Adoption Books

I loved this book. This is a very sweet story with beautiful artwork. I highly recommend this book, even if you are not adopting from russia.

I'm an adoptive mom of children from a former Soviet republic, a school librarian, and a pretty tough critic. I'm very pleased with Mishka: An Adoption Tale; I'd rate it as one of the top two or three picture books available that illustrate the international adoption experience from a child's point of view, and the only one specific to Russian/EE adoption. I especially like how the author uses the Mo the teddy bear's confusion and longing to mirror how young Yuri is probably feeling, but can't express in words. The language is simple, the story flows with no missteps. The illustrations are quietly charming.

I only have a couple of nit-picky issue with the story -- first I wish the Russian words hadn't all been hyphenated, since they're spoken by a native Russian speaker (Yuri). It makes them awkward, in my opinion, and don't accurately represent the Russian pronunciations anyway. Better to italicize the foreign words and have a glossary page at the end. The other, equally nit-picky thing is that in my experience, potential adoptive parents would not wait 'til the airport to buy a stuffed animal for their new child! But it works in the context of the story.

This is a wonderful addition to adoption literature, and to children's picture books in general.

I am always hesitant to buy an adoption-related book without being able to read the whole thing through ahead of time, because I sometimes would rather use different words or sentiments to present things to our son (adopted from Russia at age 15 mos). This just arrived & I'm sooo pleased with it!!!! It made me cry! There's nothing that I consider "questionable" at all!!! It's a beautiful story!!! :) And it addresses the issue of having to make 2 trips to bring your child home. I especially appreciate the part of the story where the bear was happy to be in the orphanage (although that word isn't even used) rather than on the store shelf -- thus not portraying the orphanage as an awful place. But at the same time, he longs to go home with the Mommy and Daddy who are coming back for them.

I was particularly overjoyed to discover this delightful addition to what I feel is a scant lot of children's books about adoption.

The author is a media specialist and adoptive mother, something we both have in common, but I know nothing about Russian adoptions. I've not internationally adopted since 1987 and I prefer the Third World yet I was immediately drawn into this tale that supersedes its specific locale.

Played out through the eyes of a teddy bear without over dramatizing the obvious connections between this bear and the young child being adopted, the book never insulted the readers with obvious superficialitie, instead it coaxed one along through its pages.

My kids really enjoyed reading this. The story rings true - I brought a bear to my older son when I adopted him, and he still keeps it on his bed. My younger son remembers the days between the time he met me and the time he came home, and says that the description of that time is very accurate. The pictures are lovely - especially St. Basel's! - and I really do like this book. Very well done (again!).

I love this book. It's a wonderful story and a great read. I couldn't wait to find out what happens to Leah, but I didn't want it to end!

What a wonderful [and touching] story of exploration and growth- Sheinmel is a terrific new writer - I loved it. Judy Blume Judy Blume born again again.

I couldn't put this book down! I fell in love with Leah on page 1 and I couldn't wait to see how her story ended. Leah's journey to find her biological siblings from their shared donor is engaging and real. She faces challenges from friends and family along the way and her revelations at the end of what it means to be a family are true and hard won. The author breathes such life into her characters! Little details make for fully developed people you truly come to care about. My very favorite part of the story was Leah's relationship with her little brother Charlie. I think tween readers will eat this story up and ask for seconds!

We loved this book! Courtney Sheinmel's debut novel takes on an up to-the minute topic with warmth, humor and the extremely likable voice of Leah Hoffman-Ross. My 13 year-old daughter would NOT stop reading until the very last page! Not since Judy Blume, has anyone handled such a complicated topic, with complete honesty and candor. I would recommend this book highly. It is a fast-paced, fabulous find!! We can't wait to see what else Sheinmel has in store for the future.

I loved this book. The main character is so cool. She thinks and acts just like me and all my friends. I was really into finding out what happened to her. Even if you don't always love to read, this book was really worth it!

This is a timely, no-holds barred story of what happens when a mother, because of the circumstances of her life, must give up her children to adoption and of her lifelong need to find them. The author speaks from experience, which gives her book an authentic ring. It was one she had to write in order to come to terms with her life experience. Her readers are happy she did, especially all those who have undergone a similar experience.

