Aaron’s Door. Miska Miles (pseudonym of Patricia Miles Martin). Illustrated by Alan E Cober. 1977. 46p. Little, Brown. Aaron huddles on his bed, desperately shutting himself away from memories of his mother and foster homes; from the only person he trusts, his sister; from the people who have offered him a home. Unable to adjust to the idea of being adopted and having a new mother and father, Aaron locks his door against the world.

Abandoned. Patricia H Rushford. 1999. 160p. (Jennie McGrady Mysteries #12). Bethany House. In Abandoned, a dangerous mystery shows up in the most unlikely of places the front page of the school newspaper. When a mysterious article claims that a baby was found in a dumpster sixteen years ago, Gavin Winslow, a reporter for the school enlists Jennie to solve the mystery. The story immediately takes a strange turn when they find out that the baby found so long ago is a classmate, Annie Phillips. As Jennie begins to uncover facts, the unanswered questions about the past grow more and more confusing. Jennie can’t trust anyone, and she fears that whoever is orchestrating these events might be dangerous enough to go to any lengths to keep a secret safe. About the Author: Internationally known author and speaker, Patricia Rushford has authored dozens of books, numerous articles and has gained a reputable spot in the Christian youth fiction market. With over a quarter of a million sold of her youth series alone, her exciting Jennie McGrady series is enjoying overwhelming success from readers of all ages. Patricia has moved into the adult fiction category with the release of her Helen Bradley Mysteries: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep and Red Sky in Mourning.

Abby. Jeanette Caines. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. 1973. 32p. (gr ps-2). HarpC. This is a tender and loving book about a preschooler who was adopted when she was one year old. Abby loves to look at and discuss everything in her baby book. She likes to hear her family read to her about all the important events in her life, including her adoption. Abby is a charming picture book for preschoolers and young grade school children.

Abby & the Best Kid Ever. Ann M Martin. 1998. 160p. (Baby Sitters Club No. 116). Scholastic. When Lou McNally was last in Stoneybrook, she was the Worst Kid Ever. Now she’s back...and Abby is going to be her baby-sitter. She’s prepared for the worst, but Lou is a perfect angel. Is the new Lou too good to be true?

Absolutely Maybe. Lisa Yee. 2009. 288p. Arthur A Levine Books.Meet Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut, named for two Miss Americas and her mother Chessy’s favorite brand of mascara. Chessy teaches the students in her charm school her Seven Select Rules for Young Ladies, but she won’t tell Maybe who her real father is—or protect her from her latest scuzzball boyfriend. So Maybe hitches a ride to California with her friends Hollywood and Thammasat Tantipinichwong Schneider (a/k/a Ted)—and what she finds there is funny, sad, true, and inspiring.

Absolutely Perfect Horse, The. Marylois Dunn & Ardath Mayhar. 1983. (gr 5-7). Harper & Row. A brother and sister go through many changes when their family moves to East Texas due to father’s war injuries. The family adopts a Vietnamese boy; and, though Annie dreams of acquiring an Absolutely Perfect Horse, they end up with an Appaloosa, nicknamed Dogmeat. The old gelding proves that the absolutely perfect horse doesn’t necessarily have to be one that looks good or one that can be ridden when the Indian pony ends up having enough love and courage in his old bones to save the children from a dreadful fate. About the Authors: Marylois Dunn has published poetry and short stories in periodicals, including Ellery Queen. Her first novel for young people, The Man in the Box: A Story from Vietnam (1968), received the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award, based on the votes of young readers, in 1972. At the Pineywoods Writers Conference in 1968 she won First Place for a juvenile book-length manuscript, Timber Pirates. With Ardath Mayhar of Chireno, Texas she published The Absolutely Perfect Horse (originally titled Dogmeat) in 1983. Adrath Mayhar is the author or co-author of dozens of books for young adults. She won the Balrog Award for Poetry in the fantasy field (1984); the Margaret Haley Carpenter Prize (poetry) (1988); and has been on: the Young Adult Services Division’s Fifty Best Books For Young Adults List (1982); South Carolina Librarians’ Award List; Texas Bluebonnet Award List (1983-84); ALA Notable Books for Children in the field of social studies; Omar Award List (1984-85); the Parents’ Choice Foundation Remarkable Literature list (1986); the William Allen White Award List (twice); the Golden Sower Award List; the Sunshine State Award List; the Sequoyah Award List (1987-88); Mark Twain Award List (1988-89); the Nebula Award Preliminary Ballot; was a Finalist for the Spur Award (Western Writers of America) (1987); and the Best Science Fiction/Fantasy List (1988).

Adopted Daughter. Dorothy Clewes. 1968. 191p. Coward-McCann. An adopted sixteen-year-old girl matures and finds direction for her future as she searches for and is greatly surprised by the identity of her real parents.

Adopted Daughter, The: A Tale for Young Persons. Elizabeth Sandham. 1815. 157p. John Harris (UK). Read a facsimile edition online.

Adopted Jane. Helen Fern Daringer. Illustrated by Kate Seredy. 1947. 225p. (gr 4-7). Harcourt Brace & Co. Jane Douglas has lived at an orphanage for long as she can remember. Reliable and sensible, she has watched other children come and go, but never once has any family wanted to adopt Jane. Then one magical summer Jane receives not one, but two, invitations to live in a real house with a real family for a month each. If only the summer could last forever. About the Author: Helen Fern Daringer was born in 1892 in eastern Illinois. Independent and way ahead of her time, Ms. Daringer graduated from Eastern Illinois University, obtained a Masters Degree in English, and headed to New York City, where she became a professor of English literature at Columbia University. Miss Daringer wrote numerous books for children and young adults, including Country Cousin, The Turnabout Twins, and Mary Montgomery, Rebel.

Adopted Like Me. Jeffrey R LaCure. 1993. 24p. (gr ps-2). Adopt Advocate. Adopted as an infant, Ben E., a lively, curious polar bear, is beginning to have questions about his adoption. His story begins with a couple deciding to adopt a child and transitions to another couple experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. As Ben E. grows, he begins to feel different because he’s adopted. Then he finds a new friend who’s Adopted Like Me. Written in rhyme, this book is sure to be a bedtime favorite. By the same author: Remembering: Reflections of Growing Up Adopted & Raising Our Children’s Children (with Deborah Doucette-Dudman).

Adopting an Orphan & Other Stories for Young Women. Michael Foster, ed. 1998. 125p. (gr 4-7). A.B. Publishing, Inc.

Adoption Club, The. Barbara Scott. 2009. 136p. OakTara. Set around the time of the Great Depression, this poignant story redefines love and “family.” Her heart longed for a place to call home. Bernice was only six the night she and her brother were brought to the State School for Dependent Children. They had been taken away from their mother before and placed in foster homes, but somehow this felt different. Little did Bernice know that her mother had signed away custody of her, and she wouldn’t leave that orphanage for two years. People weren’t adopting children in 1929, but that year eight-year-old Bernice was adopted into one of the finest homes in rural Bloomington, Minnesota. She was told she’s lucky to be adopted, while others will live out their childhoods in the orphanage. But she’s worried. What will her new life be like? Will she ever see her brother again? And do these people really want her?

Adoption Is…. DA Royster. Illustrated by Karen V Penn. 2005. 30p. Unspeakable Joy Press. In talking about adoption with your son, daughter, or a classroom of young children, where do you start? Adoption Is… tells the story of one boy’s adoption. This book makes it easy for parents, children, and teachers to talk about adoption. This illustrated children’s book will touch the hearts of parents, educators and children as they gain a clear understanding of one family’s adoption process. The book is suitable for bedtime reading, library story-hours, classroom discussions and Sunday-school groups.

Adoption is a Loving Choice. Troy Strausbaugh. 2009. 44p. (gr 2-5). Xlibris Corp. Cora and Liam are searching for answers on how to start their family. After four years of marriage they decided to adopt. After filling out the paperwork their dreams were put on hold for an extra year because of Cora’s age. Their social worker called them about a young girl about to give birth searching for a family. The young girl was struggling herself on making the right decision for the baby boy about to enter this world. Find out how these families help each other through one of the most difficult times in their lives. This is a great book for birthmothers as well as families thinking about adoption.

Adoption is for Always. Linda Walvoord Girard. Illustrated by Judith Friedman. 1986. 32p. (gr 2-5). A Whitman. Although Celia reacts to having been adopted with anger and insecurity, her parents help her accept her feelings and celebrate their love for her by making her adoption day a family holiday. Includes factual information about the adoption process.

