Adoption Books

I read this book in a matter of a few days, and I read vigorously, wanting to know what would happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time- from beginning to end.

It's about an 11-year-old girl named Maud Flynn who was adopted by 3 old ladies who were sisters. Maud found out later that they held seances to con people out of their money. They adopted Maud so she could pretend to be ghosts during their seances.

I loved this book and I think you will, too. This is the best book I have read in a long time. I did not want this book to end!

I read this book in a matter of a few days, and I read vigorously, wanting to know what would happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time- from beginning to end.

It's about an 11-year-old girl named Maud Flynn who was adopted by 3 old ladies who were sisters. Maud found out later that they held seances to con people out of their money. They adopted Maud so she could pretend to be ghosts during their seances.

I loved this book and I think you will, too. This is the best book I have read in a long time. I did not want this book to end!

Just like another reviewer said, this is better than some Newbery winners. It's the story of the orphan Maud Flynn, who is adopted by a trio of spinster sisters. They need her for their own purposes, but I don't want to spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say this: the story moves slowly, too slowly for my taste, and then you figure out what's going to happen. The last pages were completely predictable and I was speed-reading through the pat dialogue in order to get to the end.

The book is competently written, though without any flashes of originality. The plot is fairly tightly wound, without the flaws you see in other celebrated writers (Rosoff, Farmer). The problem is that the story is not interesting - I mean, I don't know about you, but I already knew that seances were fake, and that most fortunetellers were not for real. So making that a central part of the book was like trying too hard to breathe life into the dead corpse of a cliche. I finished the book, but it goes right back to the used bookstore.

I love, love, love this book. The writing is fantastic, the pace is pitch-perfect, the characters are complex, the storyline is engaging, and there is a plot turn in the latter pages of the book that I did NOT expect! Warming all these elements like a cozy blanket over cool skin is how adeptly Laura Amy Schlitz draws you in to the atmosphere of the turn-of-the-20th-century setting.

Not to be too silly about it, but the storyline could be roughly explained as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels meets Oliver Twist meets Arsenic and Old Lace. There is a great con taking place at a wealthy seaside resort, a poor, yet spunky orphan (only she's not a boy - she's 11 year old Maud Mary Flynn), and spinster sisters who sometimes seem to mean well, but have a funny way of showing it.

It's character-driven, thought-provoking, and unwaveringly clean fun.

I also applaud the sincerity of this book. The characters are not one-trick ponies - you alternately like them or don't, think they're clever or cruel. There's an honest look at each of their strengths and weaknesses, and also the integrity of their motives. In short, I think there's a lot of heart in these pages, along with a crisp, original story.

This tale may be a melodrama (exaggerated, emotional), but it's a twisty, sad, fun story that kept my interest. It is truly a novel, as I have never read a story quite like this one.
Maud is an orphan adopted by three elderly sisters. She's asked to be a "secret child", and she agrees. She eventually is told the family secret, and goes along willingly at first. But she matures as a character, meets other compelling characters (especially the deaf mute), and the story proceeds to its satisfying ending.

This book as all books should be read and used as you feel it fits into your family. I loved it all and couldn't put it down. The author is realistic. Don't let this book convince you not to adopt and toddler. Use this wonderful book to consider carefully, learn about possibilities, and enter your adoption process fully aware. I think this book should be required reading before even thinking of adopting a toddler. The author is thoughtful and presents her points without emotional fluff. A great read.

We are currently adopting a child out of the foster care system. I found this book to be very helpful. It has prepared me well to become a mom through adoption. I would recommend this book to anyone connected to a toddler adoption.

This is a wonderful, intelligently written, informative book for anybody considering toddler adoption. The first hand experience of toddler adoption by the author links the concept to reality. I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it to all perspective adoptive parents.

Anyone thinking of a foreign adoption should read this book before beginning the adoption process! I feel better prepared for the toddler we plan to adopt, and I have a friend who decided to adopt only an infant after reading this book, because she felt she couldn't handle the difficulties that would come with a toddler - attachment problems, grief issues, etc. Adoption is much more difficult than I could have ever imagined, financially, emotionally, timewise, but I feel confident I can do it and feel like I've been given the information I need to be prepared for the difficulties I may experience - and hopefully I now will be pleasantly surprised instead of rudely awakened!