A true story of the hidden contrasting emotions at the heart of the adoption process. This account goes beyond the sweetness of media hype. It touches the depths of reality. It deciphers the varied consequences of knowing and understanding that something has been missing in a precious life.

The author shows real talent and courage in this true story about and by a birthmother who found her two children later in life. This bittersweet, honest, and touching tale is a poignant read for anyone who has ever dealt with adoption... either as a parent, or a child

The subtitle of this book does, indeed, provide a telling introduction to the author's story: "A loving, helping, caring gift for one mother's adopted out lives." The two children she adopted out were both conceived in love. They never left her heart.

Ms. VanLydegraf most assuredly had a lot of love to give if only life had turned in her favor. But both "princes" she loved and dreamed about as husbands turned out not to be so charming. It was the early 1960's when her youth and naievete got in the way of better judgement. The era of flower power and free love, in her case, was anything but free. She found herself young, pregnant, abandoned, and short on options in those days. What support her parents might have offered was limited by debilitating disease.

In this true story, the author bluntly and honestly details the tragedy of unmarried pregnancy and the adoption process, what leads up to it as well as what haunts all parties afterwards for decades. The reunion with both adopted out sons is joyous, but remains bittersweet around the edges. Her heart and spirit were changed by life experience. She will never be the same, despite establishing relationships with both the sons she gave up in her teens. That is the poignant message delivered in Notes From Nobody. Mother Love cannot always conquer all, but it keeps trying no matter what.

"Notes from Nobody," written by Claudia (Balch) Turner Vanlydegraf is a courageous review of the authors life and her emotions after giving up two sons for adoption. Readers experience the author's pain at that period in her life. We also share in her joy at being reunited with both within a few weeks. Positive read for any one involved in the adoption process. Beverly J Scott author of "Righteous Revenge."

I read this book when it first came out many years a go. I have always loved reading books by Yorgason and noticed this book is a true story story about his family. I was touched by the love this family had for a sevely handicapped girl who wasn't even their's biologically. I was even more touch with the love Charity gave to those around her. I can't believe a child with out a brain could change so many lives!!!

I never imagined that my family would experience anything like the Yorgason's, but I was wrong. One year after reading "One Tattered Angel" for the first time, my cousin also had a daughter who was born without a brain. Her name is Amelia Grace. The past 10 years with Amelia has been difficult with many ups and downs but our family would never trade the great blessings Amelia brings into our lives. Reading the story of Charity brings peace, hope and love into our lives.

This book shows how close we are to the spiritual world and how we can stay in tune with the spirits.

I first heard a part of this story from my Mother when I was young. I found it again later in life, read the whole story, and fell in love with Blaine's story all over again.

Miracles are all around us if we just open our eyes and SEE all that God has revealed to make man's life better!

One Tattered angel is a very great witness that miracles do happen and God is the God of all..... even the little ones.

This awesomely well-written little book is one of the most inspiring and humbling books I have read in a long time. I have given several as gifts and will give more. My sister's comments were that it "should be required reading for everyone." That pretty well sums it up. Highly recommended.

i was on the island of st. martin recently, staying at a small hotel on the beach; to pass some time, i'd noticed they had "used" books on the shelf in the lobby to borrow and saw this little book called "one tattered angel". i started reading it and couldn't put it down. it affected the rest of my trip & my outlook on things, especially the power of prayer. i wanted to take the book with me - i was going to ask the hotel if i could buy it, just in case i couldn't find it anywhere. however, i noticed that it was signed by the author! i realized that the book needed to be left right there, so someone else could have the pleasure of reading it, like i did.

If your idea of graphic novels involves super-heros battling the forces of darkness using dialog heavy on "Bang!" "Pow!" and "Zap!", you may be surprised when you see Marian Henley's graphic memoir, The Shiniest Jewel. It's a deceptively simple story of love and family, of being different and learning self-acceptance--and of the life-altering miracle of gaining a whole new understanding of yourself in the process.

