THE NAME GAME
A Look Behind the Labels
by Donna M. Jackson and illustrated by Ted Stearn
This informative picture book about onomastics reveals how names are chosen, from celebrity baby names to pets’ names to names for cars, companies and hurricanes. It investigates the connection between people’s names and the jobs they end up pursuing. Is it just a coincidence that David M. Bird studies birds and that Les Plack is a dentist? What are we to make of the chiropractor Dr. Robert Bonebrake? Also provided are discussions of cultural naming practices and tips for remembering the names of new acquaintances. The prose is informal and entertaining, and Stearn’s comic illustrations and numerous insets keep the text visually interesting. While the subject matter is unlikely to be a first investigative choice with the set this is aimed at, those interested in what we name things and why will be pleased to encounter this well-researched and engagingly presented book. (glossary, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12)