Adoption of Teddy the Teapot Poodle, The. Shirley Gottfried. 2006. 44p. (gr ps-3). Authorhouse. This story deals with the hardship of adoption for an older child, only it does it with humor and love through the eyes of a very likeable, slightly overweight french poodle, who overcomes many frustrations and finally gets adopted by a loving and caring couple. About the Author: Since this story and many other Teddy stories are all based on the truth, you will find out much about this author and her life and family just by reading the Teddy series. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and also a very successful business woman who is now about to be retired and follow her beloved passion of writing all different kinds of stories. Her imagination runs the gamut from fictional, non-fictional and anything in between. The Teddy book was actually conceived in Mexico in the summer of 2005 on holiday and took months and months to become a reality.

Adoptions Are Made in Heaven. Kathie Belonger. 32p. (gr ps-3). Xlibris. Adoptions Are Made In Heaven is a fairy-tale story of how God planned out adoption and how He makes it possible. Through an entertaining story matched with colorful illustrations, the book tells the story of adoption. When God sees that many people are brokenhearted because they cannot have children, He gathers his host of angels, among them Muriel, the tiniest of them all. Amid giggles and yawns, he assigns them as His messengers who will sow the seeds of kindness, perseverance and patience in these people’s hearts. About the Author: Kathie Belonger was born in Wisconsin, but has been living in New Jersey for most of her married life. She and her husband, Dave, have been married for 37 years, and are the parents of two adult children. Kathie is a registered nurse by profession, and credits her nursing experience in Hospice as the catalyst to opening doors to new experiences in her life. She became drawn to a world of creativity through art classes, and even pursued a career in retail, eventually becoming the owner of a craft and gift store with the help of her husband. Currently, she is enjoying her role as a grandmother of three, and continues to pursue her love of art.

Adventure at Lookout Farm. Nadia E Kirkpatrick. 1995. 77p. (gr 4-6). Royal Fireworks Press. Abby Randolf is a leggy, 12-year-old with shiny, black hair and icy blue eyes. Her mother and stepfather have decided to send her on a farm vacation while they attend to business matters. But Abby is angry. She believes that they just want to get away together and she finds no sense in their making her go to a farm, of all places, to visit their friends, people she doesnt know. Surprises and adventure await Abby at Lookout Farm. The Whitakers are a mixed family. Their African-American twins were adopted when they were babies. They are twelve years old, too. After a bumpy beginning with Abby holding back from committing to friendship, the three children discuss being adopted and being adopted into a white family. Rumor had it that the farm used to be part of the Underground Railroad. The kids explore the property, particularly an old barn which is now used for summer stage performances. Abby is invited to join the cast but her stagefright wins outs; she decides to continue exploring the day of the play and discovers a narrow old tunnel and a hidden room that turn out to part of the Underground Railroad.

Aggie’s Home. Joan Lowery Nixon. 1998. 128p. (Orphan Train Children). (gr 4-7). Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Agatha Mae Vaughn is 12 years old in 1866, and she lives in the Asylum for Homeless Waifs, where she’s always in trouble or in the way. So when she’s told she’s being sent west on the orphan train, Aggie isn’t sad. She’s looking forward to starting fresh and finding the family she’s never had. But instead of young parents and maybe even a little brother or sister, Aggie gets the Bradons. Bertha and Eldon Bradon are an elderly couple who live on a farm with their two older children—Leon, a budding inventor, and Penelope, a crusader for women’s right to vote. This is not the family Aggie had in mind. Will she ever fit in? About the Author: Joan Lowery Nixon is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the award-winning Orphan Train Adventures, the Ellis Island novels, and four Edgar Award-winning young adult mysteries.

Alexis & Ralph the Dragon. Bernard Kowalski. Illustrated by Dawn Phillips. 2009. 32p. (gr ps-3). PublishAmerica. This children’s book tells the story of a baby dragon left on a human couple’s doorstep. Raised as a little boy, Ralph doesn’t know he’s a Dragon until he meets other children. Befriended by a little girl Alexis, they discover acceptance, and learn to celebrate their differences and how much they have in common. Written in language for young children, Alexis and Ralph the Dragon has a tongue-in-cheek humor from which any adult reading it to a young child will get a few chuckles.

All About Me. Lynn Burwash & Cie McMullin. 1998. 11p. (Spiralbound). (gr ps-3). Lynn Burwash & Cie McMullin. All About Me was written by two adoptive mothers, this simple, direct children’s book was designed to be an invaluable tool for adoptive parents who wish to provide their young children an avenue for understanding the meaning of being adopted. When incorporated into a regular reading schedule, it provides consistent opportunities for parents and children to have open, frank and meaningful conversations about being adopted. Illustrated with wonderful, colorful art produced by adopted children, it encourages children to participate in the story by “filling in the blanks” using their crayons and washable markers. The large format is easy for young fingers to handle and it’s washable, so the fun can happen over and over again!

All Families Are Special. Norma Simon. Illustrated by Teresa Flavin. 2003. 32p. Albert Whitman & Co. 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 the Broken Pieces: A Novel in Verse. Ann Burg. 2009. 224p. (gr 4-7). Scholastic, Inc. 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.

All the Proud Tribesmen. Kylie Tennant. Illustrated by Clem Seale. 1959. 159p. MacMillan (UK). A children’s novel beginning on the volcanic island of Firecrest just of the coast of Australia. A young islander tells the story of his people, a pearl-diving and fishing community, as they cope with an earthquake and a volcanic erruption. About the Author: Tennant was born in Manly, New South Wales; she was educated at Brighton College and Sydney University, though she left without graduating. She was a publicity officer for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, as well as working as a journalist, union organiser, reviewer (for The Sydney Morning Herald), a publisher’s literary adviser and editor, and a Commonwealth Literary Fund lecturer. She married L. C. Rodd in 1933; they had two children (a daughter, Benison, in 1946 and a son, John Laurence, in 1951). Her work was known for its well-researched, realistic, yet positive portrayals of the lives of the underprivileged in Australia.

All Together Now. Anita Jeram. 1999. (ps). Candlewick Press. We’re the little Honeys./A little Honey is sweet./Quack quack, squeak squeak,/Thump your great big feet! This is the special song, sung “all together now” by the Honeys—Mommy Rabbit, Bunny, Little Duckling, and Miss Mouse. Though Bunny is Mommy Rabbit’s natural-born son, Little Duckling and Miss Mouse are taken in as family. This happy, cross-species crew plays “splashy-sploshy” and “itchy-twitchy, swirly-whirly” games. Their favorite activity of all? The “Thump-Your-Great-Big-Feet” game! Youngsters will have plenty of opportunities to sing, squeak, and quack along in this jaunty read-aloud. And, as we’d expect from the illustrator of Guess How Much I Love You and Bunny My Honey, the endearing illustrations would soften the heart of the steeliest of readers. “Families can be complicated,” says Jeram. “We all want to belong—sometimes we can do that by celebrating our differences.” —Karin Snelson (Amazon.com)

America. ER Frank. 2002. 224p. (gr 7 up). Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books. At the discretion of the social welfare system, a 5-year-old boy named America trustingly leaves the safe haven of his foster home for a visit with his desperate, drug-addicted mother. And because of that one lapse in adult judgment, a child is lost within the system until almost 11 years later when he tries to end his own life. It is the patient therapist Dr. B. who must coax an embittered and damaged America into revisiting all the dark alleys of that lonely suicide road in order to face down his fears and dare to be found. “I’m not that little kid anymore. ... I’m not white and I’m not black and I’m not anything, but I’m a little bit of everything.... I look down and it’s just me.” Searingly raw and so painfully honest it nearly draws blood, young-adult novelist E.R. Frank’s powerful sophomore effort about a boy nearly broken by neglect and abuse will dampen every eye and brand every heart. Reminiscent of Han Nolan’s Born Blue and Sapphire’s Push, America is a similarly cathartic combination of brutal truth and brilliant writing. It is simply not to be missed. — Jennifer Hubert

And I’m Stuck With Joseph. Susan Sommer. Illustrated by Ivan Moon. 1984. 124p. Herald Press. Sheila wants a baby sister, but her parents adopt a baby brother who is very difficult to love.