The Shiniest Jewel chronicles cartoonist Henley's decision at age 49 to adopt a child from Russia, a decision she announces to her parents on a Christmas Eve visit after years of agonizing and months after actually initiating the adoption process. A panel filling the whole next page shows Henley doubled over in a chair, alone after blurting out the news. "That night, I worried," says the caption. The thought balloons drifting over her solitary figure will resonate with anyone who has ever doubted her path (which probably is all of us): "What are they thinking?" "Why do I care what they're thinking?" "They think I'm crazy." "Maybe I am crazy." "I'm not crazy."

The decision to adopt a child takes Henley through anxiety and into elation when the adoption agency finds her a boy, Sergey. "I kept [his picture] on my drawing table, so I could see it while I worked...I felt proud of him. He wasn't my son, and yet he was," says the text next to the panels showing the photo of a snub-nosed, round-cheeked, bald infant. Then comes despair when after months of waiting (one panel shows her using reading glasses to decipher a Russian grammer labeled "Easy!" "Fun!" while in another she is doing a yoga headstand), she finds that the authorities in Russia have decided that she is "too old" (here the panel shows her looking into a mirror and feeling her face) and "too unstable" to adopt. ("They had seen my portfolio statements. How unstable could I be?")

As Henley reels, her father, who has already survived heart bypass, prostate cancer, and throat cancer, goes back into the hospital, and her boyfriend of seven years, an orthopedic surgeon, asks her to buy a house with him in Nashville, where he has moved after medical school in Austin, where Henley lives. Then she gets an email from her agency offering Igor, a year-old boy in Vladivostok, the far eastern edge of Russia. His mother was HIV positive, his father unknown. She has 12 business days to make her decision. What she decides will test her more than anything she has ever known--and ultimately reshape her life completely.

Henley's spare and evocative drawings and her deft ability to employ just a few words to evoke voices and thoughts exemplify the truth in the phrase "less equals more." The lack of clutter keeps the story moving quickly and also lends it a simple realism and power. If you've wondered about the popularity of graphic novels, you'll understand after reading The Shiniest Jewel, a jewel of a story, well-drawn and well-told.

by Susan J. Tweit
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

This book is so funny, charming and honest I only wish it had been three times as long. Both the writing and the illustrations had me laughing out loud. I hope Ms. Henley is already working on another book because I can't wait to read it.

I might not have danced away my sorrows in a Texas roadhouse, but I know about love and loss, about taking risks at a mature age and I know when pictures do, indeed, capture a million words. In Marian Henley's graphic novel, The Shiniest Jewel, she's caught a lot of emotion and some big-deal decisions with the deft hand of a diamond cutter. With her spare prose and line-drawings, Henley tells a story that we believe, a story that we can relate to even if we never need to kite off to Vladivostok in search of a sapphire-eyed baby boy.

I love autobiographical comics in the vein of Persepolis and Blankets. But then, I also love more spontaneously made indie fare like Snakepit. The Shiniest Jewel wonderfully manages to bring the best of both veins together.
There is the insight and honesty I cherish in autobiographical comics, and at the same time Henley's art and pacing demonstrate a flash of spontaneity that make the experience pop vividly.

While I have enjoyed Henley's Maxine comics in the past, this is by far my favorite thing she has done. She shares this seminal moment in her life gracefully, poetically, and best of all, entertainingly. Top marks.

Marian Henley's The Shiniest Jewel is a moving graphic memoir about, at its core, life and death, the two intertwined here in her search for a baby to adopt, and the poor health of her aging father. Her circumstances are unusual: she's 49 and unmarried, though she has been with her boyfriend, Rick, for a decade.

What's outstanding about this book is how powerful Henley's illustrations are, often saying so much more than her words. She shows her horror at the idea of marriage with a series of grotesque faces. She makes though bubble asides, one of the funniest of which is when she finally does decide to get married, and as she publicly says "We just adopted him from Russia!" she's thinking, "So, you see I'm not a slut." Another priceless one is when she's being interviewed about adopting, she gets yelled at by a woman who, in the drawing, practically breathes fire.

The babies, first Sergey, whose adoption falls through, then Igor, who she winds up adopting and calling William, are less cute and perky than most images of babies we see. They are more solid, chunky, in Henley's version.

