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Table of Contents
About The Book
Our Favorite Day of the Year meets Alma and How She Got Her Name in this warm, lyrical picture book about a child who learns to celebrate her multicultural identity and finds pride in all the stories and worlds that live inside of her.
When it’s Multicultural Day at school, a young girl wonders how best to tell the story of who she is. With marigolds, mangoes, and stories of India? Fairy tales, cuckoo clocks, and German tales? Or cheeseburgers, superheroes, and American traditions?
When choosing only one doesn’t feel quite right, she realizes that stories from all three places make her who she is. With whole worlds inside her, she doesn’t have to choose just one—she can be all three.
When it’s Multicultural Day at school, a young girl wonders how best to tell the story of who she is. With marigolds, mangoes, and stories of India? Fairy tales, cuckoo clocks, and German tales? Or cheeseburgers, superheroes, and American traditions?
When choosing only one doesn’t feel quite right, she realizes that stories from all three places make her who she is. With whole worlds inside her, she doesn’t have to choose just one—she can be all three.
About The Author
Photograph by Sam Bond Photography
Salima Alikhan is the author of more than thirteen books for children. She holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and lives in Austin, Texas, where she is an English and creative writing professor. She feels very lucky to get to create worlds for readers to get lost in.
About The Illustrator
Photograph by Christina Swanson
Noor Sofi is a visual developer and illustrator based in Los Angeles. She is inspired by color, light, and being able to capture some of life’s sweetest moments. In her everyday life, she enjoys dreaming up stories, painting beautiful scenes, and traveling to new places.
Why We Love It
“Salima Alikhan’s words just sing with emotion. Her poetic writing creates a dreamy, introspective atmosphere for the book, making the perfect stage for Noor Sofi’s beautiful art. Kids who grew up in a multicultural home will deeply relate to this story.”
—Deeba Z., Editor, on I Can Be All Three
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (August 2, 2023)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665901840
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
Praise for I Can Be All Three
* “A love letter to the beauty and joy of multicultural identities, this vibrant picture book will surely spark discussion and reflection. An excellent choice for story time and classroom read-alouds.”—School Library Journal, STARRED review
“Alikhan renders a complex social concept with laudable simplicity, in doing so reassuring readers by speaking to ‘the hushed hopes / of many worlds / wrapped up inside of us.’”—Publishers Weekly
“An insightful, imaginative story about embracing our full selves.”—Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): I Can Be All Three Hardcover 9781665901840
- Author Photo (jpg): Salima Alikhan Photograph by Sam Bond Photography(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
