LITTLE TROUBLEMAKER DEFENDS HER NAME

This latest from speaker, podcaster, and Professional Troublemaker (2021) author Ajayi Jones sees young Luvvie getting into even more trouble on her first day at a new school.

After Luvvie introduces herself to her classmates, Tommy taunts her: “Is your name LAVA?” “Is your name DUMMY?” Luvvie shoots back. Their teacher, Miss Millward, asks Luvvie to apologize but fails to ask Luvvie for her side of the story. Luvvie writes a note to express her feelings (“My teacher’s mean”), but when Miss Millward sees it, she asks Luvvie to speak with her after lunch. Ouch! Luvvie’s found trouble twice in one day. Luvvie’s bottled-up anger and hurt spill over when Mom arrives with the lunch that Luvvie forgot, and the two talk to Miss Millward, who apologizes for not having listened. Though the narrative is on the wordy side, it offers young people a road map for navigating similar situations. The grown-ups in the story display excellent listening skills, while Tommy models kindness and accountability. Bright, cartoonish illustrations alternate between full spreads and close-ups, focusing on the characters’ expressive faces. Luvvie is Black; the previous book in the series established that she’s of Nigerian descent. Tommy presents white, while Miss Millward has light brown skin. Keenly aware that youngsters with uncommon names often face cruel comments, Ajayi Jones ends with some reassuring words (“Sometimes you’re so unique that you don’t see your name on a key chain at a store”) and instructions for a craft project.

Thoughtful guidance for youngsters processing big emotions.