Adoption Books

Times change and this book clearly shows that a family is made up of people who love you. A great lesson is shared with all types of families from the message in this book!

What a great book for everyone!! Gay or straight this book should be read by all. It truly is a great story about family!
The story is wonderful....I can't wait to share it with my family!!!
The illustrations are amazing!!!

With "How My Family Came to Be: Daddy, Papa and Me" Andrew Aldrich has given us a loving, and FUN, story (with great illustrations by Mike Motz) of how two men and a baby came together to make a family, that ultimately, is like every other family. Kids will enjoy this story. It is a good tool for those who want to show their children the rich variety of family life. I know my child loved it, and it opened up discussion as to what makes a family. I echo Betty DeGeneres - "Lucky baby, lucky dads."

I purchased this book at least a year before our son came to live with us, and I had forgotten about it when it turned up during our preparations for his move-in. My partner and I read it him his first night with us, and it became his instant favorite. He has since requested it every single night before bed, and even though he is only four, he can recite it cover to cover. This book has made him feel so special, and it truly was a godsend in helping him through a difficult transition.

A refreshing story of how a beautiful child becomes part of a family with two Dads. More needs to be written about how so many of children find loving homes by being adopted by gay men.

Written from the child's point of view, the book is void of bias and preconceived ideas of the type of love and true bonding of family that two men can provide to a child.

Easy to read, with great colorful illustrations, the book is appropriate for children and adults, gay or straight... anyone who enjoys feeling warmth in their hearts and teaching love and acceptance of those around them.

This book is fantastic because it deals with real struggles and the ups and downs that come with childhood. It's obvious that the author works with children and has an excellent memory of what childhood was like. I think the story would help an adopted child feel validated. As an adopted child from a different culture people never know how to label the child. They expect the child to be one culture, yet they are really just as "american" as everyone else. I loved the contrast of two chinese children who have drastically different home lives. They both have reason to see the grass as greener on the other side. The plot is riveting. They should make it into a movie!

"The Jade Dragon" on the surface is a sweet book about little girls from a foreign country trying to find their way in white America. Growing up Japanese-American, I can relate to Ah Mei, of Chinese-born parents, struggling between wanting to fit in and be just like everyone else and yet enjoying her heritage. Stephanie, an adopted child from China, is much more complex in a way that could make adopted child readers and particularly their parents uncomfortable. Stephanie not only pretends to dislike everything Chinese in her wish to fit in with the white culture, but also feels that deep-dark-secret pain of wishing she didn't look so different from her adopted parents..."Why didn't they just leave me in China?"

While I enjoyed this easy read, I found the book just a little outdated as diversity is being stressed these days as a good thing and in most schools, at least urban and suburban, being of a different color and having different traditions is not such a big deal anymore. It does bring up some deep subjects. Young children may mostly focus on how Ah Mei tries so hard to win a friend who looks like her, but this book might raise some very sensitive issues with adopted kids, issues that might best be handled by child and parent reading this book aloud together.

This is a story of two Chinese girls -- Stephanie, born in China and adopted by a white American couple, and Ginny, born in the US of Chinese parents who adhere to customs of their homeland. Each is struggling to find her place in a society where she might fit in, where each is so different from classmates and neighbors. American-born Ginny is deeply immersed in the Chinese traditions of her family. She is thrilled to see another girl at school who has the same Asian look as she does. She feels they have a common link which will lead to friendship. Stephanie is cherished by her adoptive family. While she is being raised as an all-American girl, her mother also wants Stephanie to embrace her heritage. Stephanie resists with everything she's got. She resents her Chinese looks. She wants the blond hair and blue eyes of the girls she admires at school. This story is a sensitive look at the question of assimilation, friendship, and acceptance.

This book turned out to be a big disappointment to me because originally I was excited that there was a book about an adopted Chinese child becomming friends with a Chinese American child. It was upsetting to me the way the adoptive child was portrayed. Certain passages in the book were tastelessly done and I feel that any adopted child reading this book will feel terrible about being adopted. The author should take into account the feelings of her readers.

I've been reading a lot of children's books this year that have the feel of A Stranger Comes To Town. Or, in the world of kid literature, A New Kid Comes To School. There have been stories where the new child is overweight, where the new kid has been horribly burned, and where the new kid is sexually abused. Imagine my relief, then, when I pick up something like, "The Jade Dragon". In this book, the new kid is just a small girl of Chinese descent. Judging from its slim size (only 160 some pages), I didn't expect much from this book. Imagine my surprise then when I found it to be a surprisingly multifaceted story tucked inside a seemingly simple package. Author Carolyn Marsden has teamed with school teacher Virginia Shin-Mui Loh to tell a tale of second grade morality and what it truly means to be a friend.

