Customer Reviews

The Daughter of Dreams, A Fable of Destiny

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For families built through adoption (whether domestic or international) Beverly Barna's magical tale of two mothers, one beautiful girl and a destiny that they all are on a journey to fulfill.

BUT even more, it's just a great, engaging journey that any child (adopted or not) would enjoy. Certainly a great book to share it with friends of adopted kids.

It is beautifully written and illustrated with a mythic quality that doesn't shy away from the difficult parts of this adoption journey, but illuminates them with a compassion that will move grown-ups and kids alike and perhaps give everyone a better understanding of the unbreakable, remarkable thread that binds all members an adoptive family together "forever and a day beyond that."

This is a beautiful fable that should be part of the library of anyone who is adopted or has adopted a child, whether from China or anywhere else. Barna has taken her family's personal experience and crafted a timeless, charming fairy tale of love.

First of all, just to reiterate: this is a paperback! Not a hardback. OK? Softcover.

Secondly - this is a beautiful, magical and lyrical story of love, longing and belonging. Short, beautifully written and featuring wonderful illustrations, it will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

It can be taken as a children's story and would, I think, lend itself to being read aloud at bedtime, as the lyricism of the language reads very well. It is also a story for older children and serves as a well scoped tale of adoption and cross-cultural love. Finally, adults who have been part of a global adoption themselves in any capacity will also read it and marvel at the writer's skill in capturing the love and loss felt by so many.

By the final page, I had tears pouring down my cheeks and was in awe at the author's skill in writing this wonderful book-as-a-love-letter to her daughter.

Buy it: for your children, your friends, for yourself. You won't regret it and I hope that this book becomes a modern day classic.

PS: It's a paperback.

When I first received "The Daughter of Dreams" I was impressed by the beautiful cover, its color and design. The story itself matched, and at times exceeded, the cover in its beauty, creativity and grace (and the illustrations throughout were equally compelling). What a wonderful tale of a child finding her family and home and all the magic that made it possible (wish I had a Jade Rabbit). This is a book for everyone with a family, regardless of how they became family -- and that is everyone.

This exquisitely written and beautifully illustrated work is sweet and sensitive, yet intelligent in its honoring of the relationships and emotions that flow from the birth of a child. While a tribute to the author's experience with her adoption, the message of the cherished mother - child relationship will be received by all. It was certainly received by me and my 13 year old daughter as we shared the wonderful story. The Daughter of Dreams will make you smile, think and reflect.

I am the mother of two boys, neither of whom was adopted. I am also in the process of adopting a girl in the U.S. And yes, I actually did see this child in my dreams, and I know already that the authoršs message is so true, even though the story is presented as a fable. A motheršs love does not differ, regardless of how onešs family is formed. This book resonated with me because it contains that basic philosophical point, and also because it provides comfort to me at a time when the waiting can be difficult. It is a message of hope and love and a story that any family can cherish. The writing is spectacular and the illustrations are perfectly suited to the text. I canšt wait to read it to my own daughter of dreams. In the meantime, I know my boys already love it, too. Itšs a great way to celebrate the arrival of their sister.

This is a beautiful, well-written and very moving story. It's one for the ages in words and images, a keeper for the family for years to come, with a distinctive spin on the age-old theme of adoption and a love that is often experienced, but only now widely communicated thanks to this book.

Okay, so I'm obviously not a disinterested party. But my real reason for this post is to alert would-be buyers and readers that The Daughter of Dreams is a paperback. It would pain me to think anyone would be disappointed in the book for whatever reason, including expecting a hardcover and not getting the anticipated product. My publisher and Amazon are working to straighten out the glitch.

Update: Thank you Amazon.com, Peppertree, and CJ Thompson for setting the record straight. Now we can focus on the task at hand: Getting the positive word out in a world that never seems to have enough of those.

I hope those of you who are discovering The Daughter of Dreams are enjoying it as much as I enjoy having completed this labor of love. Though the story is a fable based on my family's experience, I hope you will find it far more universal in its appeal, message, and goal: to de-stigmatize adoption and infertility, while also building understanding, self-esteem, and global acceptance. Tian yi. Destiny.

After reading "The Daughter of Dreams", so beautifully written by Beverly Barna, I feel moved by the experience. I am truly in awe of the author, writing from the heart about the adoption process without making it seem maudlin. I'm not sure who is most fortunate - the daughter, Suzanna, who is so loved and treasured or Michael & Beverly Barna, the parents, who embarked on this great jouney and were rewarded with a wonderful daughter.