I found this to be a great book. It really opened my eyes to what a toddler adoption could be like. I highly recommend it.

Who would have known a Little Golden Book would be so perfect for a unique family? Very good book all around to share with children.

Being an adoptive mother myself, I have searched and searched for good books to teach about adoption. I have a good many titles in my library. No other book is as heartfelt as this one. This book is about a kangaroo with an empty pouch who longs to be a mother. As she is sitting under a tree, she spies a bluebird nest STUFFED full of baby bluebird eggs. As the bluebirds hatch, the nest is so full that a baby falls from the nest to the kangaroo's pouch. The mother bluebird looks down at her baby and knows that her nest is not big enough for all of her chicks and is happy that her littlest one is in such a warm and cuddly place.
I totally disagree with the previous poster who went as far as to say that this book did not discuss the mother's reasoning enough and this was perhaps kidnapping. The book states that the nest is too crowded and stuffed full with bluebirds. The book also states that the mother bluebird knew her nest was not big enough for all of her chicks and she was happy to see her baby in a warm and cuddly place.
This is a story of a mother's selfless love to know when enough is enough and to do the best she can for ALL of her children.
If you are planning on adopting, thinking about adopting, want to introduce the concept of adoption or just want to read a wonderfull book about family and LOVE, this is the book for you!
I stongly recommend this book.

it is for very young children. We just adopted an infant and purchased the book to eventually read to him, but also to show our nieces and nephews to explain adoption. My 5 year old niece asked why a kangaroo would adopt a baby bird instead of a baby kangaroo! LOL But, we still like the book and was a great way to initiate the conversation with the kids.

I was so happy to see that "Golden Books" has written a children's book about adoption, and I was not disappointed. In just a few pages, with easy to understand words and colorful, engaging pictures, this book discusses the love of two mothers for one child - a birth mother whose "nest" is too full, but wants her child to be safe and happy, and an adoptive mother searching for a child to love. It expertly crosses racial boundaries (a kangaroo adopting a bird!), and presents adoption as a positive, in which both sides are seeking the best life and home for this precious child. BRAVO!!

This is a sweet story, and one that reinforces the positives of an adoptive family.

I am an adoptive mom and I have bought this book for all the babies I know. This book is beautifully illustrated and has such a touching story line. It is an easy story to follow for all ages of children.

I bought this at a christian store a few blocks away from our house 3 1/2 years ago before the adoption of our 3 year old daughter. This was perfect it explains in a way that my daughter will understand what happened, but still feel happy. like it says "you were blooming like a flower in someone else's tummy" They understand in a good way. My daughter is too young to understand now but she will later when i read her this story. I think this is the best adoption book I have seen.

First, this is a pretty book. My 4-year old likes this book; however, I have changed some of the wording to fit our perspective about adoption. Instead of "the lady" (what odd language) we use birthmother. Also, I skip the "meant to be" theme. I think that is sugar coating the truth a bit much(I'm sure it appeals to the red thread crowd, though). I'm sure my daughter wasn't "meant to be" abandoned, separated from her birthfamily, medical history & orginial culture. I like the book "The Color of Us" by the same author much better.

We found no faults with this book and we are really picky. We loved the use of colors and the wording used in this book.

My two year old daughter, born in Guatemala, and I both love this book. The illustrations are fantastic and the text is sweet. At the end the parents tell their new daughter that they will always be her parents and she will always be their daughter, and my daughter often repeats this. Highly recommended!

I expected this book to be more about the relationship between Gus and the women he loved, and in reality it is, however much of that relationship is told through photos rather than words. It is often said 'a photo speaks 1000 words' and that is very true, but i personally was slightly disappointed with the lack of story. This is no fault of the book itself, more my expectation of it. Gus is a truly lovely and lucky dog. A nice, but not taxing, read.

I was disappointed in this book in that it is very short. Considering the time left for this lady at the time she acquired Gus, I guess there could only be so much story there. The relationship appears to have been rewarding for her, and it is wonderful that she had Gus for her remaining lifetime. Overall the story was just a little superficial and I don't believe it came close to conveying the depth of the relationship that probably existed between Gus and his owner.

This is a good and sad book, but it is very short. Could have been longer.