This is also a bit of a warning to those looking to adopt through an agency. Henley almost has a breakdown when her visit to Vladivostok is almost for naught when the staff of her agency fails to tell her she needs a certain document. Though she doesn't explicitly offer advice, and she is someone who did her research, the point comes across that no matter how prepared you are, there will likely be obstacles, especially if you're unmarried.

This is a tearjerker, as by the end, her father is in hospice, his descent chronicled alongside the first moments of her motherhood. Henley's simple but powerful artwork serves as a complement to her story, one that may not be all that remarkable, but finds its power in the most basic human emotions, ones that speak to our need for family, the kind we are born into and the kind we create.

There is a happy (mostly) ending, but there is still a trace of sadness, as the "shiniest jewel" she plucks from Russia means that her adopted son's family couldn't afford to care for him. The look she's given by his caretaker says volumes, and underscores the fact that none of this is an easy process for Henley, even if the ultimate outcome is one that brings her what she's been seeking. Even the very idea that a baby is a "shiny jewel" clamoring for someone's attention has a bittersweet twist, as Igor leaves the other children behind. That's not the focus of this story, but is still something Henley makes sure her readers are aware of, weaving happy and sad, life and death, until it can become hard to fully separate them.

This book is wonderful! It communicates well; gives sound advice about when and how to tell children about adoption. It gives advice on how to deal with children and adolescents' feelings surrounding adoption issues. Addresses domestic as well as international adoption issues. Etc.

I loved this book for a variety of reasons. It begins by laying a groundwork of WHY information can be so powerful and destructive in a family. It contrasts that with how openness can build a foundation of honesty between adopted youths and their parents. In that sense it starts out very conceptual. But it does not stop there, it goes on to give very concrete and practical ways you can give your children possibly hurtful information about their pasts in developmentally sensitive ways. I highly reccommend this book for anyone who plans on adopting from the foster care system. Sometimes questions come from our kids we don't always know how to answer. This book can help us to do that AND understand how our children respond to those answers.

Keefer & Schooler have given us an excellent and substantive guide on numerous issues concerning adoption, notably how to tell children about adoption, how to handle adolescents' feelings. Unlike some other writers who think that children as young as 2-1/2 can understand and conceptualize the ideas of birth and adoption, Keefer and Schooler recognize that only by age eight do children have the ability to think in abstract terms and begin to understand the meaning of adoption. (In their book, Openness in Adoption, Exploring Family Connections, Harold D. Grotevant and Ruth G. McRoy found that only at the mean age of 10.5, age range 8.0-12.1, is the adoption relationship fully understood with its characterized permanency.) Schooler's description of the adoptee's various developmental stages is worded such that it appears all adoptees grieve, go through stages of anger and during adolescence experience an identity crisis. The adopted youths 'identity may fluctuate with their current fantasy of the birth family.' I am puzzled by our daughter who insists that she has never suffered an identity crisis. She has grown up with many adopted children, some of whom suffered such a crisis, others did not. Some studies of identity crises in adoptees and nonadoptees have shown no significant differences between the groups, so that 'adoptive status itself cannot produce a negative identity.' One study showed that nonsearchers had more positive self-concepts than searchers and overall self-esteem, identity, family self, physical self, self-satisfaction. These nonsearchers had less concern than searchers about their own background.
But research results are like see-saws: One result says green, the other says red. It's bewildering and cause for caution not to generalize. Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?

Excellent step by step instruction on how to tell kids difficult information about their birth parents. E.g., your birth mother was a drug addict. Also shows how to present this information for kids of different ages: what you say to a 5 year old, a 10 year old, a 15 year old. I have read just about every book on adoption/fostering and this is one of the best. Since reading it I have known how to answer my son's questions and have felt much more comfortable discussing his birth parents with him.

This is the most comprehensive and "on target" book about adoption I have found. If you are adopted, reading this book will make you feel very understood...and if you are an adoptive parent, reading this book will be one of the best things you can do for your child!

A Very Special Child invoked wonderful stories told to me of my adoption. It is a great read for adoptive parents and children alike. Debra has a way of making the reader feel the love she shines on her special boy and has you experience the gratitude of such a gift. She has reminded me of the fortune in people's lives who have experienced adoption.