And Tango Makes Three. Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell. Illustrated by Henry Cole. 2005. 32p. (gr ps-3). Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. From School Library Journal This tale based on a true story about a charming penguin family living in New York City’s Central Park Zoo will capture the hearts of penguin lovers everywhere. Roy and Silo, two male penguins, are “a little bit different.” They cuddle and share a nest like the other penguin couples, and when all the others start hatching eggs, they want to be parents, too. Determined and hopeful, they bring an egg-shaped rock back to their nest and proceed to start caring for it. They have little luck, until a watchful zookeeper decides they deserve a chance at having their own family and gives them an egg in need of nurturing. The dedicated and enthusiastic fathers do a great job of hatching their funny and adorable daughter, and the three can still be seen at the zoo today. Done in soft watercolors, the illustrations set the tone for this uplifting story, and readers will find it hard to resist the penguins’ comical expressions. The well-designed pages perfectly marry words and pictures, allowing readers to savor each illustration. An author’s note provides more information about Roy, Silo, Tango, and other chinstrap penguins. This joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library. — Julie Roach, Watertown Free Public Library, MA; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Authors: Justin Richardson, M.D., is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia and Cornell and co-author of Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask). His advice to parents has been featured in the New York Times and on Today, 20/20, and NPR’s Morning Edition. Peter Parnell is a playwright whose most recent play, QED, was produced on Broadway. He was a co-producer of the television show The West Wing. He lives in New York City. Henry Cole is an award-winning illustrator whose quirky, sensitive illustrations have graced more than two dozen picture books, including Jack’s Garden, which he also wrote; The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein; and Moosetache and Bad Boys, both by Margie Palatini. Henry lives in Washington, D.C.

Andrew & Tobias. J[ohn] I[nnes] M[acKintosh] Stewart. 1980. 221p. Norton.Toby is the adopted son of a well-to-do Englishman. On a weekend visit to the family home, Toby meets Andy, the new undergardener, and notices that there is something familiar about him. With a toss of Andy’s head, all is revealed: Toby sees that he and Andy look exactly alike. It is then quickly established that Toby and Andy are long-lost identical twin brothers, survivors as infants of a ship disaster and adopted by separate families—Toby by the Feltons and Andy by a simple Scottish couple. The questions posed by this sudden and unexpected reunion are many, and author Stewart (known to readers of Mysteries as Michael Innes), a master of the intricacies of plot, manages to pull all of the pieces together and arrange a conclusion satisfactory to all. About the Author: Born in Edinburgh, John Innes Mackintosh Stewart (1906-1994) was educated at Oriel College, Oxford. After graduation he went to Vienna, to study Freudian psychoanalysis for a year. His first book, an edition of Florio’s translation of Montaigne, got him a lectureship at the University of Leeds. In later years he taught at the universities of Adelaide, Belfast and Oxford. Although authoring numerous books under his own name, he was most prolific writing as Michael Innes, heunder which pseudonym he penned a highly successful series of mystery stories. His most famous character is Inspector John Appleby, who inspired a penchant for donnish detective fiction that lasts to this day. His other well-known character is Honeybath, the painter and rather reluctant detective, who first appeared in The Mysterious Commission, in 1975. Stewart’s last novel, Appleby and the Ospreys, appeared in 1986. Other relevant works by the same author: Night of Errors.

Angel Factory, The. Terence Blacker. 2002. 224p. (gr 4-7). Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Thomas Wisdom’s world is ordinary and comfortable, and life with his nice parents and kind big sister is excellent. Except he has begun to wonder if his too-perfect family might be concealing something. “They’re CIA agents!” concludes his outrageously geeky friend Gip, and proves it by finding a transmitter in the toilet tank and a mysterious page of numbers hidden in Thomas’s father’s computer files. Thomas is skeptical, until he goes with his family on holiday to California and has a strange quasireligious experience in the desert that shakes up his ideas about what’s going on. And then another revelation about himself shocks him to the core. But Thomas, unlike Adam, has free will in the situation. Who are these beings who call themselves “angels”—his so-called father, mother, sister, other people in his life, even the dog? And how can Thomas fight against this pervasive niceness with its overbearing plans for humanity? [Originally published in Great Britain in 2001 by McMillan Children’s Books]

Annabelle Starr: ESP. Lila Perl. 1983. 147p. (YA). Clarion Books. Convinced she has ESP, Annabelle has second thoughts about her “gift” when she sees the fear a prediction causes in her adopted brother.

Anne of Avonlea. L(ucy) M(aud) Montgomery. 1909. 367p. LC Page & Co. LM Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables, her first novel about Anne Shirley, in 1908, and went on to write seven more books about the impulsive, romantic dreamer with a redheaded temper. In this second story, The famous red-haired orphan is back, grown up and ready to start her first teaching job at the village school. Her best friend, her adopted mother, and her neighbor all share in her spirited adventures. This first sequel to Anne of Green Gables has our heroine beginning her new role a a full-fledged schoolma’am, while Marilla surprises everyone by adopting twins. Join Anne and her friends as they encounter accidents and adventures, scandal and romance, and at last, a wedding. The stories of Anne’s antics have delighted readers for nearly a century and are sure to remain classics.

Anne of Green Gables. L(ucy) M(aud) Montgomery. Illustrated by MA & WAJ Claus. 1908. 429p. (gr 4-7). LC Page & Co. Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.

Anne of the Island. L(ucy) M(aud) Montgomery. 1915. 326p. The Page Company. Continues the adventures of Anne Shirley and her friends at college.

Annie Clark & the Pearls of Wisdom. Laura C Browne. 2008. 208p. (gr 4-7). CreateSpace. Thirteen-year-old Annie Clark spends the summer in a magical land after unexpectedly learning she has special powers. She rides flying horses at her aunt and uncle’s ranch and attends school where she meets new friends including a rebellious tooth fairy who hates to touch teeth and a centaur with a broken leg. An oracle, called the Pearls of Wisdom, indicates she must help with a complex spell. She attends a Royal Ball where her magic dancing shoes run away with her. Annie must find out who is trying to kidnap her while she helps her new friends and learns the truth about her family. A Publishers Weekly reviewer said Annie Clark and the Pearls of Wisdom is “reminiscent of pop fantasies like Ella Enchanted and Harry Potter” and the author, “shows promise, thanks to cute ideas like a disappearing opaky (invisible pet), Non-Stop shoes, an oracle who communicates via the pearls of wisdom and some dangerous ‘expectacles’.” About the Author: Laura Browne is the author of two non-fiction books, Why Can’t You Communicate Like Me? How Smart Women Get Results At Work and Raise Rules for Women: How To Make More Money At Work. For more information go to www.lauracbrowne.com. Annie Clark and The Pearls of Wisdom was chosen as a semi-finalist in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition. Go to the author’s website to get the first 4 chapters of Annie Clark and the Pearls of Wisdom sent to you.

Anthony’s Father. Irene Elmer. Illustrated by George MacClain. 1972. 48p. GP Putnam’s Sons. Anthony’s father is a magician. Anthony tells his teacher and class that he wants to be a magician too. The class does not believe in magic, so Anthony is determined to prove to them that he can do it. He makes dragons grow right in front of their eyes, but they are unable to see the dragons because they do not believe.

Anthony’s Surprise. Roz Grace. Illustrated by James Melvin. 32p. (gr ps-3). BMF Press. Anthony has noticed that he has darker skin than the other children in his class and that people stare at him. After being taunted by teenagers on his way home from school, he asks his mother why people give him strange looks. Even though Anthony’s parents had told him that he was adopted, they did not divulge that he’s biracial. When the boy questions her, “His mom knew that she must now tell Anthony something that she had been keeping a secret for the past six years.” His father’s response to the situation: “Your mother and I knew that we would have some explaining to do one day.” Though the boy appears to take the “surprise” in stride, the text’s phraseology is disturbing. The parents sound as though they’re apologizing for Anthony’s heritage rather than attempting to instill pride in him for his rich racial lineage. The static illustrations, mostly “portrait style” and posed, do little to make the book visually appealing. Stories about and for biracial children are needed, but this one fails in its delivery. — Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI; © 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Anybodies, The. NE Bode. Illustrated by Peter Ferguson. 2004. 288p. (gr 7 up). HarperCollins. What if I were to TELL you that this is an all-true story, every word? You see, once there was a VERY REAL girl named Fern who found out that she’d been swapped at birth. This might disturb some people, but it made Fern happy because she’d never felt at home with her tragically dull parents, the Drudgers. Fern finds out about the mix-up when the Bone (er, her father) and his “son,” Howard, show up at Fern’s front door. Now both families decide to UNSWAP the kids for the summer, and Fern heads off with the Bone on a wild adventure into a world inhabited by the Miser, a sinister fellow; and the Great Realdo, a true hero, to name just two. This book promises suspense! Intrigue! Mystery! Fairies fall out of books! Birds turn into dogs! Nuns turn into lampposts! So I have no idea why you’re still lingering here. Start reading! About the Author: The elusive and charming N.E. Bode doesn’t really want a biographical note detailing the successes of his last books, The Anybodies and The Nobodies—afraid that it might lead certain unnamed people to his location, with disastrous results. Instead N. E. Bode wants to mention the books of Julianna Baggott, trusted friend, who has written novels for grown-ups: Girl Talk, The Miss America Family, and The Madam, as well as a book of poems, This Country of Mothers.

