Adoption Books

Bought this for my daughter who is entering third grade. Personally I am thrilled she is reading books I read. She is borrowing from the library but she received the first few from an aunt and we have purchased what she can't find to borrow.
Well written with an appropriate sense of humor for her age level. As a teacher I'd say they are probably appropriate for grades 3 through 6 or 7th grade dependent on their reading level.

I read (the twisted candals)by Caroline Keene. its about a girl named Nacy drew and she likes to solve mysteries. In this Nancy and her friend Ned go to a haunted hotel to try to save beth,one of there other friends out of a closet that that can olny be opened by a secret code on the twisted candals.

I liked alot of things in this book but one of the things i liked alot is that Nancy comes up with really good ideas and ned does them.

This book is so action packed that I think there is nothing to hate,if you like mysteries i think you should definitely read this book

Applewood Books has turned back the hands of time and given back Nancy Drew to readers. Faithfully restored to its original form, word for word, this is the real Nancy. These beautifully reproduced hardback editions are not condensed, rewritten or updated. This is the Nancy Drew of the 1930's, her blonde bob and 30's style dress shown on the facimile of the original dust jacket, conjuring up images and phrases from the enchanted America of yesteryear.

While it is still a book designed for youthful readers, there is a bit more depth here in the originals, and not a small dose of nostalgia when read today. You can almost see the Coke sign outside the River Heights Theatre showing the latest Nancy Carroll picture, as Nancy goes whizzing past in hot pursuit of a clue.

"The Sign of the Twisted Candles" remains one of the best in the series conceived by Edward Stratemeyer, creator of The Hardy Boys. A ghostwriter from Iowa named Mildred Wirt fleshed out his story outlines and "Carolyn Keene" was born. When he died in 1930, his daughter Harriet continued to oversee his company and in 1933 "The Sign of the Twisted Candles," the ninth book in the popular series, was published. A warm and affectionate introduction by mystery writer Carolyn G. Hart is the only addition or deviation from how it first appeared in this lovely edition.

Nancy and her pals George and Bess are caught in a rainstorm and seek shelter at The Sign of the Twisted Candles. Nancy befriends a young orphan named Sadie and finds danger and mystery lurking at the Twisted Candles, of course. The plot revolves around Asa Sydney and his will, and a family fued which will cause George and Bess to desert Nancy for a time until a lesson about loyalty is learned. Nancy's father, famous lawyer Carson Drew, gets involved on behalf of his daughter, and Hannah Gruen, the Drew's houskeeper and mother-figure to Nancy, is present here as well.

Buried secrets and an attempt to run Nancy off the road offer plenty of action unmarred by today's brand of violence for readers. An exciting and heartfelt conclusion punctuates a wholesome mystery which provides a role model even today. These beautiful Applewood editions stand head and shoulders above the others as they help young readers discover Nancy in a romantically nostalgic past. It is a past more innocent to be sure, filled with ice cream parlors and roadsters, five cent Saturday mornings at the movies watching our favorite serial adventure and, of course, Nancy Drew.

Young readers will discover a new friend to rush home to after class and the joy of losing yourself in a book with this edition. Older readers who either read them in their own youth or bought them for their children all the time will heave a wistful sigh for a time long gone in America's past.

I loved this book! I have about 26 other nancy drew books, but this one was one of my favorites! it made you keep saying, "okay, my eyes are getting REALLY tired, I have to stop." at 1:00 in the morning, but you end up reading another 4 cahpters. THe book is about a 100 year old man, named Asa Sidney, who lives in an old mansion which his realatives have turned into a resturaunt and inn. The mansion is really Asa Sidney's but because it is a inn, now, his realatives keep him in the small tower, and have told him that if her went down the steps he would fall, so,he satys up there all the time. He used to be a candle-maker and he got lots of money from some of his invetions with candles.His family had been fueding,on who got his money when he died. His wife's side of the family wanted his money, and the same with his side. His neice, Carol, was his only friend, Carol would sneak up to the tower every once in a while to visit with him. THen, one day, when he got ill, he had Nancy's father draw up a will for him, and Mr. Sidney told Nancy and Carol to start searching for THE SIGN OG THE TWISTED CANDLE, any where they went, he said that where ever a twisted candle, or a picture of a twisted candle was, there would be something very valuable. But the next day, he died and when they read the will.......... well, you'll just have to see for yourself. BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!

