From Follower to Leader

Seaver, the main character, is an orb spider who can’t or won’t follow the traditional round web patterns of his fellow orb spiders. They are outraged by his divergence from the traditional orb weaver patterns. The group threatens to ostracize Seaver. He’s torn between his need for acceptance and his pride in creation, not to mention the tasty morsels each of his creations manages to capture. Seaver resolves to change his independent ways. He agrees to conform after he savors his tasty meal. Continue reading →

Water Transforms and Connects

Water Rolls, Water Rises by Pat Mora and illustrated by Meilo So offers a delight for the senses. Lavish watercolor illustrations bring to life imaginative poetic images about water in all stages of the amazing water cycle. The poetry and illustrations are each gorgeous and perfectly complement each other. All humans share the need for water. We use and enjoy its many states for health, recreation and we delight in it's transformative beauty. Continue reading →

Becoming Me

In My Name Is Not Isabella, one little girl’s imagination runs wild in a delightful game of pretend. Author Jennifer Fosberry introduces readers to a variety of history-making women through Isabella’s role play. Isabella’s mother encourages explorations as she pretends to be an... Continue reading →

When the Family Tree includes Unexpected Fruit

Children love banging out music. From their first toddler foray wielding spoon against a pot or a pan, they respond with joy, enthusiasm and persistence. But for some kids music offers much more than an outlet. It is who they are and how they connect to their deepest feelings and express themselves. Melba Liston was one such child. She connected with her talent at a very young age. Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown illustrated by Frank Morrison is based on her life ... The AQ* (Adoption-attunement Quotient) potential in this story is easy to capture. This story celebrates a child's innate talents and it highlights how her family encouraged and helped develop her gift. As adoptive parents we have the same opportunity-- a duty really-- to look for the hidden talents that lie within our children--the gifts of their genetic heritage. Some families may find this effortless to accomplish. Perhaps their child's talents meld right in with the generational patterns of the family, for example, when an athletically-gifted child is adopted into a sport-loving family.) Or, the opposite might be true a bookish, creative child more at ease with a journal, drawing pencil or paintbrush joins the same family. This mismatch can be a source or tension or it can be an opportunity to broaden the family's identity, to embrace this new "flavor" to notice and appreciate it. Whether it is a stretch or a no-brainer match, a child's talents are a blessing, a light to be fostered and nurture. One of the greatest gifts we can give a child is to validate them--their thoughts, feelings, talents and their differences. When our children were grafted to our family trees, we all became permanently linked, permanently changed. Continue reading →

Wanting to Be Different

Often we concentrate on identifying ways that our adopted children are like us. Commonality equates to connection. It is equally important, however, to notice, validate and encourage the differences which our children bring to the family. These add value, texture and variety and are an important part of them. These differences enrich our families; they do not diminish us. A Five Star read. Continue reading →

Enjoying the Magic of Invention and Self-discovery

Andrea Beaty has created a spunky heroine in Rosie Revere, Engineer. Behind the shrinking violet who fades into the background at school, Rosie is a visionary with big dreams of becoming a “great engineer” and the talent to match. She creates inventions from her vast collection... Continue reading →

I Had a Favorite Dress

Clothing plays an important role in expressing our individuality. It's the packaging we use to present ourselves into the world. So it is no surprise, to some children, clothing is a Big Deal....As always, I like to put on my AQ* glasses and view the book through the lens of Adoption-attunement. This book is a fun romp through creative problem-solving. It models a resilience to change without beating kids over the head with the message. (As adoptive parents, we are very familiar with how challenging change can be for our kids!) Continue reading →

Valentine Lullaby

This lovely book beautifully captures the intimacy of a bedtime ritual. The text is melodious, soothing and accompanied by pictures in the perfect palette of soft hues of blues, purples and aqua. First, in contrast to the "color blind" approach often advocated, the poem highlights the baby's race: "My little black baby/My dark body's baby." Color is a point of connection, of joy, of beauty. Race is not erased; it is celebrated. Continue reading →

What Makes A Family?

The story focuses on a/n (adoptive) family with two mothers. Readers searching for stories that include LGBTQ families will appreciate this upbeat and poignant tale. The illustrations include a dazzling array of diversity. Many lend themselves to further exploration of cuisine, language and neighborliness, etc. Although the story is about a family formed through adoption, it doesn’t concentrate on adoption issues, makes no mention of the emotional struggles that adoptees often face nor does it mention birth parents, etc. In Our Mother’s House is a sweet, feel-good book about the wondrous blessing of a loving family. Great book! Continue reading →
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