Adoption Books

If you have to choose just one book to read dealing with adoption issues, this is the best book you could ask for.

Practical information combined with actual life-experience imbue this well-written guide with important insights into the maze which often surrounds the adoption process.

"How-to" information as well as important caveats about the whole journey are included, making this the outstanding reference book on the subject.

"Two Thumbs Up".

My wife and I will use the adoption process to start our family. Like many couples, medical reasons have us pursuing this avenue. We've begun by reading a number of books and engaging adoptive support groups. We both read Fast Track Adoption, and will undoubtally pursue the approach that Dr. Burns explains. The book gave us confidence in knowing that we'll be successful, because of its many practical tips.

This book seems to be more about how to gain a birthmother's trust and confidence in order to get her baby, and how to work the adoption system. In so doing, the book loses sight of the fact that adoption exists in order to provide children with loving homes, not to provide infertile couples with children.

She does, however, help to explode a myth: that children placed for adoption are "unwanted." This is of course far from the truth, as Burns points out that birthmothers today usually aid in picking their child's parents and nearly always want to see, hold, and spend some time with their newborns prior to relinquishment.

Still, some of the advice can get potential adoptive parents into trouble, such as placing ads for a baby. In many states this is illegal.

Some advice in this book is helpful, but I must still urge potential adoptive parents to seek the assistance of a licensed adoption agency.

Our attorney recommended this book. I read it from cover to cover. It's fantastic. If you're serious about adopting, take the proactive roll, advertise and forward the calls to your personal cell phone. This book is easy reading and so informative. I can't tell you how great it was. We were very fortunate and adopted quickly and smoothly. Get involved with the adoption process and the search for a birth mother. Your communication with her is essential. Best of luck!

Fast Track Adoption is a wonderful book full of practical advice on everything from how to write a good letter to a prospective birthmother to how to handle the birthmother's hospital stay. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone considering adopting.

jess lose is something i can relate to ,i lost my mom 1 year ago .face fact you lose a big part of your self you must go on living.jess going to china show her that their a world out there to live in.keep your memeries but make new ones

While listed as fiction for young adults, I would caution parents from having their children read this unless they read it first. Jess, the main character, seemed more mature than most 14-year-olds, but perhaps maturity is achieved through the tragedy of her father's unexpected death. We are in the process of adopting from China and the descriptions in many of the scenes ring true with what friends and acquaintences who have already completed the journey have shared with us. I was moved to tears more than once; both tears of sadness at Jess's grief and tears of joy when the families are finally united with their daughters. Book also touches on many of the social and political reasons behind Chinese adoption. I would recommend especially for those who cannot get their families to read the non-fiction books such as "Lost Daughters of China".

Grace From China is a beautifully written, moving story of a young girl suffering the trials and tribulations of losing a father and gaining a sister. It is so much more than that, though. Though this is written for a young adult audience, I found that the historical edge to the story led to me think of things I had never before considered, such as the internal conflicts a girl from China must experience when trying to gain pride from her roots, but finding that her homeland has historically subjugated women and taken pride only in the birth of boys. I highly recommened this book to both children and adults, and plan to have my nine-year-old son read it soon.

This is a fictional piece of work that blends together several much better written books. It is supposed to be from a 12 or 13 year olds view. Sometimes the writing is what would expect from a teenager and other times, the writing is in a very different style. Read the original books and you will gain more information on adoption from China.

I wish I had a book like this to read and relate to when I was a young girl. The author does an amazing job of quickly drawing one into Jess's, the main character's, life. The thoughts and feelings that she experiences are so well descibed that I felt myself sharing in her sorrow, her anger, and her joy. The author gives us a fine example of a young woman finding the strength to overcome her challenges and to begin developing her own sense of self. However, Kolosov does not leave out intense descriptions of the other characters, their journey to become new families, and the country and culture of China. While our society often promotes growth at the expense of others, Kolosov's book sends out the much healthier message that it is becoming open to others that truly helps us become ourselves.

I received this book twice. I'm enjoying the book quite a bit as I am a big Karen Kingsbury fan. I didn't need 2 books and when I contcted the seller, they were great about it. I was given the address to return it and within days I had the money back in my account. I would have preferred just to swap the duplicated book for another, but that is not the policy of Amazon. It all worked out anyway. This was a very good experience adn I would buy from this seller again.

