​I never really liked my middle name all that much. It seemed too generic. Too common. Once I asked my mom why she chose it. She kind of shrugged and said something about a one-syllable name sounding good next to a two-syllable first name. It didn’t sound like she spent too much time thinking about it, probably because she and my dad had a hard-enough time agreeing on a first name for me. When I got married, I decided to take my husband’s last name and change my middle name to my maiden name. I have no brothers, so in this way I thought I’d carry my dad’s family name and show my family pride. In honor of Middle Name Pride Day I bring you a review of a book all about how a little girl got her name:

​This book has everything I love: Beautiful illustrations, a surprise under the book jacket, a sweet, relatable main character, and a story full of heart. Little Alma has a big name. So big, it “doesn’t fit” (as shown when she tries to write it on a piece of paper). When she complains to her father, he tells her the story of how she got her name. One of her names came from her grandmother who loved books and flowers, just like Alma. One came from her grandfather who was an artist, just like Alma. In the end (spoiler alert), Alma comes to love her name and decides it fits her “just right.” I could gush more about every aspect of this book, but I could never do it justice. You’ll just have to read for yourself. And I highly recommend you do. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
 
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Yup. It’s a day to celebrate old stuff. I’ve got plenty of that. Don’t we all? I do my share of de-cluttering, but there are a few things that are harder to part with. Those things I hold dear, even if someone else might not feel the same way. Today’s book review celebrates something old that has value to a hard-working farming family. And it’s brilliantly done: 

​One might not first think the idea of making an old truck the main character of a picture book is a good one, but they would be wrong (in my humble opinion). Because they haven’t read THE OLD TRUCK. To thoroughly enjoy this book, take it all in--the jacket, the cover, the illustrations leading to the title page, the details on every page (watch how the truck, the little girl, and the farm around her change as time passes), the words. Oh, my--the words! Just the right words to tell this circular story of an old truck that works hard until it grows tired, and then rests. All the while a little girl dreams of adventures with the truck, and then grows up to be a farmer herself, and (spoiler alert) dreams and persists and restores the old truck. I remember having my own adventures in my grandfather’s antique cars, whether or not they were working hard or resting. I also grew up in a family of “tinkerers” (blacksmiths, mechanics, farmers, all-around-fixer-uppers) who worked hard to restore and old cars, farm equipment, and other items that people now seem to easily discard and replace with the newest thing. THE OLD TRUCK was a refreshing, sweet, read with equally sweet illustrations. 
 
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