Customer Reviews

Adoption Is for Always

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is ideal for children who are trying to understand what it means to be adopted, with text geared toward those around four years of age or older. It doesn't avoid the tough issues of adoption: the child in this book voices the fear that her adoptive parents will "give her back", and in a fit of anger she tells her adoptive mother she wants her "real mommy" (birthmother). These are real emotions that adopted children experience, and as my daughter and I read the book together, we can talk about her similar feelings.

We found this book a great way to introduce the idea of what being adopted really means to our almost-4-year-old daughter. Although some of the story line is above her level of understanding, she loves the book (as evidenced by its' dog-eared appearance). This is definitely her favorite for bedtime reading, and she will repeat phrases or concepts from the book at other times. We know she will have questions in the future that aren't addressed here, but this was a great place to start.

I read this book with my 9 year old adopted son. Even though he didn't comment, I felt it helped him feel alone in his feelings and questions about his adoption. The story is very realistic and discusses many of the questions he has had recently. I highly recommend this book for any adopted family, especially for those children adopted at birth. I think it would be a bit above the heads of some younger children.

Our daughter came to us at age seven after a long time in fostercare. It is hard to find a book that describes this type of adoption to children and although this book is also about a child adopted as a baby, our little girl loves it. She brings it out and asks us to read it to her often and it usually gets her talking about her birth parents, which is a good thing. It is important for children to know and accept that adoption is not weird or embarrassing and it is okay to talk about, love and think about birth parents whether they know and remember them or not. Birth parents are an important part of who our adopted children are and this book has been valuable to us for starting that dialogue with our child.

This charming adoption book shows us loving and caring adoptive parents who know how to handle the difficult moment Cecilia first hears about her adoption and says "I want you and Mommy to be my ONLY mommy and daddy!" We had the same experience with our daughter whom we adopted at four days of age. She didn't want to hear about another mommy and throughout the years wished we had not brought up the subject. The author is sensitive about having a teacher understand Cecilia's questions about her birthmother and assure Cecilia that her birthmother loved her. This is a good book for adoptive parents whose children need to be reassured of their permanent place in the adoptive family and who should be encouraged to love their absent birthparents.

Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?

I am currently in the process of adopting two four year olds and thought the book would be helpful. Although it may be helpful to older children, I found it a bit depressing. I would worry after reading it my younger children they would start having some of the thoughts or symptoms described in the book just from hearing them.

Great book! Kids need to understand who birthparents are and understand their value...however, it is also critical for children to understand who the parents are...those that raised them...My biological dad is not the man that raised me...the man that raised me is the only person I will ever call dad. Glad to see a book that can separate and value both!

This book I felt was too strong for a younger child. The emotions of how the child felt when she knew she wasn't "wanted" and how she rebelled. Yes it may be true that adoptive children will do such things, but if the child is not doing so and then reads this and does it what does that tell you. The end mellows out when everyone is happy and the child shows happiness w/the special party for adoption day signing. In my personal opinion, this is not a book I would promote.

My husband and I are considering adopting an older child, but several books were recommended for reading, this one included. I can't say it's helpful when it comes to adopting a child over 4, but I can see it being very helpful for adoptive parents with young ones discovering what adoption means.

I have adopted four kids, all biological siblings of the same birth parents (open adoption - they still visit with their birth mother). THEY LOVE THIS BOOK. They have read it over and over and over... They truly connect to it on a personal level. I would recommend it to anyone who has adopted a child.