April & May (Orphan Train West). Jane Peart. 2000. 136p. (gr 4-7). Fleming H Revell Co. Three-year-old May and her four-year-old sister, April, are adopted by two different families and raised in separate towns. May grows up happy and loved, but April lives a difficult life. Years later May, who never knew she was adopted, discovers the truth about her past and searches for April. But when May finally finds her long-lost sister, will April welcome her back into her life?

First U.S. Edition

Archer’s Goon. Diana Wynne Jones. 1984. 241p. Methuen (UK). The trouble started when Howard Sykes came home from school and found the “goon” sitting in the kitchen. He said he’d been sent by Archer. But who was Archer? It was a matter of the 2000 words that Howard’s author father had failed to deliver. It soon became clear that not only Archer wanted those words, but that his wizard siblings, Hathaway, Dillian, Shine, Torquil, Erskine, and Venturus would also go to any lengths to get them. After the Goon moves into Sykes’ house and refuses to budge, thirteen-year-old Howard learns some startling information about his family, including the fact that he is adopted and that his father is connected with seven wizards who run their town. About the Author: Before Rowling and the Harry Potter books, Jones was the premier writer of children’s fantasy in the UK with complex stories, often mixing humor in with the darkness. ’Archer’s Goon’ is, according to Clute and Nicholl’s Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, her ’best sf novel, a splendidly convoluted mystery involving time paradoxes, alternate worlds, paranoia, writer’s block and a cheerful thug.’ Nominated for the best fantasy award, it was also serialized by the BBC in 1992.

Are You My Mother?. Philip D Eastman. 1988. (gr ps-3). Random House. This is the classic from which many of our staff first learned to read, starting us on a path of unremitting bibliophilia. Are You My Mother? follows a confused baby bird who’s been denied the experience of imprinting as he asks cows, planes, and steam shovels the Big Question. In the end he is happily reunited with his maternal parent in a glorious moment of recognition.

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Judy Blume. 1970. 149p. (gr 5-8). Bradbury Press. Margaret was a bit confused about religion. When she moved from the city to her new home, she didn’t know whether to join the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What made matters worse was that, going on twelve, she had plenty to talk over with God. She had a bra but needed to grow a bit to put something in it. Nancy and Gretchen had already had their period. What was taking her so long? Sometimes she got so frustrated she ignored Him—until the next time she really needed someone to listen. [Pictured: First British edition (1978)]

Aren’t You the One Who...?. Frances A Miller. 1983. 224p. (YA). Atheneum. In The Truth Trap (Dutton, 1980), Matt McKendrick was orphaned by a car crash, accused of the murder of his deaf little sister, beaten, jailed, and ostracized, then taken into the home of police lieutenant Ryder. This sequel finds him re-entering the normal world of track and school and strangers, and dreading the unanswerable accusation, “Aren’t you the one who killed a little girl and got away with it?” Sixteen-year-old Matt finds hostility and friendship in unexpected places. Matt’s story is carried forward in two subsequent volumes: Losers and Winners (Fawcett, 1986) and Cutting Loose (Fawcett, 1991).

Aunt Minnie & the Twister. Mary Skillings Prigger. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2002. 32p. (gr ps-3). Clarion Books. From warm-hearted storyteller Mary Skillings Prigger and award-winning illustrator Betsy Lewin comes another affectionate, humorous tale about the indomitable spinster Aunt Minnie and her nine adopted nieces and nephews. Minnie keeps her growing kids busy—they plant in the spring, harvest in the summer, and can in the fall. But when a wild twister sweeps through the farm one spring day, everything turns topsy-turvy. Luckily, Aunt Minnie knows just what to do! Evocative, rhythmic text and joyful watercolors depict the passing of seasons on a small farm and paint an affectionate portrait of a true problem solver and her spirited and loving family.

Aunt Minnie McGranahan. Mary Skillings Prigger. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2005. 40p. (gr ps-3). Clarion Books. When Aunt Minnie McGranahan inherits nine orphaned nephews and nieces, the neighbors think it will never work. Aunt Minnie is small and tidy, and she lives alone in a neat little house. She has a neat little garden and a neat little barn, and she has a system for everything. Certainly there’s no place in her life for children. But Aunt Minnie is a problem solver, and she surprises everyone by bringing home all nine children and coming up with clever new systems to accommodate her expanded family. It turns out Aunt Minnie likes children after all! This funny, fresh story, told in verse and accompanied by whimsical watercolors, is based on the life of the real Aunt Minnie, a member of the author’s family who adopted nine children in 1920.

Austere Academy, The. Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 2000. 240p. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5). (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. As the three Baudelaire orphans warily approach their new home—Prufrock Preparatory School—they can’t help but notice the enormous stone arch bearing the school’s motto Memento Mori, or “Remember you will die.” This is not a cheerful greeting, and certainly marks an inauspicious beginning to a very bleak story. Of course, this is what we have come to expect from Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events, the deliciously morbid set of books that began with The Bad Beginning and only got worse. In The Austere Academy, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are at first optimistic—attending school is a welcome change for the book-loving trio, and the academy is allegedly safe from the dreaded Count Olaf, who is after their fortune. Hope dissipates quickly, however, when they meet Vice Principal Nero, a self-professed genius violinist who sneeringly imitates their every word. More dreadful still, he houses them in the tin Orphans Shack, crawling with toe-biting crabs and dripping with a mysterious tan fungus. A beam of light shines through the despair when the Baudelaires meet the Quagmires, two of three orphaned triplets who are no strangers to disaster and sympathize with their predicament. When Count Olaf appears on the scene disguised as Coach Genghis (covering his monobrow with a turban and his ankle tattoo with expensive running shoes), the Quagmires resolve to come to the aid of their new friends. Sadly, this proves to be a hideous mistake. Snicket disarms us again with his playful juxtapositions—only he can compare bombs with strawberry shortcake (both are as dangerous to make as assumptions), muse on how babies adjust developmentally to the idea of curtains, or ponder why the Baudelaire orphans would not want to be stalks of celery despite their incessant bad luck as humans. We can’t get enough of this splendid series of misadventures, and can only wager that swarms of young readers will be right next to us in line for the next installment. — Karin Snelson

Awake & Dreaming. Kit Pearson. 1997. 228p. (gr 4-7). Viking Childrens Books. Nine-year-old Theo Caffrey lives life on the edge, mostly because her unwed mother neglects and mistreats her. She copes by losing herself in books and dreams of belonging to a real family. One morning she awakens to find her fantasy has come true—though all too soon it fades, leaving her more bereft than ever. Through sheer will and determination, Theo conspires to meet the family of her dream (and the mysterious ghost/writer who unwittingly created Theo’s vision) and works to turn her fantasy into reality. Pearson’s unusual novel shifts smoothly from Theo’s miserable existence to the romantic idealism she craves and finally back to the difficult but ultimately satisfying new actuality that she creates. Strong, believable characters, the hint of the supernatural, and Pearson’s poignant commentary on the writer’s craft all add up to a compelling and memorable read. — Kay Weisman. © 1997 American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Baby. Joseph Monninger. 2007. 173p. (gr 4-7). Front Street. From Booklist: “New Hampshire. Cow-freaking Hampshire.” It’s the last place 15-year-old Baby, abandoned by her alcoholic mother again, wants to be. But her social worker tells her that this stop, with an older couple that races sled dogs, is her last chance before she ends up in a juvie home. Baby, still feeling the pain of her new tatttoo (an Asian tiger on her right butt cheek), thinks she doesn’t really care what happens to her; but Mary and Fred are not average foster parents, and their life with big dogs brings balance to Baby’s own existence. Baby too easily becomes a dog-racing expert, and her descent into trouble when her boyfriend arrives is predictable. But the girl’s first-person voice, the backdrop, and the details (working the streets in a gargoyle costume for tourist change) work together well to set this story apart from the many in which troubled teens find solace in animals. — Cindy Dobrez

Babycakes. Jean Ure. 2000. 164p. (gr 4-7). (Foster Family #1). Hodder Children’s Books (UK). When Bella arrives to stay with the Fosters, Abi and Sam are determined to be nice to her. Bella’s dad is very ill - it must be awful - poor Bella. But it’s hard to be sympathetic when Bella is such a boaster. Her parents, her house, even her pedigree pets are better than Abi and Sam’s.

