Book Review: Sora’s Seashells
Growing up, I was regularly teased for being Filipino (“Do you eat dogs?”) and for having a weird name.
Reading Sora’s Seashells opened a vault of those old memories. It made me cry for the ashamed little girl I once was and for the mother I am now, who has a child who is considered different for having a “weird” name (Ylvie) like her mother, a mixed racial identity, and a heart defect.
I adored this book for addressing otherness in a way children can relate, for portraying a main character who is of mixed heritages, and for celebrating being different.
The main character, Sora, tells her parents she wants a normal name like “Sara.” I remember a similar conversation with my parents. I hated my name. I wanted to change it to “Amy.”
Ylva means “She Wolf” in Old Norse. I’d met a woman named Ylvie (the nickname for Ylva) in Sweden when I studied there in college. It struck me as a powerful name and perfect for my heart warrior little girl.
Sora’s Seashells is sweet story packed with lessons on diversity, inclusion, acceptance, and love.
Thank you Blue Slip Media and Purple Shelf Media for our copy.
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media
Purple Shelf Media: @purpleshelfmedia
Candlewick: @candlewickpress
Helena Ku Rhee: @helenakurhee
Stella Lim: @stellalim_art
Ji-Hyuk Kim: @ji_hyukkim