When Ginny sees that the new girl in her class, Stephanie, is Chinese-American just like her, she's thrilled beyond words. Finally! The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Ginny has been dying for a kid "just like herself" for a long long time, and here she is! The only problem is that Stephanie doesn't seem to realize that she's the answer to Ginny's prayers. She doesn't seem to like Chinese food or associate with Ginny's culture whatsoever. Then the truth comes out. Stephanie was adopted from China when she was just a baby. Her parents are WASPs and she couldn't care less about her Chinese roots. Tentatively the two begin a friendship, but it isn't until Ginny lends Stephanie her prized jade dragon heirloom that the two begin to become close. Now she has a friend, but also a horrible choice. Ask for the dragon back and lose the one person she wants to stay close to forever and ever, or lose something that's truly a part of her.

What this story does beautifully is set up your average child reader's personal prejudices and then knock them flat, one by one. On the one hand, kids reading this book might get mad at Stephanie for not being interested in Chinese culture. On the other hand, they'll have a hard time denying that Stephanie's room (a kind of fantasy bedroom for sparkle-inclined little girls) is just the kind that they themselves would love to have. The authors are also careful to put in the subtlest of racist insults as well. At one point Ginny is wearing a red cheongsam against her will. She wanted to wear the fluffy Barbie-like dress her father bought her, but her mom insisted she wear a cheongsam instead. When Stephanie's mother sees Ginny, she's charmed. "I wish Stephanie would wear something like that. You look like a little China doll". Later at a sleepover, Stephanie confesses to Ginny that sometimes she wishes she could be white and blond and "American". Ginny knows what she means. Hopefully the book will make it clear to kids that such wishes, innocent though they may be, aren't so hot.

The book is a period piece of sorts, taking place in the year 1983. I suspect that perhaps some details in this book were based on a true story. This could also explain why the book's characters are in the second grade. Actually, the age of the characters was a point of contention for me. Second graders could definitely be read this story, but I doubt that many of them would be able to read it entirely on their own. This would certainly be ideal reading material for fourth graders instead. Then again, how many fourth graders that you know like to read about kids younger than themselves? The age of the characters and the level of written sophistication seem a bit at odds here. It probably would have fared better to make the children in this book fourth graders at the very least.

There is bound to be some comparison of "The Jade Dragon" to the fellow Chinese-American 2006 publication, "The Year of the Dog", by Grace Lin. In both little books (Lin's book weighs in at the even slimmer 134 pages) our heroine is Chinese born American and a there's a new girl in her class of the same racial background. In Lin's story the two become instant best friends and share their lives together. Marsden and Loh's book, in contrast, is a bit more complex. In the end, there's no denying that Marsden and Loh have come up with a remarkably sophisticated story in a misleadingly simple format.

If you're looking for other contemporary tales of American born Chinese kids, definitely seek out "Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything" by Lenore Look as well as the aforementioned "Year of the Dog". All three of these books discuss assimilation, being Chinese-American, and how hard it is to meld two cultures together sometimes. Only "The Jade Dragon" takes it a step farther and introduces the concept of Chinese-American kids born with and without their birth parents' cultural influence. A heady and intelligent book that deserves some attention.

I read this with my three year old (non-adopted) son. He seemed to like it well enough, although not as much as I did, but that's because I put more meaning to the story. He is still learning to recognize hippos, but he did recognize the tortoise as a turtle, since we haven't really worked on the difference between the two. We have read this book several times, always by my choice, but he has never rejected this idea. The artwork is soft and lovely. The text is simple and sweet. I really do think this would be a great book to read with children 2-6, especially those who have been adopted.

My 5-year-old (named Owen) absolutely loves this book and so do I. The pictures are stunning and the story is really sweet and comforting for this age group. I agree with the previous poster that all of the details are not necessary for children of this age to read. I believe the story captures the high and low parts of the story beautifully. Owen is scared when he loses his mama in the water. He is lonely when he finds himself in a place where he doesn't know anybody and he is happy and grateful to have found Mzee. We have read all of the books on this subject and even without the mention of humans capturing Owen and bringing him to a park where he met Mzee, this is still hands-down our favorite one.