Bad Beginning, The. Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 162p. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1). (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. Make no mistake. The Bad Beginning begins badly for the three Baudelaire children, and then gets worse. Their misfortunes begin one gray day on Briny Beach when Mr. Poe tells them that their parents perished in a fire that destroyed their whole house. “It is useless for me to describe to you how terrible Violet, Klaus, and even Sunny felt in the time that followed,” laments the personable (occasionally pedantic) narrator, who tells the story as if his readers are gathered around an armchair on pillows. But of course what follows is dreadful. The children thought it was bad when the well-meaning Poes bought them grotesque-colored clothing that itched. But when they are ushered to the dilapidated doorstep of the miserable, thin, unshaven, shiny-eyed, money-grubbing Count Olaf, they know that they—and their family fortune—are in real trouble. Still, they could never have anticipated how much trouble. While it’s true that the events that unfold in Lemony Snicket’s novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you’d hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl (remember James and the Giant Peach and his horrid spinster aunts), Charles Dickens (the orphaned Pip in Great Expectations without the mysterious benefactor), and Edward Gorey (The Gashlycrumb Tinies). There is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the Baudelaire children in The Reptile Room and The Wide Window. — Karin Snelson

Banjo Player, The. Elizabeth Starr Hill. 1993. 160p. (gr 5-9). Viking Children’s Books. A prequel to Broadway Chances and The Street Dancers , which focused on Clement Dale, the patriarch of a show business family, this uneven novel begins in 1887 and focuses on 12-year-old Jonathan, eventually Clement’s plucky grandfather. Abandoned as an infant by an impoverished mother, Jonathan has been adopted by the abusive Dales. Having run away and scraped by as a New York City street performer, he’s now heading for Louisiana on the Orphan Train. Like the other homeless children traveling with him, he hopes that a kindly family will want him. Even though series fans know all along that Jonathan will prevail, he has spunk enough to hold the reader’s attention. In a brief afterword, the author reports that the Orphan Trains actually existed and transported more than 100,000 children between 1854 and 1929; she also explains how such a system of adoption evolved. However engaging the hero and however noteworthy the historical context, the story wrought from these elements is slow-moving, paling beside its two companion novels. — From Publisher’s Weekly

Barriers. Judy Allen. 1981. 212p. Hamish Hamilton/Rainbird (UK). A seventeen-year-old endeavours to find his real parents. The book is based on a Tyne-Tees television series by William Corlett, from an idea by Margaret Bottomley.

Bear & Roly-Poly. Elizabeth Winthrop. Illustrated by Patience Brewster. 1996. 32p. (gr K-3). Holiday House. Brother learns to love his newly adopted sister.

Before the Judge. Jerry B Jenkins. Illustrated by Richard D Wahl. 1986. 112p. (Bradford Family Adventures). Standard Publishing Co. Daniel tries to do all he can to reassure Yolanda when official letters arrive questioning the legality of her adoption by Mr and Mrs Bradford. By the same author: Daniel’s Big Surprise.

Beast. Ally Kennen. 2006. 217p. (YA). Scholastic, Inc. Stephen hasn’t had it easy. He’s now in foster care because his mom is crazy and his dad is an ex-con vagabond. He’s always in trouble or on his way to trouble. But none of these problems compare to the problem of The Beast—a fierce crocodile that Stephen’s been taking care of for years. The Beast is Stephen’s biggest secret—and also his biggest challenge. And that’s when it’s in a cage. When the Beast escapes, the stakes get even higher. With a keen eye and a startling voice, Ally Kennen joins the ranks of Kevin Brooks and Chris Wooding on the cutting edge of YA fiction.

Beginnings: How Families Come to Be. Virginia L Kroll. Illustrated by Stacey Shuett. 1994. 32p. (gr ps-3). A Whitman. Parents and children discuss how their families came to be, covering birth families, adoptive families, two-parent families, and single-parent families.

Bellfounder’s Sons, The. Lini R Grol. Illustrated by Robert Quackenbush. 1971. 31p. Bobbs-Merrill. In a little village in Holland lived John Peterson, a widely respected bellfounder, and his wife Bertha. They were happy except they had no children of their own. One morning John found a basket on his doorstep containing three screaming babies. Story of how they three become famous bellmakers themselves.

Bells & Whistles. Kay D Rizzo. 2003. 96p. (gr ps-3). Pacific Press Publishing Association. Their journey west has brought the Mayes family 1,000 miles so far—and the youngsters grow restless. On the train, they meet Joseph and Anna, two orphans seeking a new family, and become fast friends. Mr. and Mrs. Mayes agree to adopt the children. But they’re in for a big shock when their parents choose Samuel Woods instead. Then another surprise: Mama and Papa announce that a new baby is on the way! In Bells and Whistles, Elizabeth learns important life lessons about family, faith, and trust in God. She finds out that family ties (even annoying brothers!) really are a blessing.

Belonging Doesn’t Mean Forgetting: Nathan’s Story. Sheila Byrne & Leigh Chambers. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 1998. 28p. British Agencies for Adoption & Fostering (UK). A four-year-old Afro-Caribbean boy called Nathan is adopted by a single parent with one daughter, but in-between he has grown attached to the various foster carers he has known. As he discovers, having a new family doesn’t mean having to forget the others. Other Books in the Series: Living With a New Family: Nadia & Rashid’s Story (1998); Hoping for the Best: Jack’s Story (1998); Feeling Safe: Tina’s Story (1998); Joining Together: Jo’s Story (1999); and Waiting for the Right Home: Daniel’s Story (2001).

Belonging Place, The. Jean Little. 1997. 124p. (gr 4-7). Viking. A young Scottish orphan suffers doubts about the completeness of her acceptance into her adopted family in this pointed but comforting novel, set in the middle of the 19th century. After her mother dies in a street accident, four-year-old Elspet is taken in by the Gordons, the large family of her mother’s childhood friend, and formally adopted two years later when her sailor father dies at sea. Having lost her only daughter to diphtheria, Ailsa Gordon welcomes Elspet lovingly, but the worm of doubt planted by Elspet’s grandfather when he coldly suggests that she be sent to her father’s people prevents her from feeling fully secure in the household. Elspet feels bereft again when the Gordons emigrate to the Canadian woods, leaving her cat and beloved matriarch Granny Ross behind, but gains a measure of solace from a new cat, and better yet, a new friend. Elspet’s uncertainty years later suggests that she may never be completely free of it—but as long as she never has to look far for evidence that she is loved, her doubts can be allayed. The plot is predictable, and, except for a dreadful sea voyage, Little (His Banner Over Me, 1995, etc.) barely notes the daily details of pioneer life, but Elspet’s character is conveyed by a distinct, individual voice, and the manner in which her security is repeatedly shaken by minor remarks or incidents drives home the fragility of her sense of belonging. — Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Ben: A Novella From the Heart. Roderick Poe. 2006. 82p. (YA). PublishAmerica. This is the story of a boy named Ben. When he is just a baby, Ben is adopted by a kind family and raised in an all-American small town. His two siblings, Jonathan and Brianna, are much older. Ben grows up a lonely boy with few friends. When Ben is twelve years old, he learns about his adoption. Over a span of two years, Ben slowly gets to know his birth mother. He comes to understand the significance of his adoption. He learns that his mother was once a very troubled young girl who became a parent when she wasn’t ready. Through love and sacrifice, she found the courage to give her son a better life. This is the story of a boy named Ben and the people who love him.

Ben & the Sudden Too-Big Family. Colby Rodowsky. 2007. 128p. (gr 4-7). Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Ben’s philosophy of life is that there are two categories of things that happen, the all-right stuff and the not-all-right stuff. Ben has always lived with just his dad, Mitch, which definitely falls into the all-right category. When Mitch meets Casey and they decide to get married, that turns out to be all right, too. Then Mitch and Casey decide to adopt a baby from China, and Ben isn’t sure which category the whole baby thing is going to fit into. After the baby comes home (it’s all right), Casey and Mitch announce that the four of them — as a family — are going on vacation with Casey’s family. All twenty-three of them! Ben is sure this will not be all right! How eleven-year-old Ben finds his place in a crazy-big family makes this a funny novel about family and what it means to be a part of one. About the Author: Colby Rodowsky is the author of many distinguished books for children and young adults, such as That Fernhill Summer, which The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books praised as a “character-driven novel about the complicated connections of family.” She lives in Baltimore, MD.