This is a beautiful story that can be read in about an hour. It's of hope, kindness and generosity of spirit. The photos are delightful as well.

This writing is not particularly deep and was not meant to be, but it will touch you deeply. I loved it! It sits on my coffee table and I have had to wait for guests to finish before we can leave.

Sarah McGreggors has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. She also needs it from a compatable donor. Her parents tell her they can't because she's adopted. Sarah decides to find her real mom with a $10,000 One Last Wish check that she got from somebody. She found her mother in L.A., California and her mother says she can't do it because she had cancer and her bone marrow wouldn't help Sarah. At first Sarah's mother didn't want to see her because she had bad memories of before she put Sarah up for adoption at 72 hours old. Sarah and her real mom got together and Sarah's mom apologized for what she did 15 years ago and she was forgiven.

I really, really liked this book because Lurlene McDaniel wrote it and she is my favorite author!
Sarah has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant or there is no hope. Sarah later finds out she was adopted. Sarah tries to find her birth mother. She locates her and travels to meet her. Sarah hopes her birth mother can donate bone marrow for her. Sadly, Sarah finds out that her birth mother had breast cancer and can't donate bone marrow and her real father was killed.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in both leukemia and adoption!!

Sarah Mcgreggor is a girl with leukemia. Sarah goes to the hospital and she finds out that she needs a bone marrow transplant. This transplant could be some bone marrow from her mom, dad, sister, or brother. Then her mom and dad said to her to go up to her hospital room and wait for them. Sarah's parents came up to her room and tell her that she can't have the transplant because her parents aren't really her parents. She was actually adopted and Sarah got a little mad though. Sarah then goes to California where her real mother was there. Sarah then meets her mom and asks her to dontate her bone marrow to her so she can live. Her mom had let her down saying go hom thouh. The next day Srah's real mom came to her hotel and told her about her hertiage. Sarah's dad had died in a plane crash and her real mom had breast cancer so she couldn't give her bone marrow because she didn't have any good marrow. Sarah ends up in the hospital when she came back to her home town. Sarah doesn't know if she is going to live. Do you think she will live? That is a thing to learn in the next book though.

To be honest, I never would have just bought this book off the shelf. The reason I read it was because I bought a "One Last Wish" trilogy with three 'One Last Wish' stories because it inlcuded "Sixteen and Dying". But since I had it, I ended up reading it.

Sarah is 15, and has just gone out of remission. When she was 10 she got diagnosed with cancer and it took 3 years, until she was 13, to achieve remission. And now it's back. The chemo won't work this time, and her only hope is a bone marrow transplant. The doctor tells her that siblings will probably have the closest match, so she just assumes her younger sister and brother will work. Sadly, it's not that easy. Sarah's parents are forced to tell her that she was adopted when she was 3 days old, and that her siblings won't be compatable, as there's no blood relation. Sarah's shocked and hurt that her parents would keep such a big secret from her. She realizes that her only hope is finding her birth mother, the one who gave her up for adoption 15 years ago. If she can find her mother, then her mother will be compatabale, and Sarah won't die.

As you can see, it's sweet. And it's obvioulsy a mother daughter book. It just wasn't that interesting to me. There really wasn't that much suspense.

This book is filled with saddness and suspense. One Sara find out that her cancer is back and that see is adopted the story flips. This book shows how to care for others and made me realize that I'm lucky to live were I am now. The one thing good about this book is how the author reaches out to the reader. You're able to feel Sara's sorrow, and be in her spot. One Last Wish, Mother Help me Live is a great book showing love,happiness,saddness, and concern for others.

I used this book as research prior to bringing home a chihuahua puppy and a guide book after we brought her home.
This book has proven to be a valuable tool in training and gaining knowledge as to the mannerism's and behaviors that is unique to the chihuahua breed. I feel that our pets loving and friendly nature is in part due to information we found in this book. Its easy to read, somewhat entertaining, and well researched. A must have for those new to raising chihuahuas.

I brought this book for my friend, and she has found some very useful information in it regrading the raising and caring for of her Chihuahuas.

This book is really handy. It's nice that it's specific to the chihuahua breed--lots of information to help this new puppy owner differentiate between the general advice for all puppies and approaches best suited to my pup.

