Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale [Hardcover]

Karen Henry Clark (Author), Patrice Barton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: November 9, 2010 | Age Range: 3 - 7 years

This is the story of one baby’s journey from her birth parents in China, who dream of a better life for their daughter, to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world, who dream of the life they can give her.
A turtle, a peacock, a monkey, a panda, and some fish shepherd the baby as she floats in a basket on a moonlit, winding river into the loving arms of her new parents.
Perfect for bedtime reading, Karen Henry Clark’s poetic text, reminiscent of a lullaby, and Patrice Barton’s textured and gentle-hued illustrations capture the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K—A lyrical fantasy about a Chinese infant's magical trip to her adoptive parents. Her birth parents declare her "perfect," but are unable to provide for her. Thus they place her in a basket and set her adrift: "We must trust the moon. Only good things will happen to our daughter." Helped by a variety of animals as well as a beneficent-looking moon, the baby girl floats down the "winding river" to her adoptive parents, who have been preparing for her arrival by planting vegetables and trees, building a new bedroom, and buying books. Their hands are shown parting reeds to reveal her smiling up at them from her basket. The vibrant watercolors capture her journey and her delight in her new family and home. Although most youngsters will understand that the journey on the river is a fantasy, adults should be prepared for questions from literal-minded children who may wonder why a baby had to make a solitary voyage and depend on the kindness of wild animals in order to reach her destination. Ann Turner's Through Moon and Stars and Night Sky (Harper, 1990) also features poetic language and tells the story from the child's point of view. Clark's book would be a good choice where demand for adoption stories, especially those about international adoption, is strong.—Deborah Vose, East Middle School and South Middle School, Braintree, MA
(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"For a young child beginning to make sense of her past, Sweet Moon Baby offers a safe doorway into a deeper understanding."-Adoptive Families magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (November 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375857095
• ISBN-13: 978-0375857096
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 0.3 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Adoption
  • #81 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Explore the World > Asia

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Perspective March 31, 2011

By Brandee R. Shafer

Format:Hardcover

I experienced this book for the first time this morning, through children's story time at my local library. I fell head-over-heels in love with it.

With love, the baby's birth parents send her off like Baby Moses, in a basket. Various animals (turtle, peacock, etc.) carry the baby along, passing her from one to the other, which I love (reminds me of those who have helped me carry me through different points of my life).

The baby sleeps peacefully throughout her journey. Meanwhile, her adoptive parents wait for her and make loving preparations. She awakens to find her new family a perfect fit.

My favorite thing about this book is the author's gorgeous perspective on the release of the birth parents, also the time of waiting for adopted children and adoptive parents. I appreciate the way the characters live out the time before the child makes her way to her new family and how that time proves to have been well spent: how, in the end, the child arrives at the perfect time.

Beautiful, beautiful book. I recommend it for all adoptive and would-be adoptive parents, all adopted children, and oh! all siblings or would-be siblings of adopted children.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Moon Baby: A Fairytale Both Sweet and Poignant September 5, 2011

By Gabrielle Daniels

Format:Hardcover

Karen Henry Clark's "Sweet Moon Baby" is a tale of interconnection, serendipity and plain old love. Poor parents in rural China can barely afford to feed themselves and so let go of their baby girl, born in the month of the "sweet moon," trusting that she will find just the right place to alight. Meanwhile, another set of parents far away anxiously await the arrival of their long dreamed-of child, preparing their home, imagining what the precious baby who comes to them will be like.
In beautiful fairytale fashion, the sleeping child is born along on the water, protected and nurtured by all manner of critters. They keep the child safe and at peace as she travels over vast distances, through many adventures, to the parents who will love and welcome her.
As the aunt of several adopted children, I have a sense of how adopted children feel - especially those of a different race than their adoptive parents. There is sometimes a longing to know why their biological parents gave them up for adoption, accompanied by an understandable sadness; there is often a desperate need to feel wanted and important and loved. This tale of love and longing is a beautiful way of declaring to an adopted child that she is very much wanted; and she is very much loved, by her birth and adoptive parents alike. "Sweet Moon Baby" - unlike so many classic fairytales with farcical oaf-like bad guys - is a thoroughly modern fairytale with nothing but love and compassion for the birth parents.
To view this with the jaded cynical perspective of those who condescendingly call themselves "realists" would be to miss the point entirely. This is a book about compassion, love, and the joy of welcoming a child into one's life. It is a must-read for all who seek to embody those qualities in their own lives, whether or not their lives have been touched by the world of adoption.
Patrice Barton's beautiful, joyous and whimsical illustrations add immeasurably to the modern fairytale quality of "Sweet Moon Baby." (Barton's illustrations make me think of the classic tale "The Snowman.") The quality of both story and illustrations make this a book to keep in your permanent collection.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Love August 28, 2011

By Mymcbooks

Format:Hardcover

My Review: I don't know if you can fall in love with a book but I did when I first read Sweet Moon Baby. Sweet Moon Baby An Adoption Tale written by Karen Henry Clark is a story of love, hope and faith. This story is about two couples, one who could barely afford to feed themselves and their new born child and the other who wants a baby. As they await the arrival of their baby girl from China, they set about preparing for her by planting a fruit tree to building a house with a room just for her. Back in China, the child is placed in a basket by her parents as they trusted the moon to guide their baby down the river. As the baby floated away she slept peacefully throughout her journey while her adoptive parents waited.

Anyone would love this book and you don't have to be adopting a child or have an adopted child to love this book. The watercolor illustration by Patrice Barton captures every scene in the book. A must have for all parents who are adopting and a perfect bedtime story.

FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.