The book was in great condition and is a touching story. I will buy from this seller again!

This is a beautiful book! The pictures are wonderful and the story is touching. I purchased it for a friend whose sons name is Owen. She loved the book also.

Marion Dane Bauer's A MAMA FOR OWEN tells of a baby hippo and his mama who are best friends and who love to play hide-and-seek in Africa, before the tsunami washes Owen's world away. The tsunami of 2004 serves as the inspiration for a gentle story of new friendships and changes, with John Butler's lovely realistic paintings spicing the story. Elementary-level readers will love it.

I enjoyed the story of this open adoption and appreciated the honesty of Bobbi's struggles and losses. The way that she wrote was often too detailed and that was hard get through at times. If you are thinking of an open adoption...this is a great account of how it can be a positive experience for both the birthparents and adoptive parents.

After my twin sister and her husband had great success with an open adoption, my husband and I have been considering doing the same for the last three years. After reading Bobbie and Steve's inspirational story, we are ready!
We are currently taking classes for fostering-to-adopt but are also very interesting in open adoption. The Masterpiece of Joy was a very honest story about the ups and downs of what we can expect. Also, it reminds us to keep our options open and be prepared for possible setbacks. I think this will better prepare us for what lies ahead.

If you buy this book, make sure you have a big box of tissues!

This is an outstanding story! I love the way the author uses detail to describe her experiences and feelings. That really made me feel like I was a part of the story. I could relate to how deeply the author felt. I spent lots of time laughing as well as crying as I read through this amazing journey of God's power in this couples life. It was very uplifting to see things come together knowing that it was beyond anything this couple could imagine. God truly blessed them with a Masterpiece of Joy! I would recommend this book to ANYONE who is facing disappointments or struggles in their life. It encouraged me so much. The fact that this is a true story magnifies the greatness of a Lord who hears the cries of the hurting. I did not get bogged down while reading it in spite of the depth of Mrs. Grubb's descriptions as other reviewers have commented. I liked the detail as it made it possible to put myself in this couples place. If you are facing hardships, please consider reading this book. I believe it will bless you as much as it has me! Thank you so much for sharing this uplifting story! I know it must have been difficult to share such intimate things.

As a mother who has struggled with infertility issues, this book really encouraged me to remember that God is in control. Bobbi shares her very personal story in a way that anyone who has struggled with infertility can relate to. I would imagine everyone could be encouraged by this book to trust that God is involved in all the details and HE works all things together miraculously!

Masterpiece of Joy by Bobbi Grubb gives the account of one couple as they experienced the emotional pain of infertility, but then found the joy of adoption. Those that are walking through these issues would thoroughly benefit from reading the Grubb's personal story. Even those that are not dealing with issues of infertility will be blessed as they see God's plan unfold. I was able to relate their experience to other areas of my life, and realize that even though in the midst of the storm, we cannot see what lies ahead, God is in control, and His purposes will be fulfilled. When we can truly grasp hold of that concept, we can rest in Him regardless of the uncertainty, disappointment, and chaos that may be going on around us. A definite must read!!!!!

What a wonderful story as seen through the eyes of a shelter dog. I loved it and will be reading it to many children And to my 2 sweet pitbulls..

This book was purchased as a gift for my young niece, whose parents are ardent pit bull lovers and supporters. The story in the book is an important one, and I appreciate the author donating some of the proceeds from the book to charity. But for $20, I expected a better quality book - hardcover at least. The artwork looks photocopied onto the page. Overall, the production is very amateur for the price. I'm sad to say I'm disappointed with my purchase.

Max, The Shelter Dog I bought 2 copies of this book for my grandchildren and they love it. We have read it together and I was able to answer questions about dogs in the animal shelter system. It gave my grandchildren an appreciation for stray animals and what they go through.

I love this book, it is so touching and shows you the good heart of any shelter dog. This is my sons favorite book, I read it to him over and over!I highly recommend this to any animal lover!

This book is really good, and super cute! It really puts pit bulls into a different light, and shows them for what they really are: sweet and loving pets. They are just unfortunate to be owned by a lot of bad people. But, the author shows that a lot of good people own pit bulls too, and how amazing they really are!

this book faces the reality of what adopted children live through, transracial or not. All needing to find their sense of belonging and identity. Speaks of how special and loving adoption is.

beautiful artwork.

