From the Publisher: Fourth grade is a year of changes, challenges, and ordinary joys for India McAllister. She lives in Maine with her artist mom and their dog, Tofu. Her father lives in the next town over with his new partner, Richard and their bird, Beatrice Strawberry. India—named for the ink, not the subcontinent—was adopted from China as a baby. Being the only Chinese girl in her small town fuels India’s search for identity. India reports in her own words and drawings about life, adventures (many with her good friend Colby) and all things annoying as well as what makes her happy. First three on the happy list: Tofu, Bird, and Colby!

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From the Dust Jacket: I’m India McAllister and in fourth grade.

Here’s what I like:

• Tofu. He’s the best dog in the world even if he eats our slippers.

• Colby my best friend. He’s a boy, but half the time, I act more like a boy than he does.

• Bird. Okay, she’s not technically my pet but I still love her.

• Science. It just makes more sense than most things.

Here’s what drives me crazy:

• Amanda the Rodent.

Here’s what I’d like more of:

• Adventures. I haven’t really had any yet, but I’m planning on it!

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About the Author: Charlotte Agell loves the smell of India ink, might have seen a UFO, and knows how music echoes in quarries. The author of the novels Welcome Home or Someplace Like It and Shift, Charlotte writes and teaches in coastal Maine, where she lives with her family.

When children have questions about adoption, adults want to give them truthful answers they can readily grasp. This book explains what adoption means and why adopted children are special. It offers the Christ-centered message that we are all adopted members of God’s family. Adopted and Loved Forever assures adopted children that, just as God chooses them to be His children, their parents choose them specially. Colorful illustrations and child-friendly language make a potentially difficult subject easier for parents to explain and for children to understand. Christian concepts of adoption include:
• why and how they were adopted;
• why their adoptive parents are “Mom” and “Dad”;
• why it’s okay that they don’t look like Mom or Dad; and
• why adoption is forever, no matter what happens.

Four twelve-year-old girls who are all adopted from around the world, find friendship in each other. Lilly Lou Locke from Mexico feels like she stands out because of her adoption. She just wants to fit in. Cindy Satcca-Mara from France believes that not being able to speak English has made her life harder than when she was at an orphanage in France. Tei Lyn Terrigon from China is upset that her parents want everything in her life to be Chinese. And Ashley Andrews from South Africa thinks that her parents love her brother Bobby more than her because he is their biological son. These four girls become best friends.

From the Dust Jacket: Adopted from Asia: How It Feels to Grow Up in America is a collection of rich personal stories of eleven adopted Korean-born children. Their stories are moving and insightful accounts of what it means to be adopted from Asia and to grow up in America. Their experiences forcefully address the large issues facing the adopted children.

Eleven teenagers and young adults, from fourteen to twenty-three years old and coming from strikingly different backgrounds, share with us their experiences of being adopted from Korea and growing up in America. The range of topics discussed is wide, including the effects of the trauma of separation and loss, relationship with their adoptive parents, concerns about birthparents, racial prejudice, friends and dating, racial/ethnic identity. and self-identity/self-esteem.

All the adoptees grew up understanding why they were adopted. For many, their arrival day was celebrated as a special day in their family. They also speak to us about their social embarrassments, when they introduced friends to their parents or their parents to their teacher, and racial harassment they encountered in school or in the streets. They speak openly about inner conflicts they grappled with, as a result of racial prejudice or identity confusion. For some, the intensity of their yearning to meet their birth mother is deeply affecting. Three of the adopted children went back to South Korea in search of their birthmother, but only one succeeded in finding her birthmother. She gives us a moving account of meeting her birthmother, and sums up her feelings: “After meeting my birthmother, I’m more peaceful and content with myself, because I’ve found a missing puzzle about my life.”

They tell their stories openly and generously so that others, like adoptive parents and adoption professionals, may better understand the issues involved in intercountry/interracial adoption. Also, their stories will help other adoptees in the same kind of situation—to learn and understand how others like themselves feel being adopted from Asia and growing up in America.

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About the Author: Born in South Korea, Frances Koh received her undergraduate education at Washington State University and her graduate education in social work at Boston University. Then she worked at adoption and foster care agencies in New York City. Her keen interest and extensive knowledge in intercountry adoption and the culture of East Asia led her to research and write her first book. Since then, she has authored a number of books on the subject of Korean culture, such as Korean Holidays & Festivals, English-Korean Picture Dictionary, Creative Korean Cooking, and others.