i really loved this book.there were some sad and exiting parts in this suspenceful book.nancy goes to the sign of the twisted candles inn where rumors are heard that asa sidney,bess's and george's relative is being held prisinor in his own mansion.this is true and when nancy meets carol wipple,who lives in the inn with her foster parents.thats when asa sidney seeks mr.drew to come to the inn to make a will for him.on the way out of the tower room nancy looks out the window to see frank jemmit,carols foster dad burring a chest.but nancy is sure she saw the chest the other day in asa sidneys tower room.is frank jemmit and emma jemmit being dishonest to carol and asa sidney?in mr.sidney's will he leaves alot to carol,but why??find out in this exiting mystery.oh and the most exiting part to me is the 19 chapter where nancy climbs up a ladder to the tower room to see if emma and frank are taking hiding in there.

As a fellow adoptee who searched for and found my birthfamily in my teens over 15 years ago, and experienced wonderful relationships, I found this book an accurate reflection in many ways of an adoptee experience. Thought provoking, moving and compassionate the author gives a wonderful voice to the story of adoption. It is a must read for all those touched by adoption and I highly recommend this book.

A Wealth of Family is a gripping chronicle of Thomas Brooks quest to discover the true wealth of family as he reunites with his birth family and in turn discovers his true self. It is inspiring story that will encourage members of the adoption triad and "traditional" families as well. As an adoptive mother, I highly recommend this book. It will help give you a healthy view of open adoption and the reunion experience.

Brooks' captivating writing style coupled with his amazing life story and steadfast approach to life make this book both an entertainment and thought-triggering masterpiece that had me hooked right to the last page.

At age eleven, Thomas Brooks learned he was adopted and at first it shook his secure world. At age 25, while pursing his MBA, he decided to find his birth parents to complete the circle of his life. In A Wealth of Family, readers are treated to an international travel log and multicultural experience as we travel with Brooks in discovering his true roots.

Although Brooks was acclimated and culturally African American, he always suspected he might be of mixed heritage. When he received a document from the adoption agency, he was surprised to find that his mother was of Lithuanian Jewish background and his father was from Kenya. His parents had a brief affair while his mother was an undergraduate and his father was a graduate student at Penn State. After assuring his beloved adopted mother, Joan, that, no one would usurp her place in his life, he began to earnestly search for his birth parents.

Brooks grew up in a large extended family in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania area surrounded by his mother's large family, the Lowrys. His parents divorced when he was four and he had little contact with his father. Brooks spent most of his growing years struggling with poverty because his mother was unable to work to support them. After a series of moves, they settled in Brighton, a white working/middle class suburb of Pittsburgh. After a rough start, Brooks began to excel in school, making excellent grades and was active in sports. He found himself fighting racism and stereotypes at time but preserved and was valedictorian of his high school class and going on to the University of Pittsburgh. Again, he applied himself to his studies and became immersed in a full college experience to include joining the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a Greek Black organization and other clubs. He pursued engineering and then an MBA at the University of Maryland.

Because his birth mother, Dorothy, left contact information in his file at the adoption agency, he was able to quickly establish contact with her. Dorothy, who was living in England, flew to Houston, where Brooks was then working. They established a rapport and thereafter, Brooks flew to England and met his sister and three brothers. He was received with open arms and they slowly built a relationship, along with his grandmother, Maryan, Dorothy's mother, who was living in Pittsburgh. Dorothy wanted to meet Joan, but he realized it was a delicate situation and it would need more time for the two women, his birth mother and his adoptive mother to meet.