This book should be amongst every adopted child's keepsakes, signed by Mommy and Daddy. There is deep passion and love for an adopted child painted by Debra's words. Read every page and be touched by a mother's love for her child.

To Whom it May Concern:
I just finished reading a wonderful children's book, titled "A Very Special Child." It explains adoption in a very loving and spiritual way; in a way that a child can understand.
In addition, this book not only tells the story of Christopher, the son she adopted, but tells the story from her heart. It brought tears not only to my face, but also to my heart.
Ms. Welch expresses, in her writing, all of the love, hopes, and courage, she has. She loves her child, her son, with all of her heart.
I am the mother to a special needs child. Mine is a man grown, but still a child in his mind. I
know the profoundness of the love that Ms. Welch feels for her child. Like Ms. Welch, I had always
wanted to be a mother from the age of 8 years old. Like Ms. Welch, my child came later in my life.
Mine is my birth child. Ms. Welch's is the child of adoption, but never the less, still a child borne of her heart. No other love exists as strong, as special, as deep as that of a mother towards her young.
I would strongly recommend this book for any parent, especially those that are thinking of adoption, or for any parents that have a natural child, but are contemplating adoption? This book will help both the natural child as well as the adopted child understand.

A Very Special Child by Debra Shiveley is a wonderful book written with child-like wonder. Debra removes the stigma of adoption by showing adopted children everywhere that they are indeed special, wanted and loved. Debra demonstrates how the birth mother served a significant role in preparing the gift of a baby to a very loving family in simple easy to read terms. She demonstrates through magic and wonderment how nothing is an accident; all is within God's divine plan.

Her essays and poems reveal the many aspects of parenting: the yearning for that perfect child, the joy of parenting, the everyday routine of mother and child relationship to the twinge of pain when a mother realizes her child has grown up. Debra crosses generations and demonstrates how this love continues from mother to grandmother and beyond. In all of this she maintains that there is no such thing as an imperfect child. Like the butterfly which cannot fly, a child with an imperfection is still and always will be perfect in the sight of God and always first and foremost a very special child.

Carol Roach, M.Ed, BA

[...]
Author of "Picking Up the Pieces" and

"Angels Watching Over Me"

In this heartwarming book by author Debra Shiveley Welch, we are privilaged to experience the depths of her love and thankfulness for her adoptive son
Christopher. The author takes you on a journey from her and her husbands head-bent prayers to their God asking for a child, receiving their blessing and the child's growing years. Very touching, very sensitive.


In her work, Ms. Welch tenderely tells of the Lord giving attributes to her yet unborn son while in the womb of the frightened young mother. God takes some sweetness from the Cherubs, sweet music from the birds, laughter from the dolphins, and wraps them in love from the mother placing it all carefully into the spirit of the unborn babe. A beautiful gift of life waiting to be unwrapped and cherished. Waiting to be placed in the arms of a loving mother and father.

This is a wonderful work that any adoptive parent, or any parent that truly knows how blessed they are, could give to their beloved child to show them how much they are loved and how special they are. It is filled with wonderful poetry and essays of experiences shared and life lived. A delightful, heartful work that I am proud to recommend.

Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

This is a must have book for adoption in Russia. It is well supportive of independent adoption. It covers the process of adoption in Russia in detail. The book also has a large section of Russian law, translated and explained, that is very helpful to adoptive parents. An excellent travel tool for Russian adoption.

This book is excellent. Especially for PreAdoptive Parents. Anyone who has already went to Russia can relate to much of this book. Whether you are using an Agency or Adopting Independently you should read this book. It tells all about what to expect from the laws and your dossier to what to expect while in Russia and Court. There is alot of information in it that I was not able to find anywhere else. The Laws of Russia are always confusing and the book explains them very well. If you are using an agency this book will help you answer some questions. You will have much more knowledge on what questions to ask your agency and what to expect. It helps make learning Russian words and phrases easy. If you want to learn anymore about the children in Russia this book is definitely for you. And let's not forget all the FAQ's, there all there, and we've all asked them. Good Luck and God Bless you on your Adoption.

