find fitting in a challenge." ― The Globe and Mail

"Rendered in Thao Lam’s playful cut paper collage, this humorous and resonant story is for anyone who’s ever felt out of place. It’s also a celebration of each of our names, our identities, and our diversity." ― Avery & Augustine

"A terrifically complex picture book that packs depth as well as moments of levity within the limits of its format. Its sincerely empathetic perspective offers encouragement to readers with similar life experiences, while all readers (children and parents alike) may be inspired by THAO to reflect on how their own actions can better support and celebrate cultural diversity." ― Quill & Quire

"The autobiographical element here adds a distinctively personal inflection. A lighthearted assertion of identity, particularly strong on appeal for younger children who have had to adjust to the demands of white American culture." ― School Library Journal

"Affirmational for students with names that are frequently mispronounced and instructional for others. This book would be a perfect opener for building community at the part of the school year, emphasizing the importance of getting things right from the start." ― Youth Services Book Review

"Thao's story is empowering and the message about the importance of using one's correct name is meaningful." ― Literacy On the Mind

"Lam poignantly shares events from her childhood ... Simple, yet profound, and full of heart and empathy."

― Sal's Fiction Addiction

"Exquisite collaged art mixed with photographs ... Nothing is 'foreign' if you take time to know it, and the deeply touching THAO soars through its eloquent understatement of this truth." ― The New York Times

"[Thao Lam] is so elegantly good at telling a story in an authentic, child-like and funny tone ... There are lots of thought-provoking issues addressed in THAO within the delightful and humorous storytelling" ― Canadian Review of Materials

"This relatable story can prompt discussions about identity, diversity, acceptance, bullying and self-love ... A wonderful story of inclusion to add to your classroom bookshelves."

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Owlkids (April 15, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 24 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1771474327
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1771474320
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD420L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.75 x 10.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 28 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Thao Lam

    Thao Lam

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    Thao Lam fled from Vietnam to Canada with her family as a child. Learning English was difficult, and it was picture books that helped her understand this new world and ignited her passion for visual storytelling. She has an insatiable love for colored and textured papers, which she uses to create her exuberant collages.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Thao Lam

    Thao Lam

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
28 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Thao
5.0 out of 5 stars I feel the struggles, it is truly REAL.
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
I go by my "coffee name" because my ethnic name gets butchered so badly that even I can't guess if they're truly even trying. This book (and Kamala Harris) inspired me to stand up and educate people about my culture now. But I still use my coffee name to hide from my stalker so I'm keeping my coffee name on here at least.
One person found this helpful
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Ericka
5.0 out of 5 stars Joyful art paired with a message about embracing your identity
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Owlkids Books for access to a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thao: A Picture Book is a deceptively simple story that perfectly conveys how it feels to be othered because of a name. It’s simple enough to share with little ones who still need an adult to read aloud, but it will resonate with early elementary readers as well.

The book features beautiful cut-paper collages by author Thao Lam. They drew me into the story, inspiring wonder and creativity. (I definitely wanted to collage when I finished reading!) It’s fitting that only Thao is represented by an actual childhood photo, emphasizing how her identity is viewed and treated differently by adults and kids at her school.

Her name is mercilessly and consistently mispronounced by adults and children, leading her to resignedly respond to anything even close to Thao. “Letters get added, scrambled, and left behind.” Her teachers call her Thou, Theo, or Towel. Her classmates not only butcher her name but call her racist nicknames like Tofu and China Girl.

Thao longs for an “easier” name and finally decides to be called Jennifer. The book’s artwork disappears as “Jennifer” goes about her day and Thao disappears into a new identity. But at lunchtime, “Jennifer’s” mom sends Thao’s favorite — gỏi cuốn — and her face lights up. I loved that her mother’s cooking reconnected her to her culture and family, returning her name to her.

As someone who’s gone through life with a ‘hard to pronounce’ last name (and even my own family members are confounded now that I’ve hyphenated), I took special joy in this book. If you enjoy it, visit Thao Lam’s website to view more of her joyful art.

Thao: A Picture Book is available to purchase now.

Related articles and resources

How We Pronounce Student Names, and Why It Matters by Jennifer Gonzalez for Cult of Pedagogy
Pronouncing Students’ Names Correctly Should Be a Big Deal by Punita Chhabra Rice for EducationWeek

Other books you might like

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
2 people found this helpful
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Sharif
5.0 out of 5 stars owning one's name
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022
People constantly butcher Thao’s name. Some of the names they call her seem to be innocent mistakes (like “Thai” and “Tao”), while others are downright offensive (like “China Girl” and “Shrimp”). We see how Thao feels and reacts to this mispronunciation, which leads to an awakening. Anyone who has a name that is different or difficult for others will relate to this book. I loved the collage-style cutouts mixed in with the author’s childhood pictures.
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LibraryMom
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple but Powerful
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021
With her brilliant collage-style illustrations and quirky sense of humor, Thao Lam is one of my favorite author-illustrators. In this autobiographical picture book, Thao skillfully infuses charming text that both amuses and conveys the heartbreak when others misspell or mispronounce a name. Thao felt like such an outsider growing up, she wanted to change her name to Jennifer. When her mom packs her favorite Vietnamese lunch, however, she is reminded of the pride she feels in her culture and embraces her identity.

While the text is brief, the message is compelling. Names hold such power and it is extremely hurtful when others don’t take the time to learn how to say or spell someone’s name correctly. Thao’s story is one that many kids will relate to and that will build empathy and understanding for others.
2 people found this helpful
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Library Jen
4.0 out of 5 stars Names and diversity and feelings
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2021
This cute picture book addresses the concept of diversity through the medium of names. Thao Lam includes pictures of herself and lots of experiences she had growing up that made her feel different - focusing on her name. Her signature collage art is wonderful and diverse and really illustrates her feelings of otherness well. This would make a good one on one read conversation starter with a child on how differences are great and what make us human - but focusing on differences or making others feel less than because of them is harmful. It would also make a good group read aloud for the same reasons.

One thing I would change if I could - I wish the author had actually told us very specifically how to pronounce her name! There was one page where she said to leave out the "h" when saying it, but don't forget the "h" when writing it. So, does that mean it's pronounced like adding a "t" to the beginning of the word "ow" (like you say when you get hurt)? That's my assumption, but it's left unclear in the book, which seems weird since the point of the book was to help us understand the author's feelings about her name and familiarize us with it. Still, I recommend this book and will check the author's website and try and find out exactly how to say her name before I read it to any kids.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from OwlKids through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
2 people found this helpful
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Tootie Nienow
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and heartfelt!
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2021
This book is so sweet. It made my heart squeeze. The short sentences pull the reader in with their child-like innocence. It's cute, funny, and heartfelt. The illustrations are so fun with cut paper collage and cut out photographs. I can't wait to share this with my little library friends when school resumes.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Herne
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Canada on July 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
Thao is an amazing author. I have all her books.
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