The three books in this series were awesome. There is so much that can be said about Karen's books but you need to read them in order to really get the full impact. I will read her books as long as she writes them.

As with all Karen Kingsbury books and I have read them all this series was great I would recomend her books to anyone. She has written about how God has guided the character's in her stories in every day situations, through Love, Joy Hope, Death, Depair. But mostly how God can guide your life daily Jer 29 v 11 He has my life planned and I can cling to that Hope each day. Enjoy a good read and also how God is speaking to you through these stories.

Halfway To Forever is another of Karen Kingsbury's beautifully-written stories of faith and love. In this emotion-packed novel, Kingsbury takes the leading characters from two of her former books and weaves a beautiful saga of faith under trial.
Hannah and Matt Bronzan (from `Waiting For Morning') and Tanner and Jade Eastman (from `A Moment of Weakness') are good friends who attend the same church. Tanner and Matt are high-powered Christian lawyers who run a prestigious law firm specializing in religious freedom cases. Both men are happily married with successful careers and loving families. The two couples have struggled with their own issues from the past but now they are entering a new chapter of their lives. Hannah has come to the place where she feels it is time to move on after the loss of her former husband and young daughter. She and Matt decide to adopt a little four-year-old girl, trusting the Lord for the adoption to go through without any hitches and to bring healing to their hearts. Tanner and Jade, after almost giving up hope of having another child, discover they are to be parents. They trust God for a safe pregnancy and a healthy child. However both families soon find their faith under trial. Matt and Hannah encounter problems with the adoption and Jade develops a cancerous brain tumor that threatens her own life as well as the life of her baby. Troubles snowball and each character must individually face their worst fears as they struggle to overcome their doubts in the goodness and sovereignty of God.
This book addresses the question: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" It also deals with the subject of loss and the death of loved ones. I found the author's answers satisfying and realistic, and she brought her message across without resorting to preachy sermonizing or sentimentality. Kingsbury dealt with the subject of past sin in a manner that never justified its serious consequences, showing how anger can rob us of joy and peace and how fear can immobilize and cripple us in relating to others. However she also revealed how God's grace can heal and deliver and bring good out of evil in the lives of His children. The story ended on a note of victory and I truly enjoyed this reading experience.
I felt the author exercised sensitivity and wisdom in handling her subject matter and developed her characters with empathetic realism. I found I could relate to many of the issues and situations she wrote about and I was especially grateful for the way in which she pointed to God's unfailing grace and love despite our problems and imperfections.
I've always enjoyed books by Kingsbury and I wasn't disappointed in this one. I hear she is writing a new series with Gary Smalley. Should be good.
This is a really good book for anyone struggling in their faith after the loss of a loved one or after a major disappointment in life; also for the person who needs a reminder of God's faithful love and powerful deliverance in the midst of confusing and oppressive circumstances.

Please understand that I'm not down on Karen Kingsbury as an author. When I first started reading her work I found her an incredibly refreshing addition to the genre of Christian fiction. She was writing about real people with real difficulties and trials. Followers of Christ know that the life is not all a bed of roses nor did Jesus say it would be. For this reason, Ms. Kingsbury's work was greatly welcomed. However, the more I read of her novels, the harder I find I'm able to get through them. They are becoming formulaic and predictable. I could honestly tell you after finishing one chapter of HALFWAY TO FOREVER exactly what was going to happen and this isn't the first time I've predicted correctly when reading one of her novels. I'm also getting a bit annoyed at the amazing coincidences that solve the problems of the main characters. There's a glaring one in this book - SPOILER ALERT! How often does a person yearning to adopt a child in the foster-adopt system have a newborn infant literally drop into her lap? Please. Especially one who's mother conveniently dies and has no blood connections whatsoever. Then she gives us hundreds of possibilies where a father is concerned so that no one person can be pinned down to be a problem when it comes time to adopt. This turn in the story literally made me laugh out loud. The storyline of the woman fighting cancer was more believable but couldn't make up for the predictability and fantastical coincidences that solve difficult problems. I think the problem with Ms. Kingsbury's work is that she's expected to crank out too many books in one year. For that, her publisher is to blame. They've obviously found a cash cow and are going to milk it for all it's worth. I'd far rather see her cut down the quantity and get back to quality.