Brooks then took the steps to make contact with his father, Mboga Mageka Omwenga, which was much more difficult. In 1995, he and Dorothy made the trek to Kenya to make his paternal connection. First, they went on a safari to take in the beautiful country and then went on to Nairobi. All he had was a name and the fact that his father was of the Kisii tribe, according to a Kenyan friend in Houston. After a series of word-of-mouth connections, placing an announcement in the newspaper, and a few hits and misses, Brooks connected with his father's daughter, Margaret. She explained the father was out of the area but the two of them became acquainted. Brooks went back to Houston but thereafter started corresponding with his father. He went back to Kenya several months later finally met his father and was warmly received by the entire village and all his relatives, including his 100 year-old grandmother. He slowly established a relationship with his Kenyan family overcoming a few cultural challenges and miscommunications.

After his mother, Joan met Dorothy, the families seemed to blend and accept each other. Brooks came to love and appreciate having three families who all loved and supported him. His world travels served to broaden his understanding of different cultures and heightened his appreciation of his multiracial heritage. While he considers himself African American, he calls himself a world citizen. He learned to value the traits both his birth mother and father passed on to him, such as their intellectual ability.

Part memoir, part family history and genealogy, Brooks has written a memorable account of how race, culture, and family intersect while also recounting his own life lessons. He is a successful businessman living in Atlanta with his wife and family, mentoring inner-city youth and active in several social and civic organizations. There are many stories about bi-racial children but Brooks' story was unique in that it spanned three continents and melded three families to include a wealth of love, forgiveness and acceptance. This book is recommended for those interested in the topics of multiculturalism and adoptees seeking their roots.

Reviewed by Dera R. Williams
APOOO BookClub

I thought this book was inspiring, especially for those seeking their roots. I felt as though I knew the author personally by the end of the story as I went along for the journey with him. It is a must read!

This book is wonderfully written and full of extremely valuable information. I loved reading it and will keep it for detailed reference as I go through the adoption process.

It help me alot a about the adoption for a single wonwan and I hope this will help a single parents.

I'm only partially through the book...not sure I'll finish. The exercises are helpful, and the general information is quite good. That said, much of the information is too dated and perhaps a bit too "PollyAnna". The copyright is 2000, and international adoption processes change too rapidly for this book to be entirely accurate/relevent today.

The book is quite optimistic about everyone being able to adopt -- people 50+ yrs old, single males, homosexuals, people on public assistence, etc. In everything else I've read, each of those groups seem to face significant biases and challenges from U.S. adoption agencies as well as foreign agencies/orphanages/governments. I'm not sure the book adequately portrays the challenges each demographic group may face.

I walked away from reading this feeling fully empowered to move forward with an adoption as a single; it also opened my eyes to many aspects of single parenting (especially an adopted child) that I had never considered. I have passed this book on to friends who are also in the process or thinking about it. Highly recommend reading this even if you are already adopting-

There are also exercises at the end of each section/chapter that force you to think about what you are doing by journaling, very effective.

I have not read the entire book, but it is a book that has made me think at most is adoption really for me and at least I would have to really think about things.

Adoption Forum is a unique book: Inasmuch as it is discussion forum on issues of adoption, it goes further than a general gathering of perspectives and opinions. It reaches the level of an intimate discussion on topics generally not considered when thinking about adoption in general terms.

How many of us consider Donor Insemination as pertinent to the adoption triad configuration? How much thought have any of us given to the idea of adoption remorse? Where do we stand with respect to same sex couple adoption? Just how real is adoption synchronicity?

In Adoption Forum Kasey Hamner has created an unbiased platform for all manner of voices associated with adoption. If on one hand, Adoption Forum is a celebration of what adoption can be, it is also an unflinching critic of its inadequacies, the most destructive of which is secrecy.

Once again Kasey Hamner illustrates the magnitude of fearlessness: the book does not shy away from controversial themes. It embraces difference and opposing points of view and does so compassionately.

This is a very valuable contribution to adoption literature, not for the complexities of adoption reflected in it, but because of its very human voice.

By Renée Sigel

Late Discovery Adoptees, Donor Insemination people, and all Triad members, take note! This book is not to be missed. All those touched by adoption/DI speak their voice, uncensored. I loved this book because it touched on many timely topics. In a world where Bush is tying to ban gay marriages, this book talks about whether on not gays should have the right to adopt. All opinions are expressed and some I certainly don't agree with. I read it in one afternoon. The poetry is all original and very touching.

