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We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families [Hardcover]

Todd Parr
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 1, 2007 3 - 6 years
In a kid-friendly, accessible way, this book explores the ways that people can choose to come together to make a family. It's about sharing your home and sharing your heart to make a family that belongs together.

Frequently Bought Together

We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families + I Wished for You: an Adoption Story (Mom's Choice Award Recipient, Book of the Year Award, Creative Child Magazine) (Marianne Richmond) + God Found Us You (Harperblessings)
Price for all three: $30.90

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Popular author-illustrator Parr illustrates the rewards of family ties in this heartfelt, supportive book geared toward adopted children and their parents. In each double-page spread, Parr completes the phrase "We belong together because . . ." with poignant explanations that touch upon basic, tangible needs ("You needed a home . . . and I had one to share") as well as emotional ones: "You needed someone to say 'I love you' . . . and we had love to give. Now we all have someone to kiss goodnight." As in Parr's The Family Book (2003), cheerful, friendly artwork, with thickly outlined forms and characters and a bold rainbow palette, inclusively depicts an array of children and families—including one with a single parent and one with two dads—and emphasizes the rewards of adoption for adults and children alike. Apart from the subtitle, the text never uses the word adoption nor refers to the adoption process, keeping the focus squarely on the universal joys of sharing hearth and heart. Rosenfeld, Shelle

Review

Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein...Well I've found another to add to the list: Todd Parr. Kansas CITY Star

Product Details

  • Age Range: 3 - 6 years
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Library Binding edition (November 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316016683
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316016681
  • Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Todd Parr is the author and illustrator of over 40 best-selling books. His books have won multiple awards. He co-created the animated preschool TV series, ToddWorld. It has won three Parent's Choice awards, an IParenting award and has also been nominated 3 times for an Emmy in the Outstanding Animated Children's Program category. Todd has also created several short-films for Sesame Street. His books are based on empowering children to feel good about themselves while learning about differences. You can visit him online at www.toddparr.com.




Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
86 of 92 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Todd--not what I was expecting... November 24, 2007
Format:Hardcover
Dear Todd,

I love your books. I love the simplicity, those good-enough-to-eat illustrations, the organic diversity and your good neighbor values.

It breaks my heart to say I was disappointed with " We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families". The books's theme is that the child " needs " something. " A home, someone to help you grow healthy...a friend...someone to say I love you..."and then the parent fulfills all these needs. A perfect match?

My experience as a parent, an adoptive parent, is very different.It is a two way street with my little one and a very reciprocal relationship. Thank god we had the opportunity to adopt.

I know you are also a parent and understand what I am saying. Adoption doesn't change any of this. Maybe you could changes a few pages when you go back to print. (not too bossy huh?)

This book could work as-is with an older foster child who has experienced trauma and waits for a family. That child knows that they 'need' a home and all that goes with it.

Meanwhile, I continue reading " The Family Book" to my little girl and recommend it to all the adoptive & foster families I work with. I look forward to adding more of your books to our collection.

Take Care,
Beth O'Malley
adoptee & adoptive mom & social worker
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52 of 56 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Wrong message November 26, 2007
By Reader
Format:Hardcover
As an adoptive parent, I wouldn't buy this book or read it to my daughter who was adopted. I agree with the reviewer who is also an adoptive parent that the message doesn't describe the heart of adoption. We didn't adopt our daughter because she needed a home - we adopted her because we wanted to have a big family and we are honored to be her parents. If you know any adopted children, putting them in the role of victim just doesn't ring true. The author must not have experience with adoption.
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63 of 69 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good message December 12, 2007
By A mom
Format:Hardcover
Someone bought this book for us and when I read it to my daughter I was glad she was too young to understand. The message is that we belong together because she needed things and we had them. We don't want her to grow up thinking that we did her a favor or she was a charity case. We wanted a child and this was how we chose to build our family. That's it. We had plenty of needs that she filled too.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Love It!!! And Yes, Children DO Have Needs! January 10, 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's unfortunate to hear harsh criticisms for a great book. Thanks, Todd Parr, for another delightful book!!!

I don't think the book paints a victim-savior picture at all. I think it presents a good, simple picture of adoption. Parents have LOVE to give, children have needs that can be lovingly met, and there is a reciprocal relationship between parents and their children where both are very blessed!!! The words and illustrations in this book give a great picture of that reciprocal relationship. All the parents have big smiles as they are shown doing things with their child which is one simple way this book shows that parents are very blessed by their children!

A child is an immense blessing to his/her parents and there is a beautiful, reciprocal relationship. I personally think that We Belong Together does a good job of showing this. "We belong together because... you needed a home, and I had one to share. Now we are a family!" (accompanied by a picture of a family playing together and having fun together and obviously the parents have joy from being with their children!)