A Hole In My Heart, a novel, pulls the reader in as the aches of a young boy are voiced through creative writing and appealing characters that are true to life. Darrius McMillan a thirteen-year-old teenager who should be finding himself has bigger worries of a mother who used drugs and the absence of a father he never knew.

Darrius' mother, Adrienne, continues her quest for that first-time high thereby neglecting her children in the process. Her story begins with depression as molestation being the trigger to include denial of her horrible experience with outward actions -- using drugs.

Grandma Liz, Darrius' maternal grandmother, was a source of stability, love, affection, and discipline -- all things children crave and need to develop in a healthy way. The bonus for Darrius was his grandmother's leading by example in faith of God and the power of prayer.

Through therapy and love of family, friends, and a relationship with God, Darrius comes to accept that the hole in his heart has closed.

The past cannot be changed, and the future is untold, but if we focus on the blessings that surround us daily we can come to a place of rest through thankfulness in God's love and protection while guidance is revealed.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.

"A Hole In My Heart" is a great story that deals with plenty of today's life issues and the story is breath-taking. Written by Rose Jackson-Beavers and Edward Booker, the story talks about Darrius McMillan's life where he deals with his family, his friends, his school, and basically lives a suburban black teenager's life. Darrius lives his siblings and his mother who uses drugs, and has to turn to his grandmother for support, which brings some pretty intense situations in the story. Darrius also deals with things like girl trouble, maintaining good grades, peer pressure, family problems, and so much more. If you are looking for a good book with a twist of events and a moral to you and your family, buy "A Hole In My Heart". I guarantee that you'll like it!

Adrian, a single mother of two, has always had issues. She's introduced to drugs via a boyfriend and she's unable to contain herself. Though she knows the difference between right and wrong and what she should be doing the struggles are more than she can bear.

Grandma Liz is living. Now that she's single and her children are grown she's looking forward to enjoying her life. A phone call that her grandchildren would be placed in foster care has her stepping up in order to raise her grandchildren.

Darruis is a 13-year old with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Though he's riding his bike and playing basketball, he's really lost in what will become of his family. Can things go back to the way they once were?

A Hole In My Heart is a generational book about a family from East St. Louis that struggles with ups, downs and sacrifices whether the choice was made by them or presented by others.

I found this book to be very inspirational and I enjoyed reading it.

Reviewed by: Carmen

"A Hole In My Heart," by Rose Jackson-Beavers and her fourteen year-old nephew Edward Booker, is an intriguing look at the pain and strife a child's heart can feel. Darrius, the story's main character is a thirteen year-old who is coping with serious family issues. He and his sister Jacqui, live with their grandmother Elizabeth. Their mother, Adrienne, lost custody of them when Darrius was six, due to neglect and a serious addiction to drugs. Darrius goes through many times of pain and tribulation, in just one school-year. From the loss of a friend, to injuries to his sister and a friend's father, and the everyday struggle with his mother and her addiction, Darrius' eighth grade year is a roller coaster of emotions. The hole in Darrius' heart seems to get bigger and bigger with every situation life throws at him. Darrius' only confidants are his grandmother, his aunt Javia, his best friend Nathan, and his faith in God. I would recommend "A Hole In My Heart," for older children and pre-teens. Nevertheless, this is also a great book for adults, to see how children really do deal with stress and trauma in their lives, and to learn better ways to help them cope. Beavers and Bookers' collaboration is inspiring and heart warming, and is a great read for a quiet summer day.

I enjoyed the book because, I've had similar experiences. I think teenagers all over the world should read this inspirational book. This book is a book that hits home for some of the children in America.

This is the best book I've ever read! It is a really origonal idea and it may not seem very scary to some people but it scared me to death, the idea of finding out you're one of several clones and all the other clones died when they were a week older than you! I have to AT LEAST skim through the book every day, I love it so much! It has a surprise ending, but I'm not going to tell you what it is! My mom read this book, and even she loved it! Anybody could enjoy this book!

I thought this book was good but I'm a loyal Animorphs/Everworld fan. Peter seems to have the talent for writing sci-fi but if he would just stop rushing through his writing...i mean doesn't he remind you of R.L. Stine??????

If you like thrilling books, this is for you. The way that Peter Lerangis has written it is truly amazing. He keeps you guessing what's going to happen next.