Meredith, DI mother of three, three different donors

I was so impressed with the candor and content of "Whose Child" that I was very excited to see that Ms. Hamner published a follow up book, "Adoption Forum".
This is the most engaging book I've ever had the opportunity to read on the subject of adoption and the ramifications to all of those involved in the process.
Kasey has allowed free voice to those whom she interviewed for this book. It's rare to see books published today without censorship. I have tremendous respect for Kasey for producing this wonderful forum. ...

Adoption Forum is a unique book: Inasmuch as it is discussion forum on issues of adoption, it goes further than a general gathering of perspectives and opinions. It reaches the level of an intimate discussion on topics generally not considered when thinking about adoption in general terms.

How many of us consider Donor Insemination as pertinent to the adoption triad configuration? How much thought have any of us given to the idea of adoption remorse? Where do we stand with respect to same sex couple adoption? Just how real is adoption synchronicity?

In Adoption Forum Kasey Hamner has created an unbiased platform for all manner of voices associated with adoption. If on one hand, Adoption Forum is a celebration of what adoption can be, it is also an unflinching critic of its inadequacies, the most destructive of which is secrecy.

Once again Kasey Hamner illustrates the magnitude of fearlessness: the book does not shy away from controversial themes. It embraces difference and opposing points of view and does so compassionately.

This is a very valuable contribution to adoption literature, not for the complexities of adoption reflected in it, but because of its very human voice.

I love Kasey Hamner's writing style. I could not put "Whose Child?" down so I immediately bought "Adoption Forum" when it came out. The book includes hot topics such as birth family integration, adoption abuse, secondary losses, open vs. closed adoptions, rights to records,adoption remorse, same-sex couples adoptions, etc. It is packed with solid suggestions for healing from all triad members, including adoption mental health professionals such as NANCY VERRIER, JOE SOLL, and ANNETTE BARAN. Donor insemination is given a huge voice (3 chapters) and late discovery adoptees are also given a much needed voice. I don't agree with everybody in this book, but I am not supposed to. But as Kasey says, "isn't it comforting to know that we can all respect each other is our diversity." Amen Kasey.

Frieda Meyer, adoptive mother of 3

To be sure, this book is a compelling and engaging story and you feel tremendous admiration for Savarese and his wife, in their attempts to connect with their adopted son, DJ, who is profoundly autistic. However, there is so much more in the book than just that story, and I thought much of it was distracting. The poetry quotations, the interjections about Savarese's terrible relationship with his pompous and autocratic father, the recaps of the back-and-forth exchanges with DJ's biological father and his new wife (who Savarese despises), etc. etc. I enjoyed reading this book but all in all, I felt there was just too MUCH here. It read more like a stream-of-consciousness emotional outpouring by the author than a story with an organized and compact narrative. Savarese is a brilliant man and a talented author, no doubt, but a deft editing hand was needed here, and that didn't happen. Quite a bit of the extraneous information was marginally relevant to the story, but the narrative would have been stronger without all the other "stuff" thrown in. There are amazing, poignant moments in this book - the subplot about baby Charlie just broke my heart, as a mother - but I think DJ's story would have been better served by tighter storytelling and less interjection of Saverese's own editorial opinion and personal history. Still very much worth reading, and ultimately an amazing story. I did appreciate Savarese's discussions of the frustrations and exasperations of living with DJ, alongside the discussions of the triumphs. Savarese and his wife are truly amazing individuals who could teach us all a few lessons about love and acceptance.

This is a very interesting read. I am a mother of 5 children 2 of whome have autism and I have read many books on the subject. This story was like none that I have ever read before. I would have to say that the author and his wife have done the most amazing job of parenting this little boy and they must be truly wonderful people. Emily, DJ's mother must be so knowledgeable and so kind and patient. She is such an inspiration. DJ's father also impressed me, with his determination to give DJ the life he is entitled to. It is a wonderful story which touches on so many interesting and rarely spoken about topics in regard to disabilites. I was delighted to reach the end of the book and see just how much DJ had improved, and to know that the outcome of a little boy's life has been changed so dramatically for the better thanks to the kindness of two very special people.