Her other interests are photography and writing short stories. Currently she is working on another book.

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By the Same Author: Oriental Children in American Homes: How Do They Adjust? (1981/1988, EastWest Press) and A China Adoption Story: Mommy, Why Do We Look Different? (2000, Azalea Books).

Adopting Diego is an international adoption story. The Collins’ family adopted Diego who was five years old from an orphanage in Guatemala and brought him back to Michigan to start his new life in his “forever family.” His adoptive parents already had grown children and grandchildren. So, this is also the story of becoming parents again at a later age. The book covers the highlights of Diego’s experiences and his adaption to his new family and culture. It is a simple children’s picture book that can be read by a child or to a child by a parent, grandparent, teacher, or older child. The pictures are actual photographs of Diego as he grows up and becomes a teen. The book frequently asks questions of the reader to involve him/her with the author and to help the reader relate to the story of Diego’s journey.

From Inside the Front and Back Covers: Joe arrived at Kennedy International airport from Vietnam half-dressed and frightened to death. The Dulings and their adopted daughter Jenny arrived from their New England home nervous and full of questions: What would their new son be like? How had the tragedy of war affected him? How difficult would be the transition from orphanage to family? Would they be able to deal with the inevitable adjustment problems—both theirs and those of their son—accompanying their adoption of a three-year-old black Vietnamese from the other side of the world? Adopting Joe by Gretchen Duling, is the heartwarming story of how all the Dulings successfully coped with these problems (and other, unexpected difficulties) during Joe’s first year in his new home. The story of that first year is an enchanting romp with Joe Duling as he discovers a new world and changes from an insecure and suspicious three-year-old to a spirited and happy four-year-old. Joe’s mother takes us shopping for Joe’s first pair of shoes—a total disaster; we’re there when Joe discovers snow for the first time, at his first Christmas; and we suffer through his bout with thunder—a particularly frightening experience for him. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Joe’s journey is the gradual unfolding of his trust in others. Adopting Joe not only tugs the strings of everyone’s heart, it provides valuable information on transracial and transnational adoption, from both the parents and the child’s point of view. Gretchen Duling has spent countless hours culling information from every source available—including other parents of transracial children. She has consulted doctors, theologians, child psychologists, and friends in an effort to understand her son’s problems and those of her family. Included in Adopting Joe are some Vietnamese recipes guaranteed to please any palate, a medical guide by an authority on diseases common in children from tropical areas, and an indispensable reading list compiled by the Open Door Society for adoptive parents. Mrs. Duling also provides an outline of the extensive procedures involved in transnational adoptions. Anyone contemplating adoption should read Mrs. Duling’s story. It’s a chronicle of the common problems “instant” families face, and how one family solved most of them. About the Author: Gretchen A. Duling has been involved in community activities for most of her adult life. Her activities include serving for a time as president of the Open Door Society—Friends of Children (Vietnam) for her home state; organizing various groups and events in universities where her husband, Denny, has taught; raising funds for a choral group she managed; and, through her church, participating in a program for minority people in the midwest. She holds a Master’s degree in music education and is currently a music teacher, high school advisor, mother, wife, and community organizer. She is also the author of Teddie Goes to the Hospital, an activity booklet for hospitalized children. Mrs. Duling and her family live in New England, where Mr. Duling teaches at a major university.

A colorful illustrated book for children about the adoption of one little girl. Proceeds from this book are donated to Petrova’s Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to disabled Russian orphans. To view their site, please visit www.petrovaspromise.org.

From the Back Cover: The Global Viewpoints series provides students and other readers with the information they need to explore global connections and think critically about the worldwide implications of global issues. Each volume focuses on a controversial topic of worldwide importance and offers a panoramic view of opinions selected from a diverse range of international sources, including journals, magazines, newspapers, nonfiction books, speeches, government documents, organization newsletters, and position papers. Each volume contains an annotated table of contents; a world map, to help readers locate countries or areas covered in the essays; “for further discussion” questions; a worldwide list of organizations to contact; bibliographies of books and periodicals; and a subject index. By illuminating the complexities and interrelations of the global community, this excellent resource helps students and other researchers enhance their global awareness.