One of my favorite things about this book is the way it has really helpful information like diagrams of different tail positions and whether they indicate something is wrong. Great reference.

very good book, i just adopted a 2 year old chi & i love him dearly but he was not well socialized or well-temermented & this book gave me soo much information on how to correct that even though hes not a puppy and the advice works lol i take my pup to the park in the AM when dog off leash time is allowed and now he plays and doesnt hide or attack and thanks for all the chi adivce

I found this book to be very easy and fun to read, plus extremely informative. It's a great book to buy BEFORE you get your Chihuahua because it puts everything into perspective. After I got my two Chihuahua puppies I carefully followed this book's instructions and my puppies immediately learned to be very obedient and it wasn't long before they were potty trained inside and outside the house. I highly recommend it!

I read this with my 12-year-old brother last night. We got through approximately 2/3s of the book in one sitting. It's thrilling and he loves it - he actually decided against watching a movie and wanted to keep reading instead!

However, I would agree with the reviewer below me that the content may cause issues to arise for children who have been adopted. My brother (who was not adopted) asked honestly if he was adopted, having read just a few pages in my presence. So I would definitely recommend that this be a book that you either read with your children, or at least be sure to make yourself available if your child is reading this. Ask them how the book is going, and be available to answer these types of questions.

his is the first in a series (but aren't most books nowadays? It seems like no one writes stand alone books anymore). 36 babies are found on a plan that landed mysteriously at an airport. All of the babies were adopted out to families. About 12 years later, the adopted kids start getting mysterious letters in the mail. What is going on? Are they from the past? The future? Is time travel really possible?

This would be a good book for both boys and girls since there are strong characters of both genders. It's a longish book but I think reluctant readers could keep with it. The ending is definitely a cliffhanger and will leave readers wanting more.

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I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Margaret Peterson Haddix churns out a lot of books, so some of her efforts end up better than others. This book reminded me of the Everworld series but without the bad language and it's centered around younger teens. There is an extremely positive and respectful relationship between the thirteen yearl old main character,Jonah and his twelve year old sister, Katherine. Time travel isn't the central theme of this first book, but instead is woven in as the common theme that will run throughout the series. I'm looking forward to the next book which will be set in the fifteenth century.

this book deserves five stars. it gave me the chills. i loved it. my favorite book now is found i cant wait until the next book comes out i am definately buying it. it was soooooooo good

PARENTS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN, TAKE NOTICE! This book can bring up a lot of issues that your adopted children may not be ready to handle. I have two 10 year old Russian boys and we were only on chapter 4 when I realized that we should not continue reading this book. I'm not saying it's a bad book, just read FIRST and determine yourself if you're children are mature enough to understand/handle the issues that this story may bring forth.

JOANNA CATHERINE SCOTT's knowledge of Korea is evident; the detail is both convincing and delicious to read. THE LUCKY GOURD SHOP describes rough lives but is gently written; the language, simple and lyrical, is as engaging as the story itself. It's wonderful to find a book that makes you want to find out what's next, to turn the pages until there are no more. This is one such story.

In addition to telling a poignant story with restraint, The Lucky Gourd Shop gives the reader
insight into the dynamics of Korean culture and the intricacies of daily life after the war. The
personal relationships that it portrays make it a "must" for any reader who wants a very rich
and pleasant way to understand Korea. The literary skill demonstrated by the author elevates
The Lucky Gourd Shop above being just a good story. She weaves the motivations and
needs of the characters skillfully into a tapestry that makes each one sympathetic and easy to
identify with despite the significant distance from our personal experiences in the US.

The Lucky Gourd Shop is simply captivating and enchanting. Rarely do I come across a book that I become so enraptured by from its very first page . . . if you are looking for a masterfully written, poignant tale, do not look further. --- Whitney Tae-Jin Ning