Eve Hardy is, what you might say...a bit crazy. When she is strong-willed, she becomes the tough "Caroline" and nothing bothers her. When she is angry she becomes "Alexis," the no-nonsense girl who is always equipped with a comeback. Eve has been like this her entire life, and she knows who these people are...and they're not her. Her mother adopted her when she was very young, and so Eve has always felt out of place. So when she learns she has a sickness that is supposedly shared among these other girls who are linked to Eve, she decides to set out to learn about her parents, figuring that they would know about her condition. But Eve is losing time. She's losing strength and she is losing her will. The sickness is making her age rapidly and so one minute she's full of energy and the next she's dozing off. Her best friend is helping her, but she's having trouble without Eve always there. When Eve learns of a Dr. Black who worked in a cloning lab, she is determined to find out what her sickness is, just who the other five girls are, and where her real parents are.

This particular Watchers book, the third in the series, is written in a beautiful style. Peter Lerangis proves in this book that there is plenty more talent of his to show off, even after the first two books. While this one isn't too thrilling or creepy, it does set you in a mysterious atmosphere, keeping you guessing until that shocker of an ending that I've come to anticipate the most from these books. I have truely enjoyed these books.

I like Watchers. The books are hard to find but I managed to read No.1-4. I haven't read Island (No.5) yet but I reserve it at the Toa Payoh Library. It isn't scary (I'm not that type that scare easily by books) but the story, the plan is beautiful it's very interesting. My classmate agreed with me when she finally started reading it (boy, I recommended it to her so long ago and she only read it now!). Those people who didn't read it don't know what they're missing. P.S. This is my favourite book in Watchers.

I had to read this book for a class and I am so thankful that my professor introduced me to it. While reading this book, I found that I could not put it down. It is an easy read and is appropriate for 6th grade and higher. This book gives the reader an understanding of the hardships of migrating to a new country and how scary it was to be on the lookout for Immigration. Furthermore, this book offers an incite to how non-criminal illegal immigrants are - that they are people who are just trying to survive.

Interesting story that doesn't glamorize or sugar coat the struggle of immigration. The decriptive language could have been richer and more challenging, but the reading level seems appropriate for upper middle school readers.

Maria and her family are trying to escape from El Salvador. The Gaurdias had killed her Papa. Now Maria, Oscar(her brother), and Julia (her pregnant sister)are all hiding in Chicago. Due to a raid on the place she worked, her best friend was sent back to El Salvador. Julia's baby was about due and she might have to go to the hospital, where most illegal Latino's are caught. To find out what happens to Julia you'll need to read the book. I enjoyed this book because it is a multicultural book based on an actual event in the past. I enjoyed it and I hope you read it, and like it as much as me.****

My fifth grade teacher gave this to me as a gift. I read it several times, mainly because I thought that if a teacher had given it to me,then it must be good.
Needless to say, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I didn't really sympathize too much with the characters, and I found it unbelievable that a girl could see pictures that she had created with...magic markers. Anyway, I had no other exposure to anything remotely south of the border before, so it was a new experience.

The reason why I give this four stars is because it really wasn't as bad as I seem to be saying. Things happen to Maria that are easy to realte to--falling in love for the first time, trying to be an adult while still very young, and dodging sexual exploitation while working and living illegally in the States.

Maybe the reason why I was disappointed was that this could have been a more vividly described story. The story of the bird seemed more like a blatantly literary device which wasn't properly integrated.

Well, this is my two sense. Worth investigation, worth a read.

Full of romance and struggles to understand a new language and the people around her, this book has the greatest elements to draw you in as a reader to read this book again and again until it falls apart. The beginning was gripping, you kept wondering if they'd make it...the only bad thing about this book was that the "quizel" the bird in other words was a corny element and should have been left out. Other than that, this book was fantastic and should be read by all at one point of their lives when stressed and searching for self understanding.

This book is a wonderful resource for those who care about or serve children adopted through the US social services system, from Eastern Europe or older children from other countries. Dr. Gray delves into the myriad ways that children can be affected by adverse circumstances - biological, psychological, behavioral, and even moral. Her advice for social workers and therapists is always practical and well researched, but also sympathetic to all parties. If you are interested in attachment and older child adoption, this is a book you do not want to miss.