Adoption Is Okay introduces the concept of adoption to children from preschool through school age. In simple language the child learns about leaving Russia to join a forever family. Throughout the experience, the child is given permission to feel and express all her emotions from joy to confusion to sadness. The story ends celebrating this special child. The child’s story is written in English and Russian. This book will aid orphanage staff in preparing a child for adoption by an American family, and help the parents after placement, as they guide their child through her adjustment to a new family and unfamiliar surroundings. Though written about a Russian child going to the United States, this story is universal and will be a comforting and validating story for any foreign-born child being adopted by an English speaking family. About the Author: Sylvia Rohde is a Licensed Professional Counselor and maintains a private practice in Richardson, TX. She provides counseling and support to individuals and families affected by many experiences including loss and grief, adoption (domestic and international), infertility, sexual abuse, and attachment issues. Mrs. Rohde has worked with both domestic and international adoptive families for several years and has presented on international adoption at numerous orientations and seminars. She has traveled to Russia and was privileged to visit several orphanages in St. Petersburg and Syzran.

From the decision to adopt to meeting your child for the first time, Adoption!: A Family They Did Become captures the cherished moments shared by many families who have been touched by adoption. This heartwarming, sentimental story is about your family’s journey. By inserting your child’s adoption location, you give the story a personal touch. Whether your adoption journey was domestic or international, you and your child will surely embrace Adoption!: A Family They Did Become as a true family favorite. About the Author: Kelly A. Wood has a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. Her proudest moment was when she and her husband, Keith, became adoptive parents of their beloved son, Dmitri. Adoption!: A Family They Did Become was originally written by Wood for Dmitri as a poem that chronicled the Woods’ adoption journey. The inspiration to turn the poem into a children’s book came when Dmitri wanted to share his poem with all adopted children.

Katie knows she has always been lucky, but becomes upset when a stranger tells her she is lucky just because she was adopted. In Katie’s third adventure, she continues to solve problems in a way that benefits both herself and her friends. But when a couple of bullies step into the picture, something unexpected happens. Does Katie really have super powers after all?

Katie Dao-Ming Bryant was adopted from China and is struggling to understand her place in a world without much knowledge of her past. She is also learning that she has the power to make her own decisions in life. How will she handle a 4th-grade class assignment to write about how she got her name? This series of children’s chapter books for elementary school children can be exciting for all children, but is especially written for those who were adopted. It is the author’s hope that children and parents will read the books together and share in the journey of understanding the past, while at the same time building a bright and hopeful future.

Before Katie Dao-Ming Bryant was adopted, she did not have the power to make decisions regarding her own life, but now, in her 2nd adventure, she is learning that she can make powerful choices that affect not only her own life, but also the lives of the people she cares about. Katie’s 2nd book introduces new characters and opens the door for parents to discuss adoption themes as well as issues that will protect children from real dangers in the world around them.

Left at birth at a hospital in Russia and later sent to a baby house, Alexander spent the first months of his life without parents. Unknown to him, a Mom and Dad were on their way to adopt him. But it would be a difficult journey from their home in America.

Based on dozens of intensive interviews with parents, clinical psychologists, teachers, therapists, and more, Alina’s Story shows the journey of Alina, a little girl adopted from Russia. After living in an orphanage during her early life, Alina is confused and scared by the outside world. There are so many people, so much noise ... Her new family loves her, but Alina finds it hard to trust them. What if they hurt her? Or go away and leave her alone? It is hard for Alina to talk about her feelings, so when she is upset or worried, she throws big tantrums that scare her family. Luckily, her mama and papa won’t give up on helping Alina. They take her to nice doctors and finally a special school so that Alina can learn new skills. Slowly, Alina begins to trust other people and gets better at expressing her feelings and solving problems. For the first time in her life, she realizes she is truly safe and loved ... and she loves her new family in return. This book is part of the ORP Library series of disabilities books.

From the Publisher: When Mrs. Mack says she will soon be a grandmother, her students realize that teachers have families just like they do! Suddenly everyone in the class wants to share information about his or her own unique family. Sarah tells of flying to China with her parents where they adopted her sister, Rachel. Christopher tells about his parents’ divorce. They are still a family, but now he and his brother spend a few days every week at their dad’s apartment. Nick lives with his parents, five siblings, and his grandparents—they need to order three large pizzas for dinner! And Hannah tells how she loves to garden with her two mommies.

All Families Are Special enhances Norma Simon’s classic All Kinds of Families and her more recent All Kinds of Children. Her newest book provides contemporary examples, including blended and international families. Children will be pleased to find families similar to their own here, and to talk about what Mrs. Mack says―“No two families are the same, but every family is special.”