Joanna Scott's richly imagined The Lucky Gourd Shop begins in America, where the adoptive mother of three Korean children tries to find out more about their pasts. But where she fails, we succeed; the rest of the novel takes us back a generation, to a South Korea ravaged by years of poverty and war. There we meet Mi Sook--orphan, independent spirit, and, as soon becomes clear, the children's birth mother. Found abandoned in an alley and raised like a stray in the back room of a coffee shop, Mi Sook grows up pretty, bubbly, and happy enough, but still "that rare creature in her society, one who did not draw her sense of self from fixed relationships with others." In South Korea, of course, to be without fixed relationships--to be without family--is to live in a dangerous limbo, and soon enough Mi Sook finds trouble.
Throughout the events that follow, Scott's powerful narrative voice never fails to convince. In her telling, this is a story without villains; even the violent husband is no monster when we learn the intense economic and cultural pressures with which he struggles. More to the point, it's also a story without victims; as in all great works of literature, Scott's characters are made of flesh and blood, capable of agency and action and especially mistakes. This novel succeeds on a number of levels, as an imaginative leap between nations and generations and as a snapshot of a culture in transition. Most of all, however, The Lucky Gourd Shop is a precise, affecting, and unsentimental portrait of Mi Sook herself, of hardships endured without knowing they're hardships and choices that are scarcely choices at all.

Adoption is a two-headed coin -- tremendous joy but at someone else's sorrow.

Ms. Scott has taken the memories of her children, combined them with extensive research into the culture and socio-economics of Korea and written not simply a story but a complex profile of what I think is a not-so-untypical family.

It is a portrait of poverty, yes, but painted lovingly and yet without sentimentality. It is, I fear, a much truer face than we would like to see.

The first few pages moved me to tears - and I had to close the book. A few hours later, I picked it up again and read it straight through. I have not been able to stop talking about it ever since.

Mi Sook is a memorable character, and the grandmother's devotion and torment over deciding the fate of her grandchildren will haunt you. Even knowing the eventual outcome did not quell my thirst for more.

It was a wonderful read and I know it is a story that has touched my heart.

My husband and I are planning to adopt an elementary aged child through the foster care system. I purchased this book because it had excellent reviews with a wealth of information. I was quickly disappointed when most of the topics only refer to children adopted from other countries or orphanages. There was a wealth of information about this group, but not much about other groups. Furthermore, there is only one chapter pertaining to older child adoption. The best book i have read thus far is called "The Connected Child". It's an excellent book on parenting skills, building attachment, and issues related to discipline.

This compendium is top-notch. A couple of criticisms: The content is highly useful, but the editing needs help. Random and incorrect comma usage was distracting, and there are more than a few typos. This book could use a revised edition (already). Also, read this book to be prepared, but be aware that it is slanted towards the belief that adoptees WILL NECESSARILY HAVE certain issues, feelings, problems, and I think it is dangerous to make such generalizations. It is good to be informed, but put these potential issues in perspective. Your child will also have plenty of issues that have nothing to do with adoption. All that being said, this book was sorely needed and is quite informative.

This book is very helpful for anyone interested in adoption. It covers everything you'd like to know.

This is a great book!!! If I had to pick one adoption book from the huge stack I have, it would be this one. I recommend this book to anyone that is adopting or has already adopted.

Egads, what is Alan Pertman doing hanging around with this bunch of fringe psychotherapy promoters?

Brain Gym, EMDR, Sensory Integration, Attachment Therapy, Federici methods ("belt-loop parenting"), forced age regression, Neurofeedback, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and Foster Cline's Love and Logic parenting!

These practices range from silly and worthless to abusive and dangerous.

Alas, Pertman has given the well-respected Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute a black eye by legitimizing these unvalidated practices and in many instances, leading trusting parents to practices known to be abusive and dangerous. The APA and APSAC have, for example, condemned Attachment Therapy, which is mentioned frequently in this book. It has been connected with numerous criminal child abuse and death cases in recent years.

Readers will be often mislead by unconventional beliefs about child development and directed to sources which contend that their abusive parenting and therapy methods are the only hope for adopted and foster children (e.g. Attachment Disorder Network)

Look up the BBC programs on Brain Gym to see how idiotic it is having kids tap their "brain buttons" and the like. Pure nonsense.

EMDR is just about as silly. The therapist waves a finger in front of the child's face or taps the child's head while the child is directed to think about traumatic memories. The practice has been shown to be no improvement on simply thinking about traumatic incidents.

Love and Logic claims to be evidence-based, but no study of its effect on children has ever been published.

Like most books that promote quackery, there's some common sense advice added to look plausible.