Customer Reviews

Mishka: An Adoption Tale

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When we adopted our son in 2003 we took him a bear for that first visit that I had picked up in the airport before we left so I immediately connected to this story. It was like reading our own story. And in 2005 when we brought his then 8-year-old sister, Julia home, I took her a bear that she called Mishka. She still calls him that today, two years later. Anyway, this book was great. I have read it all most every other night to my children. For them it is their story; something they can relate to. It is well written and well illistrated. I would recommend this book to anyone adopting from Russia and to anyone who all ready has and is trying to celebrate adoption.
Bobbie*

Mishka: An Adoption Tale is a children's picturebook about a Western family's adoption of a Russian child - as told from the point of view of a stuffed bear. Mo is bought by a kind-hearted man and woman as a gift for a child, yet the young boy calls him "Mishka" - what does this mean? The man and woman give Mo to the boy with a promise to come back. A long time passes as Mo keeps the boy company amid a strange place full of children; eventually the man and woman come back to take the boy and "Mishka" home. During the trip, Mo learns that "Mishka" was Russian for "bear" all along! An enchanting story, heartwarming in its simplicity.

This is a wonderfully charming tale of adoption told by a different point of view. My two sons, ages 6 and 7, adopted from Ukraine love hearing a story that is 'familiar' to them. They each have their own "Mishkas" that were part of their adoption! It is a warm and heartfelt tale that will certainly remain one of their favorites!

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.

A sweet and moving adoption tale written through the eyes of a child's bear. Really great story, beautiful artwork. I gave this to my sister who adopted a child from Russia and she and her son loved it. She actually cried when she read it and said that she was looking for a book for her son that represented their story. Really great book!

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 purchased this book only because of the cover. My wife and I adopted a boy from Russia in 2010 and as it turns out, this was exactly how our story went. We took our son a stuffed dog the first time we met him, and the staff at the orphanage told us we might not see it again. He could lose it or other kids might take it and play with it. When we went back the second time to finish the process, and sure enough he came back in with his doggie! I recommend this book to ANYONE who adopted from Russia. Five stars all the way!

This is a wonderful book for any parent who is in the middle of an adoption journey and is waiting to bring their child to their forever home. It's also a fantastic way to explain adoption to your small child.

This book is sweet and beautiful. My son is adopted from Russia and though he's not quite old enough yet for this book, I'm glad to have a familiar story waiting for him.