I did how ever find some of this book very hard to read, the shocking abuse that DJ suffered in foster care, before his wonderful parents adopted him - I found this very disturbing and distressing. I also felt that the author goes off on a few tangents about his theories and quotes several other authors in great detail which I found a bit boring and hard to read.

Overall it was an amazing book.

Savarese's book on autism is a paradigm-altering read. In this memoir he recalls all that went through the transition of his young adopted boy as a noncumunicative "thing" (as seen by society), to a poetic activist. This book is more than a history of one family, it is also a commentary on our foster care system, how we treat those with disabilities and our education system. It also discusses the difficulty in changing scientific paradigms.

Although Savarese's prose and simile often get in the way - making the reading more difficult as you try to decipher some of the esoteric analogies - they are often very humorous, in a story filled with the tragedy of a boy tossed into society's dumpster. It is a story of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect. It is the story of a child abandoned and mistreated that is then rescued by his loving, adoptive parents. What I found very interesting about Savarese's far left agenda, is that he recognizes the problems that we have had in addressing how to care for orphaned children and that neither the left nor the right have any really good solutions. The solutions are found in the path that the Savarese's took - personal involvement and dedication to the weakest in our society.

Unfortunately, after reading of the untold sacrifices made by the Savarese's, I would come to question whether any of us have the charity and strength to do what they have done.

This book was difficult to put down and hard to pick up to read. The pain suffered by DJ (their autistic boy) made it difficult to pick up while the odyssey of DJ from a "non-person" to a powerful and strong advocate-kid via facilitated communication is amazing. I often felt like I was reading about an alien that had visited the earth.

This is a brilliant, moving memoir that I would recommend to any reader. Despite the seriousness of its topics, this is a page-turner that you will not be able to put down (I read it non-stop in two days, as did my mother!). As someone with no experience or knowledge of autism, I found Savarese's book to be incredibly informative on many levels and lucidly written. But more than that, Reasonable People asks provocative questions about how we define family, community, and inclusion.

A must read!

This book will bring tears of acknowledgement and smiles of joy for those families who grapple with some of the these same issues. I truly believe the universe brings certain people together......Ralph, Emily, and DJ are three of those. It is time the world changes the perception of competence and what can be accomplished in believing that, right from the beginning. Ralph is a talented, thoughtful writer, and our family thanks him, and all the Savarese family for opening their lives up for this incredible story.

My younger sister is 7 years old. When she started reading the book,outloud, I was interested. The book was a little bit hard for her,but she loved it. Later, I read it. It meant a lot to me and now it is one of me and my sister's favorite books.

after reading one page, you're hooked. makes you feel lucky to live in a home. children ages 8 to 18 will definitely enjoy this book. definitely best children's book material. frances o'roark dowell did an awesome job. i give it two thumbs up!

Where I'd Like To Be is a great book by Frances O'Roark Dowell. It is about a girl named Maddie who lives in an orphange and keeps to herself. She hardly tells anyone her secrets especially about her scrapbook of dreams. Her scrapbook contains magazine clippings of things she wishes she had like a big house, dogs,etc. One day her scrapbook is revealed.One of the boys at the orphange becomes friends with Maddie. Eventually she trusts him enough to tell him about the scrapbook and dreams. This is a heart-warming book that you should read. To find out what happens to Maddie read this book.

What if when you were a baby, a ghost saved your life? Well, according to Granny Lane, that's what happened to 11 year old Maddie. She longs for a family and a place to call home and feels that it's hopeless. After all, who adopts an 11 year old? But maybe it wasn't as hopeless as she thought.
Maddie may seem a normal kid to you, she goes to school, has great friends, is in after-school activities, but then you go to her home. She has shared a room with people who come and go as often, it seems, as the seasons. Maddie lives at the East Tennessee Children's Home. She wants a home so badly she has a "book of houses" and a "book of people." Throughout the book she and her friends find that they are all a family, a strange one, but a family none the less.
Where I'd Like To Be, is a book that all people should read for a heart warming tale. I think what I liked best is that you can almost feel each character's emotions as they change. I think anyone who likes a story that makes you glad for what you've got, should read this book.