We personally are adopting rather than having more biological children because:
A) We do have desires for a bigger family and take delight in being parents.
B) Because there is a dire NEED in this world for MILLIONS of children around the world to have a family.

It is a FACT that children have needs and that by design, a permanent family is what meets those needs. ALL children are needy! No child can provide for themselves nor have their needs FULLY met without a permanent, healthy family.
... Read more ›
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Oops August 24, 2008
Format:Hardcover
I love the illustrations, but as many other reviews said, the message is so one sided and sad. It gives the feeling that the child should be grateful to be adopted. I adopted my son through foster care and have the same reaction when people say what a wonderful thing my husband and I are doing. I always feel they have it so wrong, my son was the wonderful thing that happened to us!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By KJ
Format:Hardcover
As an adoptee & an adoptive mother I found this book insulting. It places the adoptee in a deficit position right from the word go as it is all based on them needing something & the parents being able to supply it.

The book never mentions the child ability to fulfil the parents needs.

I would of prefered to give the book no stars but to post a review I had to at least give it 1 star.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The child needs something, I need something.... April 14, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Gosh, people just don't seem to "get" this book. When Todd writes "You needed a home, and I had one to share" the implication, for me, is that I NEEDED to share my home. And I did. That's exactly why I adopted. My home sucked without my child; now it is a wonderful place.
I think this very much is about what both parties get from adoption, and I love sharing this book with my daughter.
And, as an advocate for adoption, I think this book is wonderful too. It very much feeds into the adoptive parent impetus for adoption, which, in most cases, is a selfish need. "I need a child. I need to share my home, my love, my kisses." Thank goodness for those selfish parental needs, because if we waited for people to adopt because God called them to, or because they wanted to save a child, precious few children would ever get adopted, and that is a very very unhappy story.
To be a really wonderful, as-good-as-biological-or-better-parent you have to adopt because you have something you HAVE TO share: your love, your kisses, your desire to kiss boo-boos, your desire to make someone a healthy meal. It's all here in this book. AND, the truth is, the child DOES need all those things, and there's no point in hiding it from your child. The child would have gone without ALL of those things had you not adopted him or her. BOTH the parent who adopts and the child who is adopted have GREAT HUGE OVERWHELMING needs: the child is waiting to see if someone will care and give, and the parent is searching and searching for someone to give to. And then, the really lucky bonus for the adoptive parents is that the child gives love back, something most adoptive parents weren't even looking for, and what a wonderful circle that all becomes.
... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Todd Parr books are just wonderful!
I'm telling everyone about this great book. It is perfect and helpful to the situation that I'm currently in with my little guy. Thanks so much!!
Published 22 days ago by Sabrina
5.0 out of 5 stars Much better than I was expecting
I think some of the reviews on this book are very harsh, and unfortunately for a long time I let them disuade me from buying this book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kathleen M. Campbell
1.0 out of 5 stars The Most Offensive Book About Adoption Ever
I am so so so sad.... we love Todd Parr. Love, love, love his books. However this is the worst book ever written about adoption. it's negative and shameful. Read more
Published 5 months ago by J Mo
5.0 out of 5 stars book
Great and super great book. It's perfect for those who have adopted a child with cute pictures and message. Thanks.
Published 7 months ago by shari
1.0 out of 5 stars Shocked and Appauled
As an Adoptee and an Adoptive Mother, I was shocked and appalled! This book not only sends the message that the child was worthless before they were adopted but makes the Adoptive... Read more
Published 7 months ago by eddies
2.0 out of 5 stars Adoption Book We Belong Together
I didn't like the wording, 'You needed...' it made me think, "The poor child must be thinking, I need...and you have what I need". That is not why I am adopting. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Evelyn Samples
4.0 out of 5 stars We all do need something
If you want simple language for little ones and simple drawings to catch little ones' attention, We Belong Together by Todd Parr is one you'll want for your shelf. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Kelly J Raudenbush
3.0 out of 5 stars helpful book for my 5 year old
My 5 year old started asking questions about his own adoption. This book was simple enough for him to understand why some children can't stay at their first home. Read more
Published 17 months ago by CatLady80
4.0 out of 5 stars nice short read
A cute book, not the greatest adoption book but I would say it is worth reading to a child. I bought it for my 3 year old nephew and I think it is very age appropriate.
Published 17 months ago by J. Parry
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
I am an adoptive mom and my kids love books. We read often and we have several of Todd Parr's books that they love. Read more
Published on September 13, 2010 by Michelle
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