New Children's Book, 'My Name Is Ai Lin,' Shines Light On Rich Tradition, Stories Behind Every Name

LONG ISLAND, NY — Long after William Shakespeare pondered the centuries-old question, "What's in a name?" a Long Island author and mother has written a new children's book, "My Name Is Ai Lin," which brings beauty and sensitivity to the query.

"My Name is Ai Lin," released on July 1 via Sleeping Bear Press, is Maria Wen Adcock's second children's book. In 2023, her debut book, "It's Chinese New Year, Curious George," was released via Clarion Books/HarperCollins Publisher.

On Saturday, Wen Adcock will host a book launch party and book signing for "My Name is Ai Lin" from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Huntington Public Library, located at 338 Main Street in Huntington. The event is open to the public and will include a book reading, book signing, light refreshments and crafts for children.

Author Wen Adcock, a first-generation Chinese American writer, is the founder of the award-winning blog BiculturalMama.com and has appeared in Bloomberg News, Huffington Post, The Dr. Oz Show, and Newsday.

She is a board member of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an organization supporting diverse parenting bloggers, and co-host of the annual event Multicultural Children's Book Day. She lives on Long Island.

Illustrator Yu Ting Cheng graduated with an MFA in computer art from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

"After several years in the animation field, she draws inspiration from her love for storytelling and the everyday magic of life. Her experiences abroad resonate deeply with Ai Lin's journey. She believes that every name has a story waiting to be told and remembered," the book's description reads.

Yu lives in Taipei, Taiwan.

Together, they have crafted a children's book that sings with truth, respect, kindness and an exquisite appreciation for the traditions and ancestors that shaped our collective paths.

"In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity," the book's summary reads.

In fact, the "real-life" Ai Li is Wen Adcock's oldest daughter; Ai Lin is her Chinese name.

The book begins when Ai Lin starts school, and none of her classmates can pronounce her name. "It’s not that important, right?" one might ask. "But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. Her name is part of her identity and her heritage. It was chosen for what it means and for how it sounds. It ties her to her family — present and past. When she shares her family history, her classmates come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake."

The empowering story aims to teach children that in making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, a message is sent that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.

Speaking with Patch, Wen Adcock said as a child, she didn’t want to tell anyone her Chinese name, Ying-Hsing. "I knew they wouldn’t know how to say it, it was different, and I wanted to fit in. My last name, Wen, seemed simple, but it was uncommon. Some people assumed my last name was spelled 'when,' like 'When are you going somewhere?' or they would see my last name and ask if it was pronounced Ween or Wan or some version of that. I was afraid to stand up for myself, so I didn’t correct them."

In "My Name Is Ai Lin", other children ask Ai Lin if they can change her name to something easier for them to say and remember. "I wanted to empower Ai Lin by having her stand up for herself, in the way that I didn’t when I was a child. I wanted Ai Lin to be proud of her name and share her heritage with others. I hope this will inspire children in similar circumstances to do the same," Wen Adcock said.

Before her first daughter was born, Wen Adcock said she knew she would choose a Chinese name for her that held meaning, just as her parents had done for her and her siblings. "I reached out to my parents for guidance on names that would accomplish this goal. It was important to me to continue this Chinese tradition, given that my heritage is part of my identity. Of the names my parents presented, my husband and I chose Ai Lin. Thus, my book is based on the real-life Chinese name of my daughter."

Reflecting on the importance of a name, Wen Adcock said: "In a very practical sense, our names are our identities. When someone says our names, we know they’re talking to us. Culturally, a name can represent someone’s heritage or show respect for elders they may have been named after. No one wants to be called by the wrong name."

Her book is a perfectly crafted jewel that sings not just with the inherent beauty behind each name, chosen with love and rich with generations of meaning — but it also espouses the critical importance of embracing diversity and understanding, even from the earliest of ages.

"We’re all different in some ways, and our uniqueness is something that should be celebrated. 'My Name Is Ai Lin' can foster social emotional learning by helping children to learn empathy, respect, and tolerance for others who may be different. The world is quite large, and we’re all connected in one way or another," Wen Adcock said.

And, she added, as parents prep their kids for the new school year, 'My Name Is Ai Lin' can be a starting point for children to express their feelings about going back to school. "Teachers and librarians can use the book to support students as they meet new classmates or friends and learn their names," Wen Adcock said.

Discussing her journey to become a children's book author, Wen Adcock said as a child, she knew she wanted to write a book, but didn’t know how. "So I tucked that dream away for many decades. I pursued a communication degree at the University of Michigan and then an MBA in marketing at Indiana University. I worked in marketing for Fortune 500 companies: General Mills, Sara Lee Corporation, and Time Inc., which published magazines. While at Time Inc., I worked with writers. I felt a pull to be on the edit side of the business, but again, didn’t know how to make that work."

After her first child was born, Wen Adcock made a career change. Freelance writing allowed her to work from home while gaining experience. At that time, she launched the award-winning Bicultural Mama parenting blog, and also attended children’s writing workshops and conferences to learn the craft. She joined critique groups to improve her technique, and began penning manuscripts.

The love of books took deep root within Wen Adock from her earliest days. "We didn’t own a lot of books, but we did go to the library all the time. We always participated in the library’s summer reading programs, and I spent hours and hours there, which helped me to become a voracious reader. I did not necessarily have one favorite book, though I read through a lot of Curious George books and many series, such as the Trixie Belden series and Nancy Drew series — this was in the 70s and 80s. In a nice coincidence, my debut children’s book was 'It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George.' Little did I know back then that I would end up writing a book about a beloved character I used to read!"

Reading to young children sets the stage for all that's to follow, Wen Adcock said. "Studies have shown that reading to your child can help improve their literacy skills. It’s also a great opportunity to bond with your child by sharing a book, reading together, and cuddling at bedtime."

Just as she hopes to share a life message with her young readers and their parents, giving life and meaning to the book has changed Wen Adcock. "Writing this book has shown me that we all can impact others in big and small ways. I hope this book inspires children who may be in the same situation as Ai Lin to feel empowered and proud about their uniqueness. For other children, the book can help them become more aware of the importance of saying someone’s name correctly. The little things we do can accumulate to make a difference."

Both of her daughters are found within the book, under their Chinese names Ai Lin and Ai Mei. "My kids think it’s cool that I wrote a book, and they’re in it," Wen Adcock said. "They know my writing journey to become a published author took a long time."

She added: "I hope this book empowers them to realize their dreams can come true. Sometimes it’s not a straight line to the goal and can take a while, but it can still happen with perseverance. 'My Name Is Ai Lin' is also a way to show my love to my children and honor them."