Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    The Name Soup, by Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri | Dedicated Review

    Gi HallmarkBy Gi Hallmark3 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Ages 9-12 Author Showcase Chapter Books Cultural Wisdom Social Emotional
    The Name Soup Book Cover
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Gi Hallmark | The Children’s Book Review | January 10, 2014

    thenamesoupimage

    The Name Soup

    By Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri, Illustrated by Red Hansen

    Age Range: 7 and up

    Hardcover: 104 pages

    Publisher: Lion Heart Books (November 10, 2014)

    ISBN: 978-0990724537

    What to Expect: Family, Ancestors,  Adversity, Culture, Diversity, Friendships, Genealogy, Etymology, Courage

    In Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri’s The Name Soup, readers meet Leela Kongkitisoupchai, a cheery eight-year-old girl who lives in Sedona, Arizona with her parents and grandmother. As with many children her age, she is excited about the start of second grade, when she can reunite with old friends and meet new ones. However, Leela’s expectations for the start of the new year change dramatically in just a few minutes into the first day of school and she is forced to learn some difficult, but powerful, lessons about what being different means.

    Mrs. Adams, Leela’s teacher, is conducting roll call and after zipping through the first few names, she stumbles on Leela’s complex last name, which was nothing new for Leela. However, what Leela does experience for the first time, is teasing by her classmates for her unusual last name—a very upsetting, embarrassing, and confusing experience. Later in the day, a despondent Leela runs errands with her mom and through a series of encounters with friends and classmates, she learns that last names are more than letters strewn together, they can have meaning and symbolism about a family and their history. And after an inspiring talk with her grandmother, Leela finds answers about her own genealogy and etymology, which allow her to rebound past her traumatic first day of school experience.

    The Name Soup is a meaningful story about how to view and approach differences in people. Through Leela’s story, Pillalamarri demonstrates that while being different can feel like an unwanted burden, they deserve to be explored, understood and celebrated, which can lead to new-found joy and discoveries. Leela is endearing, spunky, and courageous and stands as a wonderful example of how to overcome challenges that many school aged children experience.

    The Name Soup is an encouraging story for children and is a poignant read for young students and teachers learning to build tolerance and gain insights within classrooms. In addition, The Name Soup’s focus on diversity, genealogy, and etymology offers a great platform for discussion on family history and family trees, a topic that interests many young readers in our increasingly diverse classrooms. These valuable lessons, coupled with short but well developed chapters, interactive exercises at the end of the book, and expressive illustrations by Red Hansen make The Name Soup a worthwhile read.

    Add this book to your collection: The Name Soup

    Read The Children’s Book Review’s interview with Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri.

    Excerpt

    About the Author

    SANDHYA S. PILLALAMARRI has always had a unique last name. And she is quite proud of it. When she isn’t busy researching names, Sandhya can be found leading the research and evaluation strategy for a world premier educational technology and learning company. Sandhya has worked for multinational corporations in various leadership and consultative roles, driving product design & user experience for top digital and physical consumer products. She has studied computer science from Arizona State University, human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon University and management, strategy and operations from Harvard University. Sandhya can be found cooking, reading and pronouncing her toddler’s Sanskrit name somewhere in the suburbs of Boston, MA. This is her first book.

    TheNameSoup.com | Facebook | Amazon

    Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “The Name Soup” paid for this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …

    What to Read Next:

    1. Interview with Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri About The Name Soup
    2. Out Loud: June’s Venture, by Luz Agudelo | Dedicated Review
    3. I Am an English-Language Learner: The Real and Unique Stories of Immigrant Children in America | Dedicated Review
    4. Melissa Campesi Discusses I Am an English-Language Learner

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    ancestors books about etymology Books About Gynealogy Bullying Dedicated Reviews Diversity Introduction To Culture Lion Heart Books Red Hansen Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri teasing
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleChildren’s Book Trends on The Children’s Book Review | January 2015
    Next Article Interview with Sandhya Sameera Pillalamarri About The Name Soup
    Gi Hallmark
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)

    Gi Hallmark, founder of The Children's Blog, is a freelance writer and mother of two lovely girls. She currently resides in Charlotte, NC, where she enjoys reading and reporting about a variety of children’s topics. For more information, visit: www.thechildrensblog.com or follow @thechildrnsblog on Twitter.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • 5 Stunning Summer-Themed Audiobooks for Ages 4 and Up
    • My Love for You Is Like the Night Sky | Awareness Tour
    • What Do You Do with Your Poo? | Book Review
    • Oliver’s Shadow, by Martin Knight-Yeager | Book Review
    • Hi! I’m Cher. I Go Everywhere: A Mindfuless Book For Children & Their Grownups | Dedicated Review
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.