Customer Reviews

Pieces of Me: Who do I Want to Be

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Pieces Of Me gives an honest account of what it's like to be an adopted teenager. The voices of adoptees are allowed to come through and give a clear picture of all the things that adoptees feel.

While very age appropriate, anyone who is involved in adoption can learn much from this book. As an adoptee myself, I identified with many of the essays and some brought out things that I had never considered before.

I's recommend Peices Of Me; Who Do I Want To Be? to anyone who is adopted, loves an adoptee, or just wants to know what it's like to be adopted.

"One of my pet peeves is that many discussions about adoption and adoptees box the adoption experience by "alls" and "shoulds". All adoptees are ________ (take your pick: angry, happy, sad, confused). All adoptees should ________ (feel grateful, want to search for birth families, need therapy). Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to Be avoids that trap by including essays by adoptees that reflect the diversity of reality. Some adoptees are angry, some are content, some are confused, some need to search, and on and on.

Pieces of Me encompasses the whole of the adoption experience--the deep love, the confusion, the living with empty places and unanswered question, and yes, even the gratitude. It is not always an easy book for an adoptive parent to read, but for just that reason, it is an important book for us to read.

Dawn Davenport, host of the radio show Creating a Family and Director of Creating a Family, a nonprofit providing education and resources for adoption and infertility

This is a powerful and important book! For the first time ever, adoptees and foster care teens tell their own stories in their own voices. I was so overcome with emotion I found I could only read a few entries at a seating. My high school age daughters (one international adoptee and one bio child) were captivated by the book. I asked my 12-year-old, adopted as an infant, if she wanted to read some of the articles with me at night before she went to bed. She said "no" and stated firmly that she wasn't interested. I had the book on my night stand and, a few nights later opened the door to my bedroom and saw my daughter reading the book--in secret. When I later discussed an article in the book with my older daughter, it was apparent my 12-year-old had read this article already.

And that is the power in this book --the things that adopted and foster teens are thinking about--and don't always want to share with their parents--are the contents of this book. My daughter obviously WAS interested in the contents, she just wasn't ready to share that with me.

I am grateful beyond words that a book like this was published. I highly recommend this to all adoptive families, schools and adoption professionals.

Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to Be? gives voice to a striking range of adolescent perspectives on adoption. In this astonishingly vivid collection of essays, poetry, art work and songs, young adoptees give direct, honest voice to their inner thoughts and feelings about struggling to fit their personal pieces together. These contributors from around the world reflect highly diverse adoption experiences. The few adult contributors extend the process by revealing how later-life pieces fit together over time. Yet no matter how wonderful or problematic their adoptive experience, each piece reflect a sense of being different. This book, beautifully designed for adolescent readers, addresses the challenges of gathering pieces, losing pieces, reclaiming pieces and sharing pieces of one's identity.

Just as no two snowflakes are the same, no two adoption experiences match perfectly. Each of these 107 compelling stories, conveyed in extraordinarily varied ways, reveals a unique perspective on growing up with an identity that sets one apart. Yet each voice reflects a journey toward identity. Some contributors struggled greatly in their journeys, others found an easier path. The voices speak to experiences of domestic or international adoption, interracial adoption and living in foster care. Some contributors grew up as only children; others lived with siblings -adoptive or biological. Whereas certain voices talk of ongoing anger, pain and struggle; others reflect joy, peace and comfort. Every young adoptee will resonate strongly with many of these voices and find a unique connection to a special few. Adult adoptees will wish they had read this in their teenage years. Yet these voices speak eloquently not only to other adoptees but to all members of adoptive and birth families. Every family touched by adoption needs to consider how each member's pieces contribute to the larger jigsaw puzzle. Pieces of Me offers healing, help, and hope as contributors describe finding, reflecting on, struggling with and often embracing the pieces of their puzzles.

Pieces of Me: Who Do I want to Be? Is a great book for any teen adoptee, their parents, or adoption specialist. It helps showcase the world of adoption through a teenager's eyes. Being a teenager is confusing enough; being an adopted teenager is even more confusing. This book is insightful and helpful, which is a plus. It's got stories of heart wrenching quality, stories that will make you ecstatic, stories that will make you ponder things you probably haven't thought about, and there's even activities for you to do!

I definitely recommend POM for any teen adoptee, parent, or adoption specialist. :)

This book is very powerful! It is a collection of 107 stories, poems and art works. Most contributors are now adult adoptees. Yet, in this book, they look back on their adolescent experience of being adopted. The "pieces" are what the adoptee needs to gather in order to become whole. Each "piece" of this book is unique. We often have preconceived beliefs about adoptees. Most typically we describe them as "angry." Pieces of Me will dispel this type of stereotyping. It gives depth and breadth to our understanding of what adolescent adoptees actually feel and think.

As a therapist for children with histories of trauma, I particularly like some of the candid "pieces" like Why I Cut Myself and The Queen Redeemed. This is the story of moving from being the "oral sex queen" to reclaiming self-worth. These are particularly poignant selections--essential for the troubled teen who can learn that he or she is not alone in thought, actions and feelings. Information relating to sexuality and sexual behavior are rare among adoption literature. It is great to see this type of content put forth!

There are also anecdotes about moving from the birth home; prejudice, discrimination and all out feeling hatred from others; search and reunion and the profound and bottomless pit of feelings for the loss of the birth family.

The pain and triumph of these young people will move you from tears of sadness to tears of joy! This book is absolutely a must read for all in adoption!


Brothers and Sisters in Adoption

When a child psychologist, one whom you highly respect, recommends a book, you take note. When she specializes in adoption and attachment and the book is for adopted teens, you pay even closer attention.

Upon this professional recommendation, I asked for a review copy of Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to Be?, a new book from adoption publisher EMK Press. I haven't been disappointed.

The book contains articles, poems and artwork, primarily by adopted teens, along with a few pieces by older adoptees and adoptive parents. The wide variety of perspectives ensures that teen readers will find stories from others with whom they personally identify. The contents are heartfelt, and contributors share the sorrows and joys inherit with being adopted. Several worthwhile assignments encourage readers to consider their feelings through writing and artwork.

The book contains mature content and parents of young teens may wish to preview and then discuss some of the more adult topics with their children. As a parent, I look forward to sharing the book with my kids. I only wish that the book contained more articles written by boys as most are penned by girls; perhaps that can be considered in a follow-up.

Pieces of Me fills a unique gap in the book industry...a book by and for adopted teens. I'm glad to have this resource available for my children.

This book, although very personal for the folks featured throughout the book, very helpful for anyone who is adopted as well as those that have a direct connection with those whom are adopted. A treasure of a book and a must read for anyone struggling through the maze of emotions - adoption. I especially LOVE all the personal expressions/art in the book.

This is an honest look at adoption by adoptees and people involved in all the aspects of adoption!

Glad to see the reviews on this as positive. Since the author is also adopted, he can relate! :) :) Keep it up Bert.