Publisher's synopsis
When Zimdalamashkermishkada starts a new school, he knows he’s got to do something about his long name.
When no amount of shrinking, folding or crumpling works, he simply settles for Zim – but deep down, it doesn’t feel right. It’s not until a new friend sees him for who he truly is that Zimdalamashkermishkada finds the confidence to step boldly into his long name.
A warm and uplifting story that encourages young readers to celebrate their individuality, and shows how no-one should ever have to shrink themselves down to fit in.
Awards
- Winner of the 2022 Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Award for New Illustrator
- Selected as the January/February 2023 American Booksellers Association’s Kids’ Indie Next Title
- 2023 Outstanding International Book for USBBY (United States Board on Books for Young People)
- Shortlisted for the 2023 Speech Pathology Book of the Year award (Ages 3 to 5)
Complementary content
ABC EDUCATION STORY TIME STORYBOX HUB
Sandhya Parappukkaran is an award-winning picture book author, library assistant and avid reader. She writes stories inspired by her childhood experiences that encourage readers to embrace their cultural identities. Her books have been published all over the world and, among Sandhya’s many accolades, Stay for Dinner (illustrated by Michelle Pereira) won the Multicultural NSW Award at the 2024 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name (illustrated by Michelle Pereira) won the 2022 CBCA New Illustrator Award.
Sandhya believes that when we explore and celebrate our cultural identities, we show one another greater respect and empathy. She is a writer today because she is a reader, and she is a reader because of public libraries. Sandhya resides in Brisbane with her husband, three children and a backyard brimming with mango trees, curry trees and green chillies.
Bio and photo: Hardie Grant Publishing
Michelle Pereira is an illustrator who spent her childhood in Nairobi, Kenya and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Communication Design and became a professional illustrator after a somewhat extended, but enjoyable, stint of bar work. She has worked with a range of clients such as Penguin UK, Netflix, the New York Times and Marie Claire. Her work has won and been shortlisted for numerous awards, including the 2022 CBCA Award for New Illustrator and the 2024 Ena Noël Award.
Bio and photo: Hardie Grant Publishing
