I’ve said it so many times, but I have never really been sure. Have you?
When you’re chatting with kiddos, or recommending a book to a parent or a teacher, or beginning an author study, how often have you wondered if you are truly pronouncing that author’s name correctly?
Tomie dePaola: The 2,000th recording
Nick Glass, founder of the fabulous TeachingBooks.net, wrote today to share that the Author Name Pronunciation Guide just reached the milestone of 2,000 recordings with the addition of Tomie dePaola’s entry.
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Launched in 2007, this collection of authors and illustrators revealing the origins and pronunciations of their names is completely free. Fun for readers of any age, the Author Name Pronunciation Guide can help librarians avoid the embarrassment of a mispronunciation, but there’s more.
Nick writes:
Hearing book creators introduce themselves offers unique insight into their personality and background. Through the Author Name Pronunciation Guide, students can hear 2015 Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander rhyme his name with salami (and pastrami); learn what the R and L stand for in Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine’s name; and be confident in pronouncing authors whose legacy lives on in their books, like Maya Angelou and Elie Weisel.
Check out some of these name stories and find out more about the Teachingbooks.net database.
Joyce is an Assistant Professor of Teaching at Rutgers University School of Information and Communication, a technology writer, speaker, blogger and learner. Follow her on Twitter: @joycevalenza