Benni & Victoria: Friends Through Time. Patricia H Aust. Illustrated by Robert Sprouse. 1996. 117p. (gr 3-6). CWLA. Ten-year old Benni Ramirez can’t live with his mother anymore. Victoria, the ghost who haunts his school, can’t find out what happened to hers. As Benni struggles to find the answers that will allow Victoria to rest, he learns about himself and the true meaning of friendship. Will he be able to help Victoria—and himself—before time runs out?

Best for You, The. Kelsey Stewart. 2009. 24p. (gr ps-3). AuthorHouse. Adoption is about love for the child, not that the child was not wanted. This heart warming book is aimed to help children and parents understand what one birth mother was thinking when she decided to adopt. Written in her perspective, she tells her child the reasons why she chose adoption for her baby. A great conversation starter for parents, or companion book for adopted children to discuss with other children, this is a unique journey for any child of any age.

Best Single Mom in the World, The: How I Was Adopted. Mary Zisk. 2001. 32p. (gr ps-3). Albert Whitman & Co. My mom and I love to tell the story of how we became a family. Before I was born, my mom lived alone in our house. She loved her work and her friends, but something was missing—me! She wanted to share her life with a child who needed a family. My mom traveled the world—across the ocean and over the mountains—to meet me. We love to work and play together. Sometimes I wish we had a dad in our family, but my grandpa takes me special places, and my friend Nicky’s dad is teaching us to play soccer. I’m glad my mom adopted me. She’s the best mom in the whole wide world! Mary Zisk draws on her own experience as a single parent of an adopted daughter in this first-person narrative. Her vibrant paintings reflect the joy and happiness shared by this mother and daughter.

Between Madison & Palmetto. Jacqueline Woodson. 2002. 102p. (gr 4-7). Putnam. Maizon and Margaret are both living on Madison Street again, but somehow everything seems different. Maizon has changed since her semester at boarding school, and Margaret has become withdrawn since her father’s death. Added into the mix is Caroline, a white girl who’s new in town and threatens Maizon and Margaret’s closeness, and Maizon’s father, who left her as a baby but shows up unexpectedly just when she thought her life couldn’t get any more mixed up. In the third book of Jacqueline Woodson’s trilogy, we see how growing up makes Maizon and Margaret’s lives—and their friendship—a lot more complicated. By the Same Author: Maizon at Blue Hill.

Between Mom & Jo. Julie Anne Peters. 2006. 240p. (YA). Megan Tingley. From School Library Journal: Nicholas Nathaniel Thomas Tyler has four first names and two mothers. As the only child in his class with gay parents, he endures the taunts and prejudices of classmates and adults over the years as best he can, drawing reassurance and strength from his parents. Challenges nearly overwhelm him, though, when their relationship ends; Jo moves out, and Nick, now a teenager, is left with Erin, his birth mother. Peters captures the voice of an adolescent sorting through the memories of his childhood in poignant prose that rings with truth. As Nick develops from a boy to a young man, he must address his own sexuality, his ties to his family, and his need to assert his individuality. This novel is a timely exploration of the struggles faced by same-sex couples and their children, and while the issues are significant, the story is never overwhelmed by them. Because Jo lacks biological or legal relationship to Nick, he can be cut off from her with no recourse, which makes his experience slightly different from that of other children of divorcing parents. This coming-of-age novel powerfully portrays the universal pain of a family breakup. It also portrays what is still a weird situation to many people (as reflected in the behavior of Nick’s babysitter) as totally normal from one young man’s point of view. — Beth Gallego, Los Angeles Public Library, North Hollywood. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Billy. Laura Roybal. 1999. 240p. (gr 7 up). Houghton Mifflin Company. At the age of ten, Billy was kidnapped by his natural father from the adoptive family he had grown up in. Six years later, after being arrested in a minor bar brawl, Billy is returned to his adoptive family. Torn once again from the world he has come to know, Billy is forced to confront the painful memories of his ordeal. Why are they doing this? How can they just interrupt his whole life—again? They never really wanted him—they hadn’t even tried to find him, had they?

Billy Had to Move: A Foster Care Story. Theresa Ann Fraser. Illustrated by Alex Walton. 2009. 32p. (gr 3-5). Loving Healing Press. Child Protection Services have been involved with Billy and his mother for some time now. He has been happily settled in a kinship placement with his grandmother and enjoys his pet cat, interacting with neighbors and even taking piano lessons. As the story unfolds, Billy’s grandmother has unexpectedly passed away and so the story of Billy Had To Move begins. Unfortunately, Billy’s mother cannot be located. Mr. Murphy, Billy’s social worker, places him in the foster home of Amy, Tim, and their baby “Colly.” Billy experiences great loss resulting not only from his grandmother’s death, but also the loss of the life he knew. Billy’s inner journey therefore has also begun and with the help of Ms. Woods, a Play Therapist, there is hope.

Billy’s New Home: For Foster Children Everywhere. Valerie Busic. Illustrated by Jeff Meyers. 1997. 40p. (gr ps-5). Salt River. Eight-year-old Billy’s mom could no longer take care of him. So a social worker came and took him to a foster home. For the first time ever, he had his own room and enough food to eat. Billy’s new home was nice, but he missed his mom. He even hid some food from dinner under his pillow in case his foster parents forgot to feed him. Billy sometimes still gets sad or angry, but not as often. He knows that his mom is glad that he’s living with a nice family until she can take care of him.

Birch Hollow Schoolmarm. Carrie Bender. 1999. 192p. (Dora’s Diary #1). (gr 6-10). Herald Press. Popular author Carrie Bender begins a new series about Dora, the adopted daughter of Miriam and Nate. Join Dora as she runs around with the Amish youth, then makes peace with her parents and church. Family friends call her to teach in an Amish community in Minnesota. She dedicates herself to teaching, yet there is still time for a romance to blossom with Matthew. When the teaching job fizzles out, she works as a hired girl, caring for nine young children.

Blackthorn Winter: A Murder Mystery. Kathryn Reiss. 2006. 352p. (YA). Harcourt Children’s Books. From Kirkus Reviews: Sometimes being pleasant and predictable is a good thing. Mystery fans will enjoy this well-plotted story, which packs budding romance, family problems, amnesia, international travel and murder into a few short days in the lives of American adoptee Juliana Martin-Drake, her mother and her two younger siblings. The family has temporarily moved to a small village in England so that Mrs. Martin-Drake can rekindle her career as an artist and decide whether to remain in her marriage. Juliana just wants to go home. When her mother’s friend, a woman universally despised, is found dead, Juliana investigates, subsequently finding herself in danger. Although coincidence plays a strong role in her discoveries, none of the action is either out of place or impossible to imagine. In the process of unraveling the mystery, Juliana recovers her memories of the death of her birth mother. Although Reiss’s repeated message that adoptive families are no less real than biological ones occasionally seems heavy-handed, in general she melds the various elements of her plot skillfully enough to carry readers along smoothly. About the Author: Kathryn Reiss is the author of Time Windows, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; The Glass House People; Dreadful Sorry; Pale Phoenix, a finalist for the Edgar Award; and most recently, PaperQuake: A Puzzle. She lives with her family in Northern California. Author’s Website

Blessing from Above, A. Patti Henderson. Illustrated by Elizabeth Edge. 1999. 24p. (gr ps-3). Golden Books. Every night before she goes to sleep, a kangaroo prays under the stars for a baby to love and hold. One day, as she rests under a tree, a baby bird falls out of its crowded nest—plop!—right into her pouch! Now, every night before they fall asleep, Momma-Roo and Little One thank God for all their blessings.

Blue Girl. Jodi Lynn. 2003. 176p. (Glory Series #3). (gr 5-7). Puffin. Betrayed by someone she thought she could trust and picked up by the police in Boston, Glory finds herself placed in a foster home with a kind, elderly couple. The Kellys give Glory everything that she thought was lost to her forever-a place to call home, people she can count on, and the security of feeling like she belongs. But still, Glory can’t be completely honest with the Kellys. Then her health starts to fail, and she realizes that unless she admits to her past-and Katie’s death-there’s nothing that the Kellys, or anyone, can do to help her.

Blue Ridge. Jon Harper. Illustrated by Sheila Kelly Welch. 1995. 160p. Our Child Press. Twelve-year old Denny, newly arrived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia with his father, and coping with his mother’s death as well as a new environment, discovers a friend in the woods.

