My Name Is Not Alexander

June 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-This cleverly crafted picture book pays homage not only to diverse heroes, but also to the children who engage in imaginary adventures with them. The story follows Alexander from the moment he wakes with a smirk, hair standing on end, declaring: "My name is not Alexander!" A present, patient, and refreshingly domestic father asks him, "then who has been sleeping in my son's bed?" This formula allows Alexander to introduce Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Chief Joseph, Fred Astaire, Jackie Robinson, and, finally, his own daddy. The story ends with the child dreaming about "who he would be tomorrow." Each spread shows not-Alexander and his trusty teddy-bear sidekick in a charade complete with costumes and a typeface that is uniquely suited to each role. Edison's descriptive words, "brilliant" and "light" are that indeed, seemingly lit by an unseen bulb. Alexander's familiar daily routine and energetic pretend play give this story wide appeal and make it equally perfect for sharing in storytime or kicking off a school unit about heroes. Biographical information on each man is included at the end in both a simple-sentence format and a more detailed paragraph. Litwin's pencil illustrations on sueded matboard add humor and depth to Alexander's flights of fancy. Fans of this team's work will also love the girl-power version, My Name Is Not Isabella (Monkey Barrel, 2008).-Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2011
Grades 1-3 Patterned closely on My Name Is Not Isabella! (2010), this companion volume for the lads features the father as a foil for a boy who claims a different historical identity at every turn: Teddy the president, Chief Joseph, Thomas the inventor, Fred the dancer, and Jackie the ballplayer. He also dubs himself Daddy for a time before reverting to Alexander for a backyard sleepover with his indulgent parent. Sporting bright-red hair and historical costumes, the young narrators big personality comes through clearly in Litwins grainy-surfaced cartoon scenes. Fosberry offers brief bios of each figureincluding Daddyat the end.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2011
One morning, Alexander will only answer to Theodore ("the greatest, grandest president who ever was!"), then to Thomas (as in Edison), and so on, until he pretends to be who he admires most: "Daddy." It's a promising (if a little cutesy) idea, but Alexander's rapid-fire identity changes turn the five featured historical figures, documented with panache in Litwin's illustrations, into blips. Websites. Bib.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)