Great book, especially for young girls in their search for self. This book surely must be based, at least in part, on some observations from East Tennessee Christian Home in Elizabethton, Tennessee because the author has cited several times East Tennessee Children's Home (where the novel is set), as well as Allen Avenue (the actual location of The Home), and Elizabethton, Tennessee (the city in which the novel is set). I certainly encourage young girls to read the book, as well as their parents. I think it will lead to more understanding on both sides.

Our daughter used this book as a resource when she did her own Search. I read it and was amazed at what a 'complete' book it is. It focuses on every aspect of an adoptee's search. There are chapters for the birthparents, the adoptee, the adoptive parents, etc. There are many, many 'testimonials' included, positive, neutral and negative, from adoptees, adoptive parents, birthparents, regarding searches.
I highly recommend this book to any adoptee who is considering doing their own Search, to any adoptive parent whose child is searching, to any adoptive parent whose child has already done their search, and to any birthparent in that situation.
There truly is something for everyone.
(I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because nothing's perfect.)

I found this book incredibly helpful in helping me deal with searching for and eventually reuniting with my birthmother. I bought it a year and a half ago, and I've referred back to it so many times that it looks like I've had it much longer. It gives very helpful advice for everyone involved in adoption and allows you to see all sides of the issue. Also, the testimonials and Jean Strauss's search and reunion story give the book a very personal feel. Overall, a great book for anyone connected to adoption.

I bought this book after reading "The Girls Who Went Away" by Ann Fessler and I'm glad I did. It really brings the subject of adoption full circle by telling the stories from all sides of the coin. But it also gives A Lot of starting points and next steps for people to use while doing their own search. My brother and I are both adoptees. I found my birth mother over 16 years ago but she had died in a car accident 6 months after I was born. Took me 15 more years to find my birth father. Both finding my birth mother and birth father were purely the grace of God because I had absolutely nothing to go on. My brother recently asked me to help him locate his birth parents and I'm so glad I purchased this book. Not only for the large quantity of resources it lists, but so I can also prepare him for the many different outcomes he may experience. I can also add, that by reading this book, it has been an emotional rollercoaster. Being able to relate to so many feelings, stories, dreams has really been healing in a lot of ways. Knowing there are so many people out there with similar emotions due to being adopted has been comforting in some strange way. I'd have to say one of my favorite parts of the book is when it talks about how society continues to view the adopted child as just that, a child. Society never took into account that we, as adopted children, would grow up to become contributing adults who have every right to know about ourselves, where we came from and everything pertaining to our lives. I guess if I had to pick one word to explain how this book made me feel it would be EMPOWERED.

Being adopted, my interest in finding books relating to my own thoughts and journey was quite a challenge. Interestingly, I found this book after finding my birthmother and two siblings. The book was a confirmation of every step and emotion I felt. I can't reccomend this book enough. It is written in a non-threatning and caring tone. Every adoptee or a parent that has relinguished a child should read it if for no other reason than to educate oneself.

To help someone not only understand why they are searching, but help in getting started in the search. This was a God send for me! I am now sharing my copy with my neighbor who is an adoptive mom. It's just wonderful. Everyone should read it.

This book made me cry and laugh and it gave me hope for the future for our two children that have FASD.

I found this book on my own, after many trips to psych. evaluations, counseling, parent child interventions, etc., with the "best" hospitals and doctors in our area. None of them ever diagnosed our daughter with FAE. Once I read this book, I went back to those reports and it was glaringly easy to see all of the comments that pointed to FASD but were never linked to FASD. Because I was armed with examples and knowledge I was able to educate the doctors, teachers, psychologists, therapists, social workers and so on. My daughter got her diagnosis (along with her younger biological brother) and is now receiving the services the school district denied her because her IQ was a mere 7 points above that of a developmentally delayed level and she didn't have a diagnosis at the time of denial. God Bless Bonnie's courage, determination, love, hope and her neverending faith that we are exactly where we need to be right at this very moment with our children exactly as they are right now. AMAZING!