Blue’s First Book: A Storybook With 34 Stickers (Stickers ’N’ Shapes). Angela C Santomero. Illustrated by Christian Hali & Christopher Yee. 1999. (gr ps-3). Simon Spotlight. Blue is making her first book, and she needs help! There are 34 word and picture stickers that preschoolers can use to help Blue complete a song, a poem, and even a story that she wants to put in her book. The hands-on storytelling activity in this rebus sticker book is the perfect way to introduce preschoolers to reading!

Boat in the Tree, The. Tim Wynne Jones. Illustrated by John Shelley. 2007. 40p. (gr 3-6). Front Street Books. From Booklist: Brief text and fantastical illustrations tell this story about a little boy who learns to accept his newly adopted brother. Fascinated with the sea, the boy dreams of owning a boat and escapes through fantasy games played on homemade ships. His new brother, Simon, who appears to be of kindergarten age, always interferes. “I want out of here!” the boy finally explodes. Then a violent storm blows a small dinghy into a tree, and the boy and his new sibling work together to pull the boat from the branches. Some children may be confused by a few ink-and-watercolor illustrations that overlap real and imagined worlds, and an intriguing series of images in which the boy views a ship in a bottle, and then becomes trapped inside it, may be particularly challenging. The richly detailed vision will engage children, however, while the messages about working through sibling rivalry will hit home with many. One final note: it’s nice to see a picture book about adoption in which the new arrival is an older child, rather than a baby. — Gillian Engberg. © American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Bobbsey Twins at the County Fair, The. Laura Lee Hope. 1922. 216p. (Bobbsey Twins #22). Grosset & Dunlap. When the Bobbsey Twins visit the Bolton County Fair, they find more trouble than they bargained for. The cruel merry-go-round owner has adopted an orphan boy to do the work, and suddenly it’s up to Freddie, Flossie, Bert, and Nan to rescue young Bob Guess from an unbearable life of suffering and misery!

Bobby the Mostly Silky. Written & Illustrated by David McKelvey. 1983. 32p. (gr. 1-3). Corona Pub Co. A scruffy hen adopts eggs abandoned by their fancier parents and raises a family, the envy of the barnyard.

Bond of Love. Carla Bach. Illustrated by Nick Graziano. 2008. 30p. (gr ps-3). CreateSpace. A child is precious and whether biological or adopted they are miracles. This book aims to reach out and express the true way a child is born ... from love. Written for little ones as an introduction to adoption and how they are a gift that blossomed from the heart. About the Author: Raised in Iowa and eventually ending up in Florida, Carla Bach and her husband Michael adopted Noah Jon in May of 2005. Her son changed her life and inspired her to write this children’s book for all children, biological or adopted, to give an introduction to adoption. In a simple format she wanted to give clarity and similarity to his socialization and self-being. In her words: “I wrote this book for my son to be sure he understood that he was “born” from us in a magical and special way.”

Book of Shadows. Cate Tiernan. Lisa Moore, ed. 2001. 192p. (YA). Puffin. Morgan thinks witchcraft is laughable when her best friend Bree drags her to a meeting of the Cirrus Coven. But during a cermony led by Cal, Morgan’s long-time crush, Morgan feels a shock. Suddenly everything looks brighter, clearer. Morgan doesn’t want to get involved with witchcraft-but she feels like witchcraft is choosing her. By the Same Author: The Coven and Full Circle.

Book Thief, The. Markus Zusak. 2006. 560p. (gr 7 up). Knopf Books for Young Readers. It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.... Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist—books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul. About the Author: Markus Zusak is the author of I Am the Messenger, winner of the Children’s Book Council Book of the Year in Australia; Fighting Ruben Wolfe, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Getting the Girl. The author lives in Sydney, Australia.

Bora Boys & the Last Big Door, The. Michael J Feeney. Illustrated by John Devaney. 2004. 26p. (gr 4-7). MJ Feeney & Sons. Jack and Mickey are little boys living on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts with their family. During a naptime, unable to sleep, Jack and Mickey climb to their house’s attic, where they meet Whalebone, the ghost of an old sailor. When he learns that Jack has been adopted from Cambodia, he escorts the boys on a trip, a special naptime trip, to Cambodia of old, when Whalebone himself was young and vigorous. It is the Khmer New Year, a time of great celebration, and the boys have a splendid time, filled with exciting experiences. They travel by ox cart through a countryside of fragrant fields and share meals of tasty and very different foods. Whalebone takes them to the big city for the annual festival to watch the thrilling ox cart races. Whalebone makes sure to have the boys back in their Nantucket beds by the end of naptime, but both boys remember their adventure, and Jack knows about thte beautiful country he comes from. About the Illustrator: John Devaney is a painter whose work can be seen at The Polonaise Gallery in Woodstock, Vermont; South Wharf Gallery, Nantucket;and David Zapf Gallery, San Diego.

Born Into Light. Paul S Jacobs. 1988. 149p. Scholastic. Journalist Paul Jacobs wrote this riveting novel for his own children. Set in New England some three quarter century ago during the Depression, a child from nowhere, emerging from a flash of light, standing on a patch of scorched earth in the backyard. This boy becomes young Roger Westwood’s adopted brother and is named Ben. The local doctor deems that Ben would remain a wild child, and an imbecile at that; but, to the contrary, Ben proves extraordinarily intelligent (finishes college in two years), and oddly, ages physically at a remarkably accelerated rate. With parental help, Roger learns that a number of “feral” children had appeared on earth at the same time, andin the same manner as Ben. Roger, who narrates this strange story, gathers as many of these aliens and their half-human offspring as possible, and in a flash of light, they return to the stars. A final chapter, “Reflections,” in which the now old and mellow Roger reassesses his experience, elevates this book far and beyond science fiction written for young readers.

Bound for America. Elizabeth Lutzeier. 2000. 176p. (gr 4-7). Merlin Publishing. When Eamonn and his family leave Ireland for Boston, their fever-stricken ship is diverted to Canada, where he and his brothers get separately adopted until Eamonn heads to Boston to earn money to bring them back together. About the Author: Elizabeth Lutzeier’s first novel, No Shelter (Oxford University Press), won the Kathleen Fidler Award. Two of her novels have been nominated for Ireland’s Carnegie Medal and one for The Guardian Children’s Fiction Award.

Boy From the Basement, The. Susan Shaw. 2004. 208p. (YA). Dutton Books. For Charlie, the basement is home. He’s being punished. He doesn’t mean to leave—Father wouldn’t allow it—but when Charlie is accidentally thrust outside, he awakens to the alien surroundings of a world to which he’s never been exposed. Though haunted by fear of the basement and his father’s rage, Charlie embarks on a journey toward healing and blossoms when he becomes an unconditionally loved and loving member of the right foster family. This carefully crafted and authentic portrayal of Charlie’s emotional and physical abuse is gracefully matched by Susan Shaw’s inspiring and deeply moving story of recovery.

Brave Babette & Sly Tom. Elzbieta. Illustrated by the author. 1988. 36p. (gr k-3). Dial Press. Babette, a little mouse, is abandoned at birth by her mother and adopted and nurtured by a kindly gentleman blackbird. This may be well and good, even rather conventional; yet there are jarring phrases such as, “a mouse came scurrying across Paris. She was pregnant right up to her whiskers,” and events such as Sly Tom (the park cat), who was considered a dreadful monster, terrorizing the park by scratching babies and eating goldfish. In light of these, finding an appropriate audience for such a tale may be problematic. Yet it is not worth looking very hard, as the story’s events are highly illogical, the ending is silly and abrupt, and the softly colored cartoon-like illustrations, while humorous, are not particularly inspired.

Breathe My Name. RA Nelson. 2007. 320p. (YA). Razorbill. From Publishers Weekly: In a sad, haunting story of murder and its tragic aftermath, 18-year-old Frances Robinson seems to have a picture-perfect life in tiny Bethel, AL, complete with a loving family, a fun-loving best friend and even a cute new boyfriend. But beneath this happy façade lies a dark and ugly past: 11 years ago, her mother gradually descended into insanity and one day suffocated Frances’s three younger sisters; Frances escaped death only because a passerby came to her rescue. Now, safe and secure with her adopted family, Frances struggles to move on and forget her survivor’s guilt. But all the terrible memories come crashing back when she learns that her mother has been released from prison and placed in a halfway home-and wants to see Frances. “I need to see you,” she writes from her undisclosed location. “We have to finish.” Deciding that she can’t fully embrace her future without confronting her past, Frances and her boyfriend, Nix, secretly take off on a road trip to find her mother. The story captivates at times, but progresses awkwardly. The flashbacks to Frances’s childhood disrupt the pacing at the beginning, but most are too brief for readers to glean significant insight from them. The momentum picks up considerably when the teens set off on their journey, but the curve-ball conclusion isn’t remotely plausible. — © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Author: R.A. Nelson is the author of Teach Me, called “worthy of acclaim” (Kirkus Reviews), “exhilarating and terrifying” (Horn Book Newcomer’s Pick), and a “standout debut...not to be missed” (VOYA). His work in support of the space program earned one of NASA’s highest honors, the Silver Snoopy Award.

