Skip to content

The Name Game by Elizabeth Laird and Olivia Holden

The naming of things...in a book!

A beautiful, creative story about naming things around you, which young children love to do very naturally. In The Name Game, when there’s no one to play with this is just the chance to speak with the magpie.

Who are you?’ I call out. ‘Please tell me your name!’

‘I’m a magpie, darlin.’ A jack the lad, a cheeky chappie, a jewel thief if I’m honest. But a heart of gold, I promise you.’

‘Why don’t you give me a name?’

And so magpie becomes ‘Diamond Dodger.’

Beautifully illustrated, The Name Game is a book which will delight young children and adults too. Each page is a joy to read and to look through as the little girl meets a tree, a butterfly and a cat, all in need of amazing new names.

Image: Elizabeth Laird

Elizabeth Laird is a multi-award-winning author of many successful picture books, young fiction and YA novels, including Grobbblechops, also published by Tiny Owl. She is the author of many  thought-provoking titles, including A House Without Walls, which is about a family driven out of their home in Syria. It could well be linked to families in the Ukraine today. There are also a wealth of  information and materials available to teachers.

Image: Olivia Holden

Olivia Holden, the illustrator has a great talent and has illustrated many books and book covers including Ernest Shackleton Little People, Big Dreams and Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield. She was a shortlisted finalist in the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition 2022.

Tiny Owl are an independent children’s book publisher and have a wonderful portfolio of beautiful, diverse and intriguing titles, especially in their picture books. The Name Game is published in 7th June 2022

A gem of a book and one which I will be sharing on the sofa!

Sue Martin        Children's Literacy Specialist


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.