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Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills. The pleasure o... More
Summary: When her mother says she's going to have a baby, Rosa is happy. But when her mom explains that she can't care for two children, Rosa is sad. She worries that she has to go away too, and whether or not she is still a big sister. Before the baby is born, Rosa and her Mom meet the new parents and they build a relationship that allows Rosa to be part of Sam's life. This is a first-person adoption story told from the perspective of a 5-year-old girl.
Type of Reading: bedtime story, family reading, anytime reading, learning to read
Recommended Age: read together: 4 to 8; read yourself: 9 to 12
Interest Level: 5 to 10
Reading Level: 3.7
Little Kid Reaction: Review pending.
Big Kid Reaction: Bravo! This is a refreshing story about open adoption. The story is presented in terms kids can understand; Rosa is a well-developed character whose feelings kids will immediately connect with. Although this story is about an open adoption, where the contact between biological and adoptive family continues, parents seeking to explain "why adoption" will find the mother's conversation very helpful. The letter written by the adoptive parents is beautiful.
Pros: Biological parents seeking to explain adoption to their natural children and adoptive parents who are connected to biological families will find this a valuable story.
Cons: None, really. Since the book is intended for biological children of a mother thinking about adoption, it would be helpful to have some "conversation starters," as well as some ideas on what to expect (and how to react) to conversations with your kids.
Borrow or Buy: Borrow, at least. This is a story you can use to open a conversation about adoption or talk about how your child came to be part of the family.
Educational Themes: This is an adoption story about an open adoption. It effectively explains the feelings and emotions from both perspectives: the biological family and the adoptive family.
Notes: Flesch Kincaid reading level 3.7
Literary Categories: Fiction - adoption, family
Date(s) Reviewed: November 2008
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