From the Dust Jacket: Two years after being airlifted out of war-torn Vietnam, Matt Pin is haunted: by bombs that fell like dead crows, by the family—and the terrible secret—he left behind. Now, inside a caring adoptive home in the United States, a series of profound events force him to choose between silence and candor, blame and forgiveness, fear and freedom.

By turns harrowing, dreamlike, sad, and triumphant, this searing debut novel, written in lucid verse, reveals an unforgettable perspective on the lasting impact of war and the healing power of love.

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About the Author: Ann E. Burg worked as an English teacher for ten years before becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Rhinebeck, New York, with her husband and their two children.

All the Broken Pieces is her first novel.

From the Publisher: “Children come in all colors of love. In endless shades of you and me.”

Our world is full of beauty and love, and so are children, in all their colorful wonder--not black or white or yellow or red, but roaring brown, whispering gold, tinkling pink, and more.

Celebrate all the colorful diversity of our world with Sheila Hamanaka’s gorgeous illustrations and joyful, vibrant text.

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About the Author: Sheila Hamanaka is an award-winning fine artist whose work has also appeared in Scholastic magazines as well as in Permanent Connections by Sue Ellen Bridgers and Barbara Campbell’s Taking Care of Yoki. Ms. Hamanaka lives in Tappan, New York.

From the Dust Jacket: When Allison tries on her new red kimono and looks in the mirror, she suddenly realizes that she looks more like her favorite doll, Mei Mei, than her parents. “Where did Mei Mei come from? Where do I come from?” Allison asks. “Far, far away—from another country,” Father says. “Mother and I went there and brought you and Mei Mei home with us.” But Allison is confused. At daycare the next day, she refuses to climb the monkey bars or play tag with the other children, and alone in her room that night she asks Mei Mei, “Allison isn’t my real name. Do you know what it is?” But the only answer is the cry of a stray cat looking in her window.

Through evocative watercolors and understated prose, Caldecott Medalist Allen Say creates a moving statement on families, adoption, and the search for belonging.

A collection of short stories with a little girl adopted from China as the main character. This is a book to read to your daughter and reflect on together. When Alison and I adopted our first daughter in China we named her Grace. Back at the hotel after the adoption we turned on the radio to let her hear familiar sounds and songs. We were stunned to hear the only song in English for those two weeks come on the radio. “Amazing Grace” played in our room as members of our travel group ran down the hall to tell us to turn on the radio. It was the second miracle that day. These short stories are meant to be shared with a child you love. It is gentle and strong like our daughters.

From the Back Cover: “What will my new face look like?” Jessie wondered excitedly. He stood on the plastic stool by the sink and traced his eyes with his finger. Jessie, adopted from Korea, eagerly waits for the day he will get his American citizenship and, he thinks, and American face. The big day brings more surprises than Jessie expects.

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Author Jan M. Czech: “An American Face is more than a book about adoption. As the mother of a Korean born daughter, An American Face is very personal to me. 11 years ago, while preparing an article for Roots and Wings, an adoption magazine, I heard about a five-year-old boy who wanted what he called an American face so he would look like the other kids in his kindergarten class. I wonder about him and how he is doing as a teenager now. I hope my version of his story does him justice. I also hope it raises awareness that, as Jessie finds out, looks aren’t everything and family is more than genetics.”

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By the Same Author: The Coffee Can Kid (2002).

From the Dust Jacket: “I was born on a train as it passed through a long, dark tunnel.” So begins An Mei’s journey, one that takes her from the steps of an orphanage in Wuhan, China, “across an ocean so wide I thought it would never end,” to the very different world of New England.

Evocative images capture these two important places in An Mei’s life and follow her emotional journey as she brings these worlds together, gradually accepting her new home in America.

This affecting story, based on the author’s own adoption of a Chinese baby and hauntingly illustrated in warm pastel tones, tells the larger story of adopted children everywhere, as each begins its own strange and wondrous journey to a new family.

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About the Author: Stephan Molnar-Fenton began writing this book one year to the day after he returned from China with his daughter, Anjelica Tao An Mei. The author is active in a number of adoption organizations and, as an attorney, has helped many families with the legal aspects of adoption. He lives in Northampten, Massachusetts, with his wife and three children.

Vivienne Flesher, a world traveler, has lived and worked throughout the Far East. She has won gold and silver medals from the Society of Illustrators and has illustrated several picture books, including Lullaby Raft by Naomi Shihab Nye. She lives in San Francisco.

