My Name is Saajin Singh

October 10, 2022
The Punjabi Sikh protagonist of this picture book, “Saajin (Sah-jin) loved his name.... He loved the way it looked.... And he loved the way it sounded.” But on the first day of school, when his white-presenting teacher calls out “Say-jin” to his racially diverse class, he thinks the articulation must be how people say his name when he leaves the house. Though it doesn’t look or sound right, he accepts the pronunciation until his parents overhear him use it when introducing himself to a new neighbor, and a follow-up conversation gives Saajin the confidence to correct the teacher’s error. Brar focuses on Saajin’s emotional reaction to hearing his name mispronounced, while Kaur’s cartooned illustrations in classic crayon hues energize a familiar arc. Back matter contextualizes the Sikh naming ceremony, Naam Karan. Ages 4–7.