Brief Chapter of My Impossible Life, A. Dana Reinhardt. 2006. 240p. (YA). Wendy Lamb Books. Simone’s starting her junior year in high school. Her mom’s a lawyer for the ACLU, her dad’s a political cartoonist, so she’s grown up standing outside the organic food coop asking people to sign petitions for worthy causes. She’s got a terrific younger brother and amazing friends. And she’s got a secret crush on a really smart and funny guy—who spends all of his time with another girl. Then her birth mother contacts her. Simone’s always known she was adopted, but she never wanted to know anything about it. She’s happy with her family just as it is, thank you. She learns who her birth mother was—a 16-year-old girl named Rivka. Who is Rivka? Why has she contacted Simone? Why now? The answers lead Simone to deeper feelings of anguish and love than she has ever known, and to question everything she once took for granted about faith, life, the afterlife, and what it means to be a daughter.

Bringing the Boy Home. NA Nelson. 2008. 224p. (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon? Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family’s future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked...but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans. Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny. About the Author: N.A. Nelson was born in London, England, and grew up on a cattle farm in rural Missouri. Living on a thousand acres of wilderness provided plenty of opportunities for adventure, but it also created a sense of wonderment about what else was out there. After graduating with a degree in tourism, the author strapped on a backpack and has been exploring the world ever since. Recent journeys include the jungles of the Amazon and the glaciered peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Bringing the Boy Home is the author’s debut novel and the winner of the 2005 Ursula Nordstrom Fiction contest.

Brodie & the Yeti: The True Tales of Two Little Dogs. Dennis Robert Komick. 2009. 34p. (gr ps-3). BATY Publishing. A heartwarming story for children of all ages with messages about family, adoption, cooperation, adventure, and friendship throughout. — Bobbi Jean Greenseth, First Grade Elementary School Teacher
I just want to be loved... In our hearts, we all long for what these two adorable, adopted dogs find in their lives...as they learn to accept one another. This charming metaphor for learning and sharing shows us how we all need to have the patience and guidance to let love grow...and it does! — Dr. Valerie Maxwell, ADDSOI.com, LearningGymUSA.com, Foundation for Learning Development.info. About the Author: Dennis Robert Komick was born in Los Angeles, CA, and is the youngest of three adopted children. Dennis was raised in the seaside town of Manhattan Beach. Dennis is a four time godfather and has spent numerous years around small children.

Brodie & the Yeti: The Yeti Saves Coco Bunny. Dennis Robert Komick. 2009. 34p. (gr ps-3). BATY Publishing. An adorable and emotional tale about a bond that is created between two little dogs and a rabbit, in this true story about Brodie, The Yeti and a bunny named Coco. One stormy night proves to be just the right setting for a truly amazing animal rescue. This is the second installment from the Brodie & The Yeti collection and is a truly amazing story that is sure to grab the heartstrings of all who read it. About the Author: Dennis Robert Komick was born in Los Angeles, CA, and is the youngest of three adopted children. Dennis was raised in the seaside town of Manhattan Beach. Dennis is a four time godfather and has spent numerous years around small children. This is the second installment of the Brodie & The Yeti collection.

Brother the Size of Me, A. Helen Doss. Illustrated by Robert Patterson. 1957. 89p. Little Brown. Donny had a cocker named Rufus, and he had three sisters and a brother all smaller that he. But what he wanted more than anything in the world was a brother his own size to play with—to play his kind of game. Donny’s mother and father had adopted a very large family already, six children counting little Timmy, who arrives as this story begins. And Danny’s father was a minister who didn’t make much money. So they didn’t see how they could adopt a new boy, Donny’s size. Then Donny decided to work for what he wanted. He worked very hard indeed, and he gave up things that he liked very much, and he had some bad disappointments. But at last—well, read the story and se how it all came out. About the Author: Helen Doss told her own tory and that of the “one-family United Nations” in her first book, The Family Nobody Wanted, written mostly for grownups. She and her husband Carl, a Methodist minister, adopted a baby boy and loved him so much they couldn’t stop with a “lonely only.” Donny was that first one. He yearned for a brother “just the right size of me” all through the coming of ten others who were not just the right size. These children brought to their new life backgrounds of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Spain, France, Malaya, Burma, and of the American Indian—Chippewa, Blackfoot, Cheyenne.  Their story is full of laughter and beauty and delight. Mrs. Doss recalls their life together—her fight with flood and storm, the moving and yet humorous memories of their Christmases, the riotous visit of Carl to the zoo with a horde of children and three women. Through all the problems and joys of the Doss family shine a love and a faith which are heartwarming in the deepest sense. — From the Front and Back Dust Jacket Flaps

Brothers By Choice. Elfreida Read. 1974. 153p. (gr 6-9). Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Brett Forester fits right into his father’s crowd—witty, bright, sociable. But his brother Rocky has the gift of working with his hands. What makes the difference even harder for Rocky is the fact that he is adopted. When Professor Forester belittles him in front of his friends, Rocky runs away.

Brown Like Me. Noelle Lamperti & friends. (Originally published in 1979 as Noelle’s Brown Book). 1999. 32p. (gr ps-3). New Victoria Publishers. Noelle Lamperti was five years old when she began identifying with things that were brown. Adopted into a white family in rural Vermont—America’s whitest state—it became an important part of her sense of identity that she find herself reflected in people and things that were brown.

Buckingham Palace & the Crown Jewels. Gilbert Morris. 2001. 128p. (Adventures of the Kerrigan Kids #2: Travels in England). (gr 4-7). Moody Press.

Bud, Not Buddy. Christopher Paul Curtis . 1999. 245p. (gr 3 to 7). Delacorte Press. “It’s funny how ideas are, in a lot of ways they’re just like seeds. Both of them start real, real small and then... woop, zoop, sloop... before you can say Jack Robinson, they’ve gone and grown a lot bigger than you ever thought they could.” So figures scrappy 10-year-old philosopher Bud—“not Buddy”—Caldwell, an orphan on the run from abusive foster homes and Hoovervilles in 1930s Michigan. And the idea that’s planted itself in his head is that Herman E. Calloway, standup-bass player for the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, is his father. Guided only by a flier for one of Calloway’s shows—a small, blue poster that had mysteriously upset his mother shortly before she died—Bud sets off to track down his supposed dad, a man he’s never laid eyes on. And, being 10, Bud-not-Buddy gets into all sorts of trouble along the way, barely escaping a monster-infested woodshed, stealing a vampire’s car, and even getting tricked into “busting slob with a real live girl.” Christopher Paul Curtis, author of The Watsons Go to Birmingham (1963), once again exhibits his skill for capturing the language and feel of an era and creates an authentic, touching, often hilarious voice in little Bud. — Paul Hughes

Buddha in the Garden. Dave Bouchard. Illustrated by Zhong-Yang Huang. 2001. 32p. Raincoast Books. From Children’s Literature: The four Buddhist signs of enlightenment, hunger, sickness, death and seeking enlightenment are the basis for this story, which is a marvelously successful collaboration between the writer and the artist. The temple monks find a baby boy lying next to a root peony at the gates. They take him into the temple, raise him and make him the temple garden boy. The monks travel the world seeking enlightenment, leaving only the garden boy and an elderly blind monk at the temple. The boy has never heard the monk speak to anyone so he is startled when he hears him say the words, “Buddha is in the garden!” The boy does not find Buddha when he goes to the garden, but a dream woman appears to him and when he opens his eyes, he finds a starving kitten and he cares for it as the monks cared for him. Three times he is spoken to by the blind monk, and each time he discovers a sign of enlightenment, until finally he finds peace. The magnificent paintings complement the text perfectly and together they capture that sense of peace and beauty. The book, which is part of the “Chinese Legends” series, will appeal to a more mature audience, making it a lovely story to read with a child. — Carolyn Mott Ford

Bullfrog & Gertrude Go Camping. Rosamond Dauer. Illustrated by Byron Barton. 1980. 38p. Greenwillow Books. When Bullfrog and Gertrude go camping, they take an unlikely member into their family circle.