Book Review: Love, Adoption, and Brownies with Sprinkles

Sometimes a book comes along that manages to write about a single experience, but one that is so ubiquitous that we think, “Why didn’t anyone write a book like this before?” Star of the Week: a Story of Love, Adoption, and Brownies with Sprinkles is based on the authors’ own daughter. She has some unique circumstances not shared by her classmates, but the setting is one almost all kids in early school-age can relate to. I n preschool, kindergarten and early elementary school, a frequent occurrence is for each student to be assigned a week to be the “Star”. They … Continue reading

Book Review: Birth is More Than Once

Birth is More Than Once: The Inner World of Adopted Korean Children was written by Hei Sook Park Wilkinson, Ph.D. Wilkinson is a clinical psychologist. She has been in private practice and also consulted with hospitals and human development centers. Besides her psychology background, she has another source of insight into the inner worlds of children adopted from Korea. Wilkinson herself is Korean. While she was not adopted, she shares the experience of moving to a new country with a new language in which she is a racial minority. In addition, while she was a student in Korea she volunteered … Continue reading

Older Child Adoption – Blessing or Nightmare?

When talking to people who have adopted older children, it seems that you almost always hear stories from two opposite ends of the spectrum. There are the families who say that their adoption of an older child is nothing but a nightmare, that it ruined their family and that their child will never function normally in a family setting. Then you talk to the those on the other side who say that their adoption of an older child has been a breeze. Everything went smoothly, they’ve had no problems, the child is a joy. Is it possible that both experiences … Continue reading

The Pets Blog Week in Review for May 12-18

What sort of personal anecdotes, as well as helpful info and animal folktales, did Aimee and I share with you last week? If you can’t answer that because you missed any days, check out the handy Week in Review below. Monday, May 12 Since the stroke, my mom’s being talking about “going home.” I wondered when it’s time for me to “go home” who will be waiting for me? Aimee told about her Mother’s Day and the nice things her friends (and dogs) did to make it special. Tuesday, May 13 An article Aimee read led her to ponder the … Continue reading

Madonna’s Adoption Nearing Completion

Finally, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for Madonna. The Material Girl’s bid to adopt 2-year-old David Banda is likely to be approved by a judge in a few days. Madonna’s journey to make the Malawian tot she found in an orphanage in 2006 a permanent member of her family has made headlines around the world and fueled an international debate about celebrities and adoption. According to new reports, it appears a judge will give Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie permanent custody of the young boy by the end of next week. … Continue reading

Lullabies and Wildflowers – CD Review

Broadway actress and singer Melissa Errico has starred or featured in such plays as “My Fair Lady,” “The Importance of Being Earnest,” and “High Society.” However, her life has led her to another starring role, that of being a mother. When she was pregnant, she started attending a prenatal yoga class and felt an instant friendship with the twelve other women who were participating, all due the same week. As the class drew to a close, Melissa gathered everyone’s e-mail address and they kept in touch, sharing birth stories and commiserating over the struggles. As time went on, they stayed … Continue reading

Books for Siblings Dealing With Special Issues in Adoption

My last blog shared books that prepare a child to welcome a new brother or sister by adoption. This blog share books addressing special situations that may arise during an adoption, such as an extended waiting period or the parents’ absence. There is even a book for children the birthmother is already raising, talking about their sibling being placed for adoption. Seeds of Love: a Story of International Adoption, prepares children to stay with a friend or relative while their parents travel to bring the sibling home. It’s the story of a little girl’s two weeks with her grandmother as … Continue reading

The Pets Blog Week in Review for January 14-20

Aimee and I once again strove to bring you a slew of interesting, thought provoking, and otherwise entertaining articles last week. In case you missed any days, here’s the recap of what we wrote on: Monday, January 14 Would You Make a Good Parent for a Deaf Pet? It’s hard enough being a stray in a shelter, but imagine being a deaf one. The chances for adoption go even lower. My plea was to consider adopting such a pet to give them a fair chance too. Tuesday, January 15 Shelters are Bad Enough, Deplorable in Tennessee For some reason the … Continue reading

Review of Artful Adoption Books: Three Names of Me

Yesterday I wrote about a children’s adoption book with beautiful artwork. Today I present another one. Three Names of Me is written by Mary Cummings in the voice of her Chinese-born daughter Ada. I would judge the writing to be for ages 6-12. The illustrations are done by Chinese-American illustrator Lin Wang, who combined watercolor and colored pencil to create a style she calls “ethereal realism”. Like the illustrations in Over Land and Sea, they appear realistic and detailed, yet at the same time soft. The use of light and blended backgrounds in Three Names of Me does produce a … Continue reading

Book Review: Digging to America

Novelist Anne Tyler’s book Digging to America centers around the relationships of members of two families who meet at the airport the night their daughters arrive from Korea. Although very different, the couples decide to get together annually to celebrate the anniversary of the girls’ arrival. Eventually their lives intertwine in many different ways over the next ten years. The book is fiction, and not strictly or even primarily an adoption book. One family is Iranian-American and, although they are thoroughly “Americanized”, I enjoyed learning a bit about that culture. We hear a bit about the grandmother’s life as a … Continue reading