I Am Rene, the Boy

Young Rene's teacher is calling role one morning, and Rene is dismayed to hear someone else answer to his name. It's not only that he thought he was the only person with that name, but also that the new student who answers is a girl. That afternoon his classmates tease, Rene has a girl's name. After discussing it with Mama and Papa, Rene decides his name is so beautiful that a girl copied it from him, not the other way around. But the next day at school the new girl sits by him ... is behind him every time they line up ... shares her apple with him ... and at recess tells him she wants to be his best friend ... everywhere he turns, there's Rene the girl. One day at the library, Rene discovers a book called The Meaning of Names. With the book tucked under his arm, Rene endeavors to win the first writing contest of the school year. Complimented by playful illustrations, this bilingual picture book follows Colato Lainez's own experiences, when he was faced with a challenge to his own name as a child. This witty story about a young boy's odyssey to find out the meaning of his name will challenge readers aged 3 to 7 to chart cross-cultural differences by gaining an understanding about themselves and the people around them."