Let's Talk About It: Adoption (First Experiences) [Hardcover]

Fred Rogers (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: First Experiences

addresses the questions asked by many adopted children, such as why their birthparents gave them up and how they can find security in an adopted family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In tackling another difficult subject for children, Mr. Rogers of PBS-TV fame stresses that this photo-essay is intended as a jumping-off point to spark family discussions. However-perhaps as a result of providing such leeway-Rogers's text is vague and lacking specific information. He emphasizes the basic need for a loving family unit: "Being in a family means belonging. You could belong in your family by being born into it, or you could belong in your family by being adopted into it." The "how" and "why" questions sure to arise from this simplified presentation are thrown into the reader's court. Rogers also suggests helpful ways for children to deal with feelings that commonly accompany discussions about adoption. Though they seem somewhat posed, Judkis's photos of three ethnically diverse families gives this treatment a believable universality. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K?The premise of this book?that it is good for families to talk about feelings?is a welcome one to apply to the subject of adoption. Rogers presents a simple look at three adoptive families. He includes a brief but reassuring reference to the birthparents and the reasons for their decision. Clear, full-color photos show happy, sad, and angry children and adults; the text suggests that such emotions occur in all families, and states that "being angry doesn't mean that love goes away." This is an improvement over the relentlessly nice family in Valentina Wasson's The Chosen Baby (HarperCollins, 1977). Unfortunately, the first photograph, showing rows of babies in a nursery, is reminiscent of the unreal "chosen child" stories that have made some adoptees feel pressured to continue being wonderful enough to be chosen from the line-up. In Betty Jean Lifton's Tell Me a Real Adoption Story (Knopf, 1994), illustrations show the adoptive parents meeting the pregnant birthmother, giving a more complete and grounded story. Maxine Rosenberg's Being Adopted (Lothrop, 1984) provides more depth and clarity than Rogers does, but (like almost all of the better adoption titles) is for older children.?Nancy Schimmel, formerly of San Mateo County Library, CA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 9, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399224327
• ISBN-13: 978-0399224324
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,047,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fred Rogers: March 20, 1928 - February 27, 2003

Producer, magician, writer, puppeteer, minister, husband, father, Fred Rogers started out in children's television thirty years ago. The direction he trailblazed was the "creation of television programming that spoke, with respect, to the concerns of early childhood, not as adults see it but as children feel it." He has received virtually every major award in the television industry for work in his field, and dozens of others from special-interest groups. Fred Rogers lived in Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have, November 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Let's Talk About It: Adoption (First Experiences) (Hardcover)

As an adoptive parent, I found this simple little book to provide very clear and positive explainations about adoption that are readable to a child of any age. It is a great book to begin introducing the concept of adoption to very young children. It is not very long and it is filled with photographs of many types of families.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for adoptive families!, November 27, 2003

By 

The Zookeeper (Antioch, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Talk About It: Adoption (Mr. Rogers) (Paperback)

We purchased this book along with several other adoption-themed books for children. This one by far best explains adoption in a way our children can understand. As a family that has both biological and adopted children, it was important to us to find a book that presents ALL children- adopted or not- as special. Mr. Rogers does a fantastic job, as always, putting it into terms that all children can understand. This book is appropriate for children of all types of adoptions. It seems that too many other adoption books focus on children adopted from overseas or those adopted as infants. This one is flexible enough that it can be used in many different situations.

Thank you, Mr. Rogers!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality for kids, February 16, 2002

By 

Alyssa A. Lappen (Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Let's Talk About It: Adoption (Mr. Rogers) (Paperback)

This terrific 27-page book features many photographs of adoptive families and their children, and discusses the feelings that kids have about being in their families.

"When you were born," it begins, "you were ready to live and be loved, just like every other child in the world.

"And you needed to be in a family, just like every other child in the world."

Being in a family, the book tells children, means feeling like you belong. And belonging can happen whether you are born to a family or adopted.

Photographs of several adoptive families show children who are happy, angry and sad. Their families comfort them, and love them, even when they are not at their best. "Your family is special," the reassuring message concludes, "because of all the ways you belong together."

This is a great book for even for very small children who were adopted. Alyssa A. Lappen