This is an excellent follow up to the authors first book. It describes gentle, practical and effective techniques that both parents and therapists can use to work with children who have experience trauma and loss. It is detailed enough to suit its purpose without resorting to the "jargon" that plagues most books of this nature. It is a fairly easy read and is almost immediately helpful.

Deborah Gray's experience and insight into the mind of a trumatized child is remarkable. And this is not just an adoption book, it is helpful for anyone who knows a child who has experienced trauma or loss. Her methods are gentle and focused on nurture. I highly recommend this book.

Finally, a well respected, prominent professional has used extensive research to address the overuse of the RAD diagnosis and offer alteratives that are evidence based. The title and introduction to the book set the tone, children who have been traumatized must be nurtured rather than coerced. The introduction states this clearly:

"Readers familiar with coercive techniques will find them singularly absent from Nurturing Adoptions. The reasons go beyond the widely shared ethical concerns. Coercive techniques are contraindicated due to the effects that neglect and trauma have had on the brains of the children about whom the book was written."

While Deborah Gray's first book was excellent, this one is even better. It is both comprehensive and easy to read, an essential resource for a child welfare advocates.

Deborah Gray was not too long ago a well known "Attachment (Holding) Therapist" at the Attachment Center Northwest. This unvalidated practice has been linked to numerous child abuse cases and is denounced by the American Psychological Association's Division on Child Maltreatment. The author's previous book contains a passage that approves of Holding Therapy and as well as the usual misinformation that is the stock and trade of this pseudo-psychotherapy (e.g. that there is such a thing as an "Attachment Cycle"). Several of the recommendations for Gray's newest book are by other Attachment Therapists.

Deborah D. Gray is the founder of Nurturing Attachments, an organization specializing in treating childhood trauma and loss in ways that are both effective and gentle. I know her both personally and professionally and thoroughly enjoyed her latest book.

Just to clear up some misperceptions, Deborah D Gray has never done "holding therapy" and is not an advocate of this practice. The introduction of her book makes this clear, "Readers familiar with coercive techniques will find them singularly absent from Nurturing Adoptions. The reasons go beyond the widely shared ethical concerns. Coercive techniques are contraindicated due to the effects that neglect and trauma have had on the brains of the children about whom the book was written."

She sometimes gets "trashed" by members of "anti-holding therapy" movement, who have not adequately researched her work. I am against holding therapy, and that is exactly why I love Deborah Gray's books. She exclusively advocates science based approaches and non-coercive methods of treating children.

This new book incorporates a new tool designed to help families and professionals understand how new research on the impact of neglect, abuse, early trauma, and institutionalization on the developing brains of children can guide their practices in new directions. It is an easy read and extremely practical. The only thing I fault about Nurturing Adoptions is the title, it is far too limiting. This is a book about trauma and loss, its value is not limited to adoption issues. It should be read and used by all child welfare advocates.

This book would be an excellent follow-up to the movie "Orphan Train". It brings out the reality of the movement between 1854 and 1930 of 200,000 abandoned children to find homes in the West.

Chapters alternate between historical information on the movement and personal details and memories of orphans like Lee Nailling and his brothers.

The most touching moment for me was when Lee, who had every reason to be bitter and hate the world, finally found a home. Fully intending to run away again before morning, he fell asleep and was awakened by a call to breakfast. As a part of "grace" said before the meal by his mother-to-be, the boy heard, "Father, thank you for sending our new son to us, for the privilege of allowing us to raise him."

Lee commented, "I'm sure my jaw dropped in amazement. Somebody was actually thankful I was there!"

There are also many excellent photographs.

I would like to start by saying that I think the suggested reading age is a little low. While the writing is well within in capabilities of most 4-6 graders, the subject may be a little touchy for the younger end of the group. I would be reluctant to let a sensative child read this book until at least the 5th grade.

That said, I think the book was wonderful.The writing is well done for children's non-fiction, but also is able to capture adult readers. The book is a fascinating story about one of the few surviving children who rode one of the orphan trains as well as the general story of the trains history.

My wife, 11 year old daughter and I read the book (my wife and I in 1 evening, my daughter the next) and then we discussed the concept of the trains, the needs for them and why such things are no longer in use in today's society. It made for a good family discussion and we all learned from the experience.

This book has very good content, as well as interesting information about the sociology of this country's past. It was well worth the read for both adults and our daughter and we all enjoyed it.