"My Adopted Child?" This is 2008. Since when do we label children who were adopted? They are "children who were adopted," not "an adopted child." Adoption is a verb, not a noun in my opinion. I would never call a biological child "my genetically similar child." Just the title alone is in poor judgement.

I think the story is well written and well put. The perfect adoption story book!

This book is a fantastic tool for helping your adopted child become comfortable as an adopted child. A fun Parent-Child read.

This is a great book about adoption! However, I would recommend it for ages 5 and up.

Abby Wagner is vice president of an up and coming public relations firm in Denver. But when Nulte PR lands an adoption agency as a client, her already rocky world begins to collapse. Forced between staying alone in Denver for the summer or following her daughter to the old family stomping grounds on Washington's Puget Sound, Abby choses Puget Sound. Over the summer, she re-discovers what it means to let go of the past and embrace the future.

Abby learns to live and love again.

As the vice president of Nulte PR, Abby Wagner has managed to bury her pain by immersing herself in work. However, her life soon begins to unravel when she is assigned a new public relations campaign for Heartsong Adoptions, the firm that had torn her family apart 20 years ago. Before long, she finds her job on the line as past anguish resurfaces.

When Abby's daughter Jessica decides to spend the summer on Orcas Island, the childhood playground she had once enjoyed with her father, Abby finally returns to the family cottage she has avoided since the day her son had been stolen from her life.

While on the island, Abby reunites with her childhood friend Damian De Lucia, who runs a tour boat business on Puget Sound. Prompted by Damian's concern about the dwindling number of orca's returning to the Sound each year, Abby embarks on a PR campaign to help publicize their plight.

As Abby works through her past, she discovers the God really does work all things out for the good of those who love him.

Together for Good is a beautifully written story of God's love and redemption for us all. In the midst of our pain, we often fail to see any good in the situation and are blinded to the overall picture God has painted regarding our lives. In her debut novel, Melanie Dobson has illustrated Romans 8:28 with tenderness and very real characters.

Set in the beautiful Puget Sound, Melanie successfully weaves two storylines into a well crafted novel which highlights both the pain and joy of adoption and the effects of pollution on wildlife.

Whether you have been touched by adoption or not, you don't want to miss this novel with its heart-warming characters and beautiful scenery.

Together for Good is an awesome read. It has a great plot with several unique twists and subplots. Instead of the same-old same-old, this time the story focuses on a woman who wanted a child and the birthmother reclaimed the child before relinquishing her rights. Now twenty years later, Abby needs to know if her almost-son was safe and doing well.

The author created loveable characters who felt like real people to me. And the guys were hunks! Amazingly well-written for a debut novel, IMHO. All around, I'm impressed. The character emotion and grief issues felt real. Plus, to top it all off, the author obviously did her research and got her facts straight about adoption. Whoo hoo! I hate it when an author is clueless about the subject matter and they guess at how the system works.

In addition, I felt like I was in the Puget Sound during the story. I love slipping into another time and place. Honestly, the scenery and sailing felt very real to me. Now I want to visit Washington and Puget Sound. I loved the snorkeling scenes and the wildlife sightings. Wonderful description of the orcas, too. Plus, this story had an environmental issue as part of the plot, so awareness about the harmful effects of pollution came across. Very cool.

The ending was a bit of a tear jerker, but it perfectly illustrated the scripture from Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.

I had a warm fuzzy along with my clogged throat when I reached the end of the story. the kind that makes you want to sigh with satisfaction. The story didn't have a tidy, unrealistic ending, but one that glorified God! I loved this book and highly recommend it! Oh, and it was very romantic even without a lot of physical contact. Very well done!

I was hooked on the story-line from page 1. I was so impressed and inspired by the characters. Their trials and joys were very realistic and touched the deepest parts of my heart. The Lord used Together for Good as an encouragement to me as a Christian. I highly recommend this book.

Melanie Dobson's Together for Good is a heart-warming story about Abby Wagner, a woman who has never recovered from the loss of her adopted son when his birth mother changed her mind after four months and took him back. Twenty years have passed, but the wounds remain, festering beneath a work-a-holic veneer.

When Abby's world begins crumbling around her, she and her daughter return to Orcas Island, a place that holds both fond and heart-breaking memories for Abby. Through Damien, a dear friend from her youth, and Marc, his young sailing partner, Abby comes to realize she almost forfeited the real treasure she possesses for the sake of clinging to crushed dreams she built around her adopted son.

