Today I'm reviewing two adoption books, suitable for most adopted kids of pre-school age. I say most because although the messages in the two books are suitable for any adopted child, the illustrations are of Asian children with Caucasian parents. I think for most kids this isn't a problem. Most kids can make the leap from seeing an illustration of one race of child and applying the situation in the story to themselves. Some kids are a little more literal and they won't get it without the parent saying, "look Bobby, this kid has an adoption day, just like you..."

Before I get into the book reviews, I have to say something. the illustrations in both these books, while cute, also demonstrate one of my big pet peeves. Yes, many Asian children are adopted by Caucasian parents, but the truth of adoption in this country is that around 130,000 children have been adopted in this country each year for the last ten years and only 7-10,000 are adopted each year from Asian countries. The fact is that *most* adoptions are domestic and *most* are same race children to same race parents.

I am not saying we shouldn't depict differences in our books! No, no, no! Not saying that.

I *am* saying that we shouldn't depict differences because we want books to be politically correct. Don't depict diversity simply because you want people to go - 'oooh, how wonderful and diverse!' The whole point of children's books about adoption is to make adopted kids feel good about who they are. Their experiences should be celebrated. And that includes kids who are adopted from foster care, kids who were adopted through private agencies, kids who were adopted when they were older, and kids who were adopted internationally...no matter what their race.

Geez. The publisher part of me is getting irritated...and intrigued. I wrote my book because I wanted kids adopted from Russia to have a picture book about their story, but now that I really see the statistics and think about the books I know, I'm wondering how many picture books there are of African-American people adopting African-American children? Or what about Hispanic people adopting? (GET THIS: "Hispanic populations had a far greater likelihood of considering adoption than African-American or White populations." -- from the NAIC) Statistically, these populations are adopting I shall have to do some research, not that it's really pertinent to Russian Adoption. It is, however, pertinent to my day job...

Hmmm...anyone got a manuscript to send me?

Anyway...back to the book reviews...in my next post.