Adopted children can often feel like outsiders, even though they have found families who love them like their own. They may be teased about being adopted, they may be angry at their circumstances.

This book is an excellent treatment for all those problems, for it discusses the issue of adoption openly, and shows children that they are not alone.

In 63 photo-filled pages in 11 chapters, this book tells the historical story of more than 200,000 children who "rode 'orphan trains' in this country between 1854 and 1930. Their ranks included North Dakota governor Andrew Burke (1870-1873), a territory governor, a Supreme Court justice, sheriffs, mayors, college professors, clergymen, school superintendents, bankers, lawyers, postmasters, teachers, engineers and at least 7,000 soldiers and sailors. In other words, adopted children can grow up to be just as successful and productive as everyone else--often times, more so. There's no stigma or deficiency.

The book also covers the story of 'train riders' from the personal perspective of Lee Clement Nailling, who was taken in by an elderly childless couple, whom he came to call parents.

Aside from telling the history of the orphan train riders and the Children's Aid Society that devised the project, this book is comforting to adopted children.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

I read this to a 6th grade reading class and a year later they still talk about it and refer to it in discussion. The entire concept was so strange to them and the fact that it had really happened blew them away.

I chose this because in the 7th grade they read a novel about the Orphan Train experience

I try to find books for reading with my children. In this case, to read with my daughter who will enter the fourth grade. This book was on her summer reading list, and I'm glad we read it. This is a true story of a boy orphaned by the death of his mother and his father's ceding him and his siblings to the Children's Aid Society in New York State. This was a time in America that preceded government child welfare agencies for abused/neglected children. Instead, children were institutionalized in large orphanages (often called asylums) and eventually many were placed on trains to find homes with town people who would meet the trains at various stops.

The book uses the story of a young boy with two of his younger brothers sent on an orphan train and eventually being picked by families in Texas. Lee was the oldest and took the longest to find a good family.

The book gives information about the orphan train children in general and the reasons for their coming about. The author gives credit to the Children's Aid Society that was prominent in organizing these trains and notes that many of these children grew to become accomplished members in society. The book, however, also shows that not all these children were so lucky and they faced continued abuse at the hands of their adopted parents, and ridicule by school mates.

As a person who has worked extensively in the child welfare system, I found the book to be very relevant and a better way of explaining to my daughter the reason for my work. [...]

This book would be excellent for children in foster care even though they are not exactly in the same position as orphan train riders. They still could easily empathize with the children in this story. There is also an honest, hopeful comment by the adult Lee of perseverance and determination to overcome the circumstances in life even from those who never did find an accepting family. Unfortunately, this too is relevant for many youths in the current foster care system.

This book helped me understand that Post-Adoption Blues can happen and that you don't have to hide your feelings when the blues set in after adoption.

I have not read it yet, but my husband is adopted and we are adopting a little girl... he picked up the book to read it...read 3-4 pages and put it down. He chose another book to read??

This was a surprisingly wonderful book! After so many pregnancy losses, I was not really interested in how we may be faced with a different type of depression as my heart was ready to focus on the life that would be joining our family instead of the death we have experienced. Needless to say, there was a large part of me that was hesitant in buying this book. Only, I kept coming back to it and I am so glad that I did. This is NOT the "doom and gloom" book that I assumed it would be! It discusses not only the expectations we have regarding adoption in general due to our own feelings, or those laid upon us but also the expectations we have of ourselves as parents, our family/friends, community, and agency.

Honestly, I was shocked to see how much of this book already applied to our family as it is already "different" in that we have a larger family size (6 children). I was truly amazed to see how many of these same issues (esp re: family/friends, community) are issues and feelings that we have already encountered just resulting from being a large family.

This book is very sensitive to the now "public" family (as in everyone seems to feel they are entitled to hear your story of why you chose adoption, why you choose int'l adoption, how much your baby cost, etc.) and really discusses how to maintain not only your privacy but your need for support instead of criticism (or "neglect") due to others disrespectful and/or hurtful comments.

This is a "self-impowering" book; and is perfect to help you prepare for unexpected reactions regarding this most blessed event. It was worth every minute I spent reading it!

Many of the situations and examples in this book are so different from our adoption scenario that I had to really dig in to find a few pieces that spoke to me.

