As a father who regularly works 65 to 70 hours each week the thought that preoccupies my mind is being there to create those life-lasting memories with my family. Sure, my wife sends me the toddler-doing-saying-toddler-things videos (which I love), but these won’t substitute. Anytime I’m home is a “right” time to be present and get involved — and bedtime is definitely one of those special memory moments.
It usually starts with “Da’yee (Daddy) can you read me TWO stories?” It’s never so much a question from her to me as it is a decree. So here I come walking across the hallway from our bedroom to hers. One of the books must always be, The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name. Her choice. Her favorite.
She’s of the age where she gets a kick out of pointing out the letters of her name anywhere she spots them — billboards, buildings, boxes, books…. So she gets a special joy from listening to a story about a pint-size adventurer who goes on a quest to find her name which has somehow vanished. The central character in The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name treks through trails, fields, a riverbank and meets some helpful creatures that all come to her aid in gathering her prize: C-H-L-O-E.
My Chloe gets so into it that she’ll oftentimes “read” The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name to me by interpreting the pictures. Of course she adds her own insights from her toddler-doing-saying-toddler-things perspective (which I love). I love witnessing her mind at work. I love sharing in her growth.
I suppose I just want her to hold onto these times inside her forever. You want to give your children something meaningful and memorable. I just want her to remember special moments like these — like story time with Da’yee. It’s all about her and the memories she’ll carry with her through life. But I’ve now come to see the flip side of it. I realize that it’s as important for me to have these times inside me forever too. My Chloe is giving me something meaningful and memorable.
I recommend The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name (Lost My Name Book) for both boys and girls. It’s a cool and creative way to personalize story time while teaching a child to spell their name. When I took a look at the website (http://www.lostmy.name) I was happily surprised to see that they create books for both genders and all names. I then went ahead and purchased copies for my nephews Cayden and Austin.
Another fact I can appreciate is that they’re “100% independent and totally self-published.” I can only imagine the personal initiative and effort it takes to put together quality work like The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name (Lost My Name Book). David Cadji-Newby’s wordplay and Pedro Serapicos’ illustrations really shine. I can say firsthand that this book truly stands out because it’s the one my 3 year old asks me (tells me actually) to read every night.
A suggestion that my wife and I have for genuinely personalizing the experience of each Lost My Name book is for the bookmakers to offer options to choose the main character’s ethnicity. It is a detail as personal and as important to the child (and the child’s caregiver) as the child’s name itself.
The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name (Lost My Name Book) is available for purchase for $29 on http://www.lostmy.name. Gift certificates are also available for purchase.
Written by David S.
Disclosure: Product provided by PR for review purposes only. All opinions are my own and are honest.