For anyone who is interested in an indepth understanding of Russian Law and how it related to international Russian adoption, this is the book to read! Well written, well thought out, easy to use and very informative! Irina O'Rear has written an outstanding book that explains in detail how the law works in Russia and how it applies to adoption.

Did you know adoption in Russia is free? Did you know that the Russian Law DOES NOT require two trips? Did you know there is an appeals process for adoptions that are turned down by the judge? Do you want to know if you can request a specific child in a specific area, from a specific orpahage? Irina explains the whys and wherefores of the law, and how it applies to various adoption situations. She explains the adoption process, gives a list of documents commonly needed for a Russian dossier, and explains what is involved in the court hearing.

A well written, concise, and thorough book. A must read for anyone interested in adopting from Russia. A great place to get the right answers to some tough adoption questions.

This book is a MUST to read!! You will REALLY see where your money goes after reading it! I was quite amazed. However, compared to the other reviewers, I ended up using Alaska Adoption Agency. (Excellent company by the way!) We did a 2 trip region. (Khabarovsk) Was a great overall experience. For more info on adoption, I used to go to www.adoptionforums.com Great source for MORE updated info on what's going on with the adoptions these days!

A must read for anyone adopting from Russia.

From the introduction of the book: "This book has been written in order to provide the reader with basic and helpful information pertaining to Russian adoptions and Russian adoption law." There is no doubt that Irina O'Rear has managed to accomplish this in her recently published book.

Pre adoptive parents have many questions and MS O'Rear has managed to consolidate most of the answers to these questions into one book. A family going through the adoption process would be turning to this book daily to get valuable information. Some of this information can only be found in this book.

The book starts out with a general discussion on making a decision to adopt and specifically why to adopt from Russia. From there the author describes what to expect in Russia. This covers everything from how to dress, what to expect in the court hearing, and generally what to expect while sight seeing. There is a good description of the adoption process form the Russian side, which lets the parents know what is happening while they are anxiously awaiting an invitation to travel.

There is one section of the book, and I feel the most valuable section, where MS O'Rear translates excerpts of the Russian family law that pertains to adoptions. She also provides her expert commentary on each section of the law. In my work with Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (FURA) I have repeat idly heard parents ask what the Russian laws says on certain issues. Now I have a resource that I can point them to for answers.

Besides the unique section on Russian law the author provides another unique section of useful words and phrases. Nowhere else have I seen a list like this. It is in English word order and the Russian translation is done using the English phonetic alphabet instead of the Russian Cyrillic. This is most helpful to those who don't know the Cyrillic alphabet.

For people looking for a resource and reference guide to help with a Russian adoption then this is the book for you.

I highly recommend this book, especially for pre-teen children who are just beginning to think more deeply about issues raised by international adoption. The watercolors are beautiful, the concept is excellent and the narrative well written and very strong. At Home in This World will help older children think about the issues surrounding their abandonment and adoption and may help many of them articulate their own ideas and feelings. I especially like that this story is told through the voice of an older child rather than an omniscient narrator or parent. It invites the reading child to identify with the narrator and leaves room for the child to spin the story as she wishes. An important contribution to the emerging literature written for internationally-adopted children.

This book is such a provocative, sobering, thoughtful, and well-written look at abandonment and adoption from the perspective of a nine-year-old girl. The prologue really gave this newly-adoptive mother something to think about, and the story even more. I've read the story several times and think of it often as I consider my daughter and her experience and how we'll give her the space, support and love she needs to integrate her journey into her life here. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone adopting a child of any age.

There are at least two things that make this book stand out from the growing field of literature about adoption from China: it is told from the perspective of a child, rather than an adult, and it takes into account the sad feelings, as well as the happy ones that we parents remember so well.

In her introduction, the author (a mother of two girls from China) describes how she first put together an adoption story that emphasized all the wonderful things about adoption including a "...baby-book heavy on adoption-day photographs." Then she realized that "The relentlessly positive spin I chose to put on my girls' pre-adoption birth story was confusing to my daughters, who recognized buried feelings that didn't always parallel mine." She found that she needed to address and legitimize these feelings.