The book spends a lot of time encouraging infertile couples to be sure they have worked through the loss of the biological child they will never have. Infertility is not something we have dealt with. We have just always wanted to adopt and have no expectations or fantasies of biological children, so I didn't find these sections helpful.

There is also quite a bit of discussion about children who are adopted older and have more than a few months life experience without a family. Again, not our situation. We are adopting an infant. Not that we expect a perfectly healthy, perfectly well-behaved child with no emotional or developmental issues, but the situations described seemed like they would be far more likely to occur in the older adopted child.

Then there is the discussion of pre-adoption counseling with the birthmother in an open adoption, and acknowledging the birthmother's position. Well, our adoption is international - not open, no knowledge of the birthparents.

For people in these types of adoption, this is probably a great book. But overall, the book tries to do too much, lumping all types of adoption, and the different challenges in each, into one book. There are a handful of points that are probably applicable to most any adoption, particularly the part about society's expectations of adoptive families, which is why I gave two stars and not one.

The few guidance pieces are also more cognitive than task-oriented, so depending on how you learn and internalize things, that may or may not be helpful. I would find task-oriented exercises, and offerings of concrete suggestions, more helpful and informative.

This book has been very inciteful and encouraging. I would recommend that those who are waiting for their child or have recently adopted read this book. The authors give great insight into the struggles of adoption and the related issues that can cause post-adoption depression, and what to watch for. They also give some practical suggestions on how to "fight" this depression at the end of each chapter. It was great to read the many different stories and know that I was not alone!

Good news: This book is a very easy and engaging read. The mom and daughter write extremely well and their reunion through letters, e-mails and visits is so good it is almost too good to be true. Yet they do shed light on dark side of even the best reunions ...As an adopted mom, who is open, so I thought to birth mothers more than most, I was bothered by the birth mom's seduction of her "daughter" which was obviously going to lead to problems for the relation with adopted mom. That was a subtext they did not addrss.. Also some of the psychological work each does struck me as a little rote. Another flaw: Their writing styles are too similar. Even if true, for the book's sake, they should have emphasized their differences. And not only in writing, but, now that I think about it: the whole point of this book was the display and joy of similarities=their love. I believe, as with their writing styles, that there were too many genetic connections celebrated to be true to life. I am not adopted and found none of the issues purely bound to that "primal wound." Then again, what do I know about a reunion? All in all: a good and VERY easy read by two very intelligent women who ARE much alike but, guessing here, atypical of most reunions, atypical of most adoptees, atypical of most birth moms. Nonetheless, yes, recommended.

As an adult adoptee reunited with my birthmother, I have read numerous books on adoption, searching and reunion and must say that I couldn't read this book fast enough. With every turn of a page I found myself saying "yes", these are the same feelings and emotions I have dealt with. While my reunion has been absolutely wonderful there still remains certain feelings of guilt,anger and questions that I want to ask but can't seem to get out of my mouth. While my birthmother and myself have a very open relationship sometimes feelings are better expressed with letters such Ellen and Katie do in this book. I plan on writing my birthmother a letter in hopes that she will respond with answers to my questions and that we can continue to enjoy our loving and joyous relationshiop. Thank you.

I am a 35 yr old adoptee and ordered this book for helpful insight into the adoptee/birthmother interactions.
I was caught by surprise when Katie revealed right away that she is a lesbian.
Unfortunately, this soured the book for me.
I wish this information would have been written in the editorial review!

As an adoptee whose circumstances are remarkably similiar to Katie's, I was blown away by this book. I am currently searching for my birth mother, so this account was fascinating. A lot of the emotions and fears are ones that I have experienced. This book is more than a collection of letters. It is a fascinating look inside the process that many still-searching adoptees should take the time to read. I will probably read it again as my own search continues.

I mostly read while I'm on the bus, and this book was a challenge in that regard. How does one get through a book that's so heartfelt and agonizingly honest, without making a sobbing jerk of oneself?

"Reunion" is a beautiful, true, 'real-time' story, told in an incredibly accessible style, about loss and redemption, and all the resentments in-between.

I highly recommend this book. As someone touched personally by the subject matter, I find myself hard-pressed to talk publicly about the details of "Reunion." At the same time, I can't deny the impact this book has had upon my life. If you have 'adoption issues' in any regard, please read this book.