Was such a relief to know we are not alone in our struggles with Alcohol related birth defects. The journey of raising these kids is long. Thanks for your insight into your journey.

Bonnie Buxton's book, Damaged Angels, will ring true to anyone who has lived the life of dealing with a child who looks normal, but has "disconnects" in their life. After adopting "a visible child with an invisible disability" I valued reading about Bonnie's experiences with her daughter,Collette. Her up-to-date overview of the most current research on FASD was helpful in my journey with my daughter. I appreciated her openness and vulnerability in describing her mothering experiences.

I think every social worker should be required to read this book as part of their training. As a mother in distress, this book was a beacon in the fog for me.

Bonnie Buxton does an amazing job in this book of thoroughly explaining the damage that prenatal alcohol exposure does to an unborn child's brain and how that plays out in real-life examples, without painting a picture that is dark and hopeless. We get to see these real families working hard to make good lives for their children, feel their struggles, grieve in their failures and celebrate in their successes. This is a beautiful book full of life and hope.

We looked everywhere for a baby book that was appropriate for adoption. This one is fantastic! It provides space for us to chronicle the entire adoption experience, as well as milestones from one month to five years. It even includes a page of birth family information. We're very pleased.

Really like this book. I looked all around for a book that would work for our adopted son and this one is pretty close. There are a few items that don't apply to him but most fits very well and there is space to add stuff specific to him. Love it!

Such a nice way to create a memory for adopted children! Generic enough that it should work nicely in all types of scenarios.

We just adopted a newborn and I'd already purchased a regular baby book. But, I wasn't sure how to address the pregnancy pages, etc. So, when I got this one, it solved my problem. I also think it is perfect for many different types of adoption of children of any age. In our case, we were at the hospital when he was born, but I like that the pages are labeled "month one" instead of "1 month old." So, if you adopt an older child, you can start it when they join your family! I also love the adoption buddies page and the pages to show who helped us adopt the baby (for us our lawyer and social worker).

The only thing I personally wish wasn't in it is the astrological sign of the baby. But, I plan to just cover that with some scrapbook paper with something else on it. But, that's just a personal thing.

We brought our son home from the hospital as a foster child and bought this book to preserve those special memories. While the book is appropriate for our situation 90% of the time, the other 10% leaves many blank entries and sad omittances. The book is beautifully done and will be a nice companion to our son's lifebook, scrapbook and photo album. I wish it were just a little more accessible to the less traditional adoptive family.

Rosie is adopted by a family with different coloring than her own hair. This book expresses some of the anxiety that adopted children may feel such as anger and sadness at their birth parents and adoption parents. Being an adoptive mother, I felt that a little more positive spin could have been placed on the story. There are only one or two pages of happiness for the adoptive family. I recommend reading with the time to share and explore all elements of this story with your child.

I really like this book. It explains adoption in very child-friendly terms, and addresses some of the common concerns that adopted children have. While acknowledging the differences between family members, it also stresses the ways that they are alike.

Christine Mitchell, author and illustrator of Welcome Home, Forever Child Welcome Home, Forever Child: A Celebration of Children Adopted as Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Beyond

The author addresses so many issues that adopted children, and their parents, will encounter. One issue that hit home with us is discussed when Rosie asks why she looks different than her adoptive parents. Well, our children are from Eastern Europe and they also have wondered why their skin colour is different from ours. The beauty of this story is that the children are captivated by Rosie the Beagle and the message she shares. Having the children gain an understanding of these sensitive issues can only better our relationship with them.

We bought this book to help explain adoption to our nieces and nephew but the book turned out to be a great book for us. It may be a bit to advanced for young children but it is a great book to help an older adopted child feel better about thier adoption.

My husband and I just love this book. Our daughter is not yet 3, so it's not really for her yet, although she does love to look at the pictures when we read it to her. We love the fact that Rosie's parents encourage her to ask all sorts of questions about her adoption, the tough questions that Rosie asks, and the honest, loving answers her parents provide. Highly recommend.