This is not to say that the book is sad. The young narrator tries to make sense of why her birthparents would leave her, she wonders what they look like, she notes that she looks like a "confused little baby" in her adoption video, and she talks about early dreams she had of being lost after she went to sleep at night. She says "I understand all of these things in my head, but it is so much harder to understand in my heart." She concludes her story by saying that she is bringing her sides together ..."One girl from two places who is growing up to be at home in this big, wide world."

After the story, the author includes some information at questions that parents and children can discuss after they read the book.

The book is illustrated with charming watercolors by Qin Su, a native of China. They have a fresh, direct quality to them.

This belongs on adoptive parents' bookshelf along with Mommy Far, Mommy Near by Carol Antoinette Peacock and Kids Like Me in China by Yin Ying Fry.

I think the best way to share the impact of this book is to relate the following--after I read the book to my daughter, Jaclyn, who was adopted at the age of 4 from China, she silently cluctched the book to her chest and then placed it in the pile of "treasures" she has. Needless to say the book had a powerful impact. This book was very needed as there was truly a void in books that help the slightly older girls express "their" story. Jean did a fabulous job in doing this and in conveying, as part of the education guide, the importance of helping our kids relate and understand their stories. The book also has captivating photos and is truly a treasure!!! I can't recommend it highly enough.

International adoption can be complex, adoption from China can be even more so due to current population restrictions enforced by the Chinese government. Explaining to our children how they came to be a part of our family can be a delicate topic to navigate given that there are so many unknowns leading to questions that quite possibly may go unanswered. I ordered this book upon our return from China with our daughter. In the course of our adoption journey I've read many books from the perspective of the parent - understanding the challenges that lie ahead, what life is like in the orphanages and the Chinese culture. Aside from the book by Ying Ying Fry, this is a rare book written for and from the the child's perspective and heart. As our daughter grows she will learn more of her life story and she will have questions. Some answers will lead to more questions, okay pretty much all of them will. This book will be one of the tools to enable her to know that she isn't the only one who has wondered these same things and that it's okay to want to find answers to her questions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is already the parent, grand-parent, aunt or uncle to a child born in China who is now home in their world, and to all the children who have found their Forever Families. As much as our children are a gift to us, this book could bring peace of mind and heart to our children, a treasured gift.

This wonderful story for young children puts their "I wonder" inquisitiveness into high drive. A young narrator wonders what life was like for a dog recently adopted into his loving home. He asks all the questions I've wondered about my rescue dog, such as, "did you have another name -- like Gus, or Sam, or Teddy, or Howie, or maybe Miles -- before you were mine? / Was your boy proud when you learned a trick?"

The illustrations are soft, colorful, and appealing to children, showing the dog doing typical dog antics. The illustrator, David Walker, keeps the illustrations cheerful, including those taking place in the shelter. Only a couple of illustrations are sad, when the dog wanders "alone and scared, like a dog shouldn't be," and the boy's memory of his last moments with his old dog. The author and illustrator quickly turn around the unhappy pages with positive words and pictures of the new dog being cared for and loved.

Children who have recently adopted a dog will enjoy sharing the wonderings introduced in this story. However, be prepared to be moved to tears when you read it if you have experience with the larger picture of homeless pets behind this story. Not to worry for your young children though -- the book is celebratory rather than preachy about the benefits of adopting an older dog into your home.

Shared this story with an entire pre-school and the children loved it. It really touches people who have ever had a pet and/or care about animals.

I read this book to my daughter and I cried. It felt like this book was our family story. We lost Rebel after 14 years and rescued Sneakers from the SPCA soon after. My daughter asked a lot of the same questions as the boy in the book. I highly recommend this story to everyone.

I loved every bit of this book - the illustrations are great and the story is told in a way that any child or adult can understand.

"Before you were mine," by Maribeth Boelts was a "stumble upon" that touched me with it's voice and authenticity. I think it will allow readers and their young listeners to explore the difficult topic of abandonment with hope and humor. Boelts doesn't pull any punches, which makes the happy ending all the more pleasing. This is great storytime material for pre-schoolers to pre-teens.