Dobson's descriptions bring the beautiful Puget Sound area to life, her pacing keeps the story moving, and her gift for suspense keeps the reader turning pages. The story is a metaphor for Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Abby not only finds healing from her past, she comes to understand why it had to be the way it was, and she receives a gift far greater than her loss.

I have looked for this book for several years and was excited to find it on your web site. This book is expertly written and will be cherished by our family for years to come. We purchased 2 and will send the second book to our sons "Tummy Mummy".

As adoptive parents of a 30 month old daughter, we have added this book to our collection of many books, including some about adoption. While my daughter likes the words "Tummy Mummy", and some of the illustrations, she is too young to grasp the concept of adoption. I do love how my daughter exclaims "They want to hold the baby!" when she sees the picture of the adoptive parents greeting the Tummy Mummy and baby with outstretched arms. The prose is a bit stange to me. Sometimes it rhymes, sometimes it doesn't. I do like the calm 'feel' of the book, but I think it borders on somber. I am glad it is in our collection, but it is not our favorite book at this stage. For our little one, "A Mother for Choco" is more appropriate.

The Tummy Mummy is one of the first books on adoption that we bought for our daughter. We were thrilled because it does connect a child with his/her birth family, which most children's books on adoption do not do. It is positive (maybe a tad too positive for some) and simple, while connecting all parts of the adoption triad. Very moving.

The Tummy Mummy is a very sweet and loving look at adoption. The entire tone is of love and understanding. Most books are from the adoptive parent side and how happy they are to have the child with them. This gives the birth parent a voice and I think would go a long way in comforting young children who have been adopted. I really like this book!

I bought this book for the daughter I placed in an open adoption. While it is not OUR story, it is a nice, gentle adoption story that portrays love for the child at all times. I know that no book written by another person is going to magically tell our exact story so this, in my opinion, happens to be the next best thing.

I have a daughter, now 31, who was adopted from Korea when she was nine years old. Not easy to find a book that would be suitable for her experience, I thought I would look at this book. I was frankly disappointed that no mention was given to the older child. But, when she read it, she was moved by the pictures and was pleased to take it home. She related to the pictures of the babies, not unlike the ones with whom she traveled to the U.S., in rows of airplane seats. She was impressed with the foster mothers in Korea, though she was in an orphanage for one year after her father's death and before her adoption. In addition to this lovely and resilient daughter, I now have a delightful granddaughter (definitely her mother's daughter) who helps me to see how my daughter must have been as a baby/toddler.)

As an adoptive parent of a Korean born child, I know firsthand that she had a life in Korea before ever becoming part of our family. Here is a way to fill in the missing pieces for her. Sooner or later your child will begin to ask questions. This book handles delicate issues in a gentle yet informative way. It's become our gift of choice to people we know who are new adoptive parents.

My daughter was adopted from Korea through the very same organization shown in this book. The book provided detailed information and photographs giving us insight into the early moments of her life before she came home to us. I have purchased several copies for family members and friends so they too can understand our daughter's journey into our lives. It is obvious this book was created out of love and compassion for the children of Korea. Very Heartwarming!

I am very disappointed and actually returning this book. I bought it as a gift for my 30 yr old friend. Well, this book is good for children, not adults. And by reading some of the other reviews I thought that the book was supposed to be great for adults and children, they were very misinforming! But if it were for a 7 year old, it would be perfect!

I cried as I turned the first page of this book and continued throughout with tears of heartfelt joy. My daughter-in-law was adopted from Korea 28 years ago and now her and my son are adopting a baby boy from Korea. As I read through this informative book, it brought so much insight, as it takes you step by step from the baby's birth, to the baby home, to the foster parents, medical attention, and plane ride to America, then into the arms of the adoptive parents. It brought peace of mind, and so much joy. The story explains how the birth mother wanted a good and happy life for her child but knew she couldn't give it and not that she didn't love him. This was the best and most unique gift and both my son and daughter-in-law were thrilled and cried while reading it. I just can't say enough about this book. The best book for anyone who has been adopted from Korea or is adopting. My daught-in-law learned so much about where she came from also. We all know now what is going on in our little boy's life while we are waiting for his arrival. Great gift for the grandparents too. I read it three times before giving it to my kids.

This book gives real life practical suggestions. It is well written, easy to read, and comprehensive. Anyone who wants to learn more about adoption should definitely pick this up.