From the Publisher: An-Ya and Her Diary chronicles the journey of an 11-year-old adoptee from China. Written in diary format, young An-Ya reveals her emotional journey as she is catapulted from a Chinese orphanage into a middle class home in America. The diary, into which she journals, was the only item left with An-Ya when she was found as an infant. For 11 years An-Ya has left the diary blank as she patiently waited in China for her biological family to return. Ultimately, after her adoption to America, she feels compelled to write her story down. Inside her diary she strives to connect the two severed worlds in which she has lived. An-Ya’s story is one of incredible loss, filled with painful transitions and longed for hope. It is a story that will linger with you after its final page is turned.

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About the Author: Diane René Christian is an award winning short story writer turned novelist. Her work has appeared in various print and electronic publications. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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Compiler’s Note: See, also, An-Ya and Her Diary: Reader and Parent Guide (2013).

An-Ya and Her Diary: Reader and Parent Guide is a ground-breaking collaborative work and the first of its kind to be published under the An-Ya Project. Inside you will find the wisdom and artistry of professional adoptees who discuss all aspects of the novel An-Ya and Her Diary. Included are lessons on how to lead an adoption discussion, how a parent can use the novel to emotionally guide their child through the book, as well as writers who eloquently express their own complex journeys as adoptees. Readers will also find: the “Reflections” of young adoptees and their siblings and an in-depth interview with the author of An-Ya and Her Diary conducted by members of the CAL One World Chinese Adoptee Program.

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Contributors Include: Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter, Ph.D., L.M.S.W.; Lee Herrick Amanda; H.L. Transue-Woolston, BSW; Jennifer Bao Yu “Precious Jade” Jue-Steuck; Susan Branco Alvarado, MA Ed, LPC; and Matthew Salesses.

This is a beautifully illustrated, true story of the adoption of my daughter Imani, after many years of infertility and prayer. Adoption stories have been told in children’s books. However, these stories are not easily found by the target market of Christian foster/adoptive homes. As an adoptive mother of three children (who has experienced the devastation of infertility), I felt the need to provide a voice and insight into this unique niche of children’s publications.

Now a seventh-grader, Anna Mei is trying to cope with the added pressure of junior high. Add to the mix an annoying “boy genius” Kai Hao Chen from Beijing, who seems to want to invade Anna Mei’s happy world, and our heroine finds herself wishing the Chen family would just go back to China. Why is she the only one bugged by Kai; can she find any common ground with him? By the Same Author: Anna Mei: Cartoon Girl and Anna Mei: Escape Artist!

It’s not easy being eleven—especially for Anna Mei Anderson. How’s she ever going to fit in with the other sixth graders when she has an unusual name, an adoptive family she doesn’t remotely resemble, and an unknown birth mother somewhere back in China? She figures she’d better get busy transforming herself into someone who’s less...unusual. By the Same Author: Anna Mei: Escape Artist! and Anna Mei: Blessing in Disguise.

With sixth-grade graduation behind her, it’s time for Anna Mei to spend her first summer in Michigan. Her plans include visits to the science museum and nature center, a week at volleyball camp, and plenty of time to just hang out. Not in the plan? All the hurdles that threaten to ruin her summer, including the ones that challenge her relationship with both family and friends. How will Anna Mei handle such an unexpected situation? By the Same Author: Anna Mei: Cartoon Girl and Anna Mei: Blessing in Disguise.

Anya’s Gift: A Tale of Two Christmases is the fully illustrated story of Anya, a dejected orphan who is sent by Father Frost, the Russian Spirit of Winter, on a magical sleigh ride with his good friend, Santa Claus. On the journey, Anya comes to understand the mother she never knew, and the life she desperately desires. She is soon to discover that dreams do come true! This is a verse-style story celebrating adoptive families and the true meaning of Christmas.

Arina Speaks! combines elements of the Fisk family’s favorite picture books, like Jane O’Connor’s Fancy Nancy (i.e. a strong child heroine and interest in building vocabulary); Bill Martin’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear or Polar Bear, Polar Bear (i.e. concluding pages that recap the previous ones); and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (i.e. a recognition and celebration of childhood angst and mishap). In addition, Arina Speaks! is a picture book for children that gives the child heroine voice, imbuing the story with authenticity that will resonate with both parents and early readers.