While the road to having our family was filled with many bumps, we had four pregnancies end in miscarriage, I have to say that naming our four children has proven to be just as difficult a task as having them. It never fails that when we were expecting a girl, we had a boys name set in stone that we loved. When we were expecting our sons, I had the perfect girls name ready. While our lists of names have changed with each pregnancy, the task continues to be daunting each and every time.  I struggle because I know that the name we choose will follow our child throughout their life.

I grew up disliking my name.  My parents always said they had two names in mind, Miranda or Brandy Lee, and they ended up going with Miranda.  Neither name had any significant ties to family, friends, or any particular reason other than they just liked it.  The biggest reason I didn’t care for my given name was because I also had a nickname.  The only place where people knew me as my given name was school.  Everyone else called me by my other name.  It was confusing as a child because whenever I was asked my name, I never knew which one to give them!  Because I grew up disliking my name, I have always worried that my children may have those same feelings.  So when I was given the opportunity to review a sweet new book by first time children’s author, Carol Gahara Harris, I was excited.

The book is called “My Name Is Leona” and is about a little girl named Leona who is not particularly fond of her name.  She doesn’t understand why she has such an unusual name and is determined to change it once she is older.  After she resolves to find a better name, she discovers that naming pets, dolls, and even people is a lot harder than it sounds.  Finally she speaks to her parents about her name and realizes that they gave her that name out of love.  Leona comes to realize that she loves her unusual name and that it is, indeed, a special but wonderful name that suits her perfectly.

Our 8 year old daughter sat down to read this book immediately after it arrived.  She liked it so much that she read it three more times in the next 24 hours.  I also sat down and read it to all four of our children together.  The book has beautiful illustrations and that, combined with the smooth flow of words, kept everyones interest.  I have a feeling that this will be requested time and time again during our story time readings because everyone enjoyed it so much.

I really liked the simple yet compassionate way that “My Name Is Leona” approaches this subject.  A child’s name can be a sensitive subject and Carol Gahara Harris composed a wonderful message in this book that can help a child be more confident in who they are.

“My Name Is Leona” is also a GOLD metal recipient of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award.

Buy It: Head over to Carol Gahara Harris’s Site to learn more or head over to Amazon to purchase a copy today.

Connect: Don’t forget to My Name Is Leona on Facebook.

Miranda

I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
Follow Miranda on Pinterest | Twitter| Blog | Instagram

www.emilyreviews.com/category/miranda