Adoption can be a wonderful and rewarding way to grow a family. But, like anything that is life changing, it is often a good idea to go into it with as much information as possible. Or, following an adoption, parents may still have questions that need answers. Enter The Whole Life Adoption Book.

In this revised and updated book (original was published in 1993), people exploring or living life as an adoptive family can find many answers they seek. Topics range greatly and cover most, if not all, aspects of adoption. A few are: what to consider before you adopt, adopting and parenting a child with special needs, understanding attachment and the impact of trauma, how to communicate about adoption from infancy through adolescence, and searching for birthparents.

They discuss positive word choices and negative family responses. And this revised version explores more thoroughly the aspects of international adoption and transcultural adoption in response to the adoption boom in those areas.

I found this book to be highly informative if not a little dry. It is fact filled, and when discussing so many different aspects of the adoption process, there probably wasn't much room for feel-good fluff-though it did seem to focus on the problems one encounters when adopting. Again, good information to have, but it occasionally left me panicky. It might very well scare off people just beginning to explore the idea of adopting.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that though this book is all encompassing, it is by no means a one stop adoption resource. Those looking into domestic infant adoption or foster adoption or international adoption will want to also look for resources that cover those specific aspects more in depth. Why? Because sometimes we adoptive parents also want the beautiful warm fuzzies.

Armchair Interviews says: Excellent resource, but be aware, it is mostly about the possible problems, none of the joys and successes of adoption.

Jayne Schooler's book is well written and easy to read. She offers many suggestions the adoptive family needs as they grow together as a family. Our family recommends this book to all parents beginning the adoption process.

I believe this book is a great resource for any adoptive parent, however, the book seems to be more for domestic adoption rather than international adoption. This is especially true of the chapter "Searching for a Past: Why adopted Children Seek Their Roots and How Parents Can Respond". My issue is that since my daughter is adopted from China there is absolutely no way that I can help her find out anything about her birth parents. In China, babies are abandoned. Birth parents do not have the option to take a child to the proper autorities to be placed for adoption, they do not get to make an adoption plan. Due to governmental restrictions birth parents are prohibited from doing these things. So what do I tell my daughter when she wants to find her birth parents? I was hoping for some direction in this book but found none. Also, the section on how to explain Abandonment does not work for children adopted from China because that is never how it happens there. This book is an excellent resource for parents adopting domestically and was helpful in explaining things that all adopted children will go through regardless of when they were adopted.

Do not make the mistake of buying earlier editions of this terrific volume. The new, June 2008 edition is considerably longer and more detailed than the original book, good though that is.

First off, this edition deals in much greater detail with questions and issues surrounding the inter-country adoption process, which today is governed by the Hague Convention for International Adoptions. (Would that the convention had been in effect when we adopted abroad.)

From our perspective, a decade-plus into the adoption experience, some of the material here is of little interest. But for families considering adoption or in the early stages of building and adoptive family, there is much good advice, beginning with discussions of the healthiest motivations for wanting to adopt, and acceptance of the "foundational realities."

It's appalling to learn here how many families have adopted children and never told them they were adopted. It should be understood that children have a right to know where they come from, even if the available details are very sparse. Along with accepting that foundation is the reality that adoption generally involves healing for the adoptive parents as well as the child. The parents must accept their inability to conceive, and understand that their child does and will continue to suffer from a Primal Wound that requires nursing and extra care to heal.

The book also has excellent chapters on attachment trauma and the difficulties of dealing with adopted kids during their teens. Children may say being adopted has been easy for them. And children adopted as infants, especially, do fare pretty well. But the fact is that at least 5% of children adopted as infants have extraordinarily difficult teen years---much more so than the average child raised in his or her biological family.

And another fact is that raising an adopted child is a much different deal than raising one's biological child. There are a vast range of questions and issues that just don't come up with the latter. And while adopted kids generally emerge from the teenage years in good shape, helping them through this rough period requires super-parents. Don't go into it if you're not prepared.

Kids and families want control of their lives. This book can help give them control where otherwise, thanks to all the unknowns and separations, they might feel helpless. (I also recommend Beneath the Mask.)

Finally, the book reassures adoptive parents fearful of their child's search for his or her birth parents. Personally, I can't imagine feeling that way, but apparently it's very common.

This book, though, explains that searching and learning a child's origin and "story" can most often help them resolve questions and issues, without which, the child will probably lead a much less productive and meaningful life.

This is a book that adoptive parents certainly need, for their child's whole life. As in holistic, and whole.