Alma and How She Got Her Name

Yoto Says: As Daddy tells the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit for her after all.

If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name?

Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all—and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell.

Through Alma’s vibrant story, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin stories or names.