My Name Is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream?

By Jennifer Fosberry and Mike Litwin

A rollicking read-aloud and terrific "read-to-myself" story, full of complete with backmatter about Isabella's favorite women throughout history!

A New York Times Bestseller!

Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream? Ask Isabella…

She takes a wild ride—and discovers the sky's the limit!

Who Is Your Hero?

Isabella's include U.S. Astronaut Sally Ride, activist Rosa Parks, and sharpshooter Annie Oakley—but there's no bigger hero than Isabella's own mommy! Join Isabella on an adventure of discovery—and find out how imagining to be these extraordinary women teaches her the importance of being her extraordinary self.

"This story…speaks frankly about self-identity and self affirmation as Isabella decides at the end that she is actually herself…because she possesses the best parts of all of the women she looks up to."—ForeWord Magazine

"The colorful mixed-media artwork reinforces the fanciful, upbeat tone of the book. Use this story to ignite young readers' interest in women's history." —School Library Journal

My Name Is Not Isabella is capturing hearts and awards, including:

Silver ForeWord Book of the Year Award for Picture Books

Gold Moonbeam Children's Book Award

Gold Independent Publisher Book Award

Amelia Bloomer List

A great choice if looking for:

Feminist books for little girls and boys

Historical women books for kids

Supreme court justices biographies for kids

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Sep 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781402245510

Jennifer Fosberry

Jennifer Fosberry is a science geek turned children's book writer. After running away to Costa Rica for a few years, she returned to the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and three children to read, write, and try to get out of doing housework. Visit jfosberry.com.

Book preview

Reviews for My Name Is Not Isabella

[sonny kompanek · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it. As a retired teacher who wants to get back to early childhood classrooms, this is a perfect book, enabling the imagination, creating a warm and loving acceptance and opening the door to social justice discoveries.

[jkk011 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is good when you teaching character traits because Isabella is different people throughout the book.

[cdolan10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genre: Realistic FictionCritiques: This is a realistic fiction book because it tells the plausible story of a young girl thinking and acting out the role of historic women of the past. She uses pretending as a means of acting as though she is one of the women throughout her everyday actions. For example, on the bus ride to school, she pretends to be Rosa Parks, reflecting on Rosa's bravery.This book has an interesting intrugal setting because it portrays the setting of the main character's life (waking up, eating breakfast, going to school, etc) and then uses the setting to relate to a historic time period or place. This causes the setting to be necessary to follow the storyline. The illustrations and text are critical to be aware of so that the historic character can be recognized.Media: digital

[aharesnape_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Comments on Use: Great book to introduce students to influential women in our history. After reading this book you could have students pick a famous woman in history and research her. This book has several examples of women in history. From this book you can also talk about how people influence who we are and this can be taken to small group discussions about who personally influences each child.Age: Early, IntermediateMedia: coloring

[dianaturner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting and educational; Isabella is a little girl who personifies five of the greatest women in history. It is a little game she plays with her mother.

[laene_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Isabella loves heroic women in history. Throughout the day, she is pretending to be different historical or significant figures such as Sally Ride, Rosa Parks and even her own mother! This books introduces children to a variety of strong women throughout history without feeling awkward or forced. It has been loved by all the children I've read it to thus far, boys and girls, and is definitely one to buy! New York Times Bestseller and winner of several minor awards.

[pdurham_10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very good book to teach character traits.

[demmiee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a wonderfully delightful picture that introduces students to some of the strongest female figures in history, all seen through the eyes of a little girl named Isabella. In the end Isabella becomes empowered due to imagining being these other women and decides that it's also good to be Isabella. I feel that this book is a great read for students K-5 as a read aloud to either introduce famous women in history or review such people. The illustrations and text work very well together and this story is very engaging over all.

[lquilter_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very timely book for us, since my 3yo repeatedly insists, "My name is --" and then produces an entire different persona, different name, different age, etc. She's got several of these personas. This book features "Isabella" who pretends to be "Rosa" (Parks), "Sally" (Ride), "Marie" (Curie), and a bunch of other famous women from history. So as soon as we read it, "Isabella" joined my daughter's cast of personas.

[kourtlin1harrison · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary: This book is about a girl named Isabella that continually says she is a particular woman from history. In one part she says her name is Rosa, "the bravest activist who every was". She continues to change who she is throughout the day until she returns to herself when she goes to bed. Personal Reflection: I can relate to this book because when I learn about a new person, I always wonder what life was like when they were around. This curiosity is evident in children and this book shows that history can be involved in everyday life. This book brings history to life and makes it more relatable for children.Classroom Extension:1. The students could take one person from the story and find out more about their lives. They could find how they influence their lives today and the interesting things about their life. 2. The students would choose one person from history that they would want to be and find out as much information they possibly could. The teacher could have a day where they students come dressed as their historical figure and tell the class about their life.

[angeleyes1382 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Isabella has quite the imagination. This book is a great way to introduce your child or your students to great women in history. The message tells little girls that they can do anything they put their mind to. My students enjoyed getting to know the women in history and I learned some new things myself.

[mom2childs_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sally Ride, the first woman astronaut in spaceAnnie Oakley, American sharpshooter and circus shooterRosa Parks, African-American civil rights activistMarie Curie, one of the most famous female scientistsElizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to graduate medical school, the first woman doctorMommy, one of the loves of little Isabella's lifeThis beautifully illustrated gold and purple children's book provides 5 different history lessons for little girls – and little boys who will listen. Using rhyme, a funny story, and a very adventurous little girl, whose name is only Isabella when she's not being a woman of action, Jennifer Fosberry is able to tell the story of 5 women in American history who have changed lives. And of millions of women whose job is to encourage their children, daily.In one day Isabella is able to morph into these women, and remind us, the grown-folks, of women who have paved paths, and teach children, both boys and girls, about the how a little girl's dreams can turn that little girl into a game-changing inspiration for millions of other little girls. Isabella also teaches adults, who may feel like it's too late to make a change, that's there's always time to follow your dream.I love this book.Reviewed for Arms of a Sister