Name of This Book is Secret, The. Pseudonymous Bosch. 2007. 384p. (Secret Series #1). (gr 4-7). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Warning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he’d love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn’t want you to hear about his brave 11-year-old heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest. Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange (and stinky) circumstances. And he certainly wouldn’t want you to know about the hair-raising adventures that follow and the nefarious villains they face. You see, not only is the name of this book secret, the story inside is, too. For it concerns a secret. A Big Secret. About the Author: Pseudonymous Bosch is the anonymous pseudonymous author of the Secret Series. Not much is known about him other than that he has a passionate love of chocolate and cheese and an equally passionate hatred of mayonnaise. Rumors of Boschian sightings are just as frequent and about as reliable as reports of alien abductions. If you ever meet anyone claiming to be Pseudonymous himself he is almost certainly an impostor. The real Pseudonymous is said currently to be hiding in a cave in a remote jungle (although there are contrary reports that he is somewhere in Greenland). You may contact him through his website. Mysterious stranger? Anonymous author? Who is Pseudonymous Bosch and how does he know so much about our heroes and heroines? The truth will all be revealed—with time. By the Same Author: This Book is Not Good for Your and If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late.

Nellie’s Promise. Valerie Tripp. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen & Susan McAliley. 2004. 85p. (gr 4-7). American Girl. Nellie O’Malley finally has a home again. She and her little sisters, Bridget and Jenny, are happily settling in with Samantha’s family in New York City. Best of all, Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia want to adopt the girls. Now Nellie’s best friend Samantha will be her sister, too, and Bridget and Jenny will be protected and cared for, just as Nellie had promised her mother. Then Uncle Mike shows up again and threatens to ruin everything-including Nellie’s friendship with Samantha! Can Nellie find a way to keep her promise without losing her new family?

New Beginnings. Chaya Baila Weinfeld. 1999. 280p. (gr 4-7). Judaica Press. After the death of her mother, twelve-year-old Rina is rejected by her other relatives and goes to live with a wealthy couple in New York, where she finds a way of life very different from what she has ever known. Rina had to take a train, a plane and a cab all by herself to a new big city. There she would begin her life again. Would she like her new school? Would she find friends? Would her new adoptive parents be kind to her? Her only sister had been flown across the ocean to England. Would she ever see her again? Readers will love this spunky twelve-year-old redhead who learns to embrace the love of her new family while never forgetting her past.

New Barker in the House, A. Tommie DePaola. Illustrated by the author. 2002. 32p. (gr ps-3). Putnam Pub Group. The Barker twins have a new hermano—brother, that is! Moffie and Morgie, the adorable Welsh terrier pups introduced in Tomie dePaola’s Meet the Barkers, are thrilled when their parents announce that they are adopting a 3-year-old boy. But Marcos only speaks Spanish, and he is a little overwhelmed by his new siblings’ exuberance. “No Juego!” he finally says. No play. It takes a little adjusting, but soon the Barkers are one big happy familia. This upbeat, sensitive story about an exciting but challenging situation will warm the hearts of every reader, especially those in adoptive families. Little Marcos is cute as can be, and it’s easy to sense his ambivalence about his boisterous, friendly new brother and sister. Readers will cheer when he takes a stand for himself. Everyone in the family quickly learns that they each must learn from the other if they want to create household harmony. Several Spanish words and their translations are sprinkled throughout. — Emilie Coulter

New Home for Theresa, A. Betty Baum. Illustrated By James Barkley. 1968. 182p. Knopf. When her mother dies, a young Negro girl is sent to live with a foster family and tries to adjust to the radical changes in her life.

Night of the Burning, The: Devorah’s Story. Dana Sachs. 2006. 224p. (gr 7-10). Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Devorah’s world is shattered by the tragedies of post-Great War Europe: gas poisoning, famine, typhoid, and influenza. Then comes the Night of the Burning, when Cossacks provoke Christian Poles to attack their Jewish neighbors. In 1920, eleven-year-old Devorah and her little sister, Nechama, are the sole survivors of their community. Salvation arrives in the form of a South African philanthropist named Isaac Ochberg, who invites Devorah and Nechama to join his group of two hundred orphans in their journey to safety in South Africa. Although reluctant to leave her homeland, and afraid to forget her family, Devorah follows her sister, who is determined to go to the new country. There Devorah is dealt the greatest blow—Nechama is adopted and taken away from her. In the end, though, Devorah realizes that she is not solely responsible for keeping the past alive, and that she will not betray her beloved parents when she is adopted herself—and finds happiness again. This gripping first novel, inspired by and based closely on the childhood of the author’s mother-in-law, was recipient of the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award.

Nine-Story Pagodas & Double-Decker Buses. Gilbert Morris. 2001. 128p. (Adventures of the Kerrigan Kids #4: Travels in Hong Kong). (gr 4-7). Moody Press. After their mother died, photographer Mr. Kerrigan begins taking his natural daughter and adopted children with him on business trips. They’re on the move for adventures all over the world. Million-selling author, Gilbert Morris, thrills and educates young readers with these new travel adventures. Pearl gets the opportunity to visit the area where she was born when Mr. Kerrigan is assigned a job in Hong Kong. On the plane, the family meets two young children who are going to live with their grandparents in Hong Kong. However, there is no one to meet their new friends at the airport so the Kerrigan clan puts into practice what they recently learned about the Good Samaritan. As they make sure the children find their grandparents’ house, they make new friends, and learn about Chinese culture.

Niner. Theresa Martin Golding. 2008. 208p. (YA). Front Street, Inc. Macey McCallister, “Niner” to her classmates, is missing a lot of things—her thumb, her birth parents, her history—and now her adoptive mother has disappeared as well. So one morning when Macey finds a locket on her front lawn, she is convinced that it is a sign, something placed there just for her. But when others seem to want the locket as well, Macey, her sister Deena, and their friends are unwittingly drawn into the middle of a frightening and dangerous game. In the midst of this danger, Macey must confront an ugly truth. Was it her fault that Mom left? Was it time for her to find her birth parents? From the innocent discovery of the locket to the surprise revelation of its significance, Macey is faced with a question that will affect the rest of her life. When she finds the answer, she also discovers something of great importance—the place she truly belongs.

Ningiyuk’s Igloo World. Anna E Rokeby-Thomas. Illustrated by James N Howard. 1972. 94p. Moody Press. A delightful adventure story for youth. Go with Ningiyuk on an exciting seal hunt; spend a day with her when the sun never comes up at all; live with her through a stormy, five-day blizzard; get lost with her in the Artic. Share her dream of finding her real mother when she learns she is adopted.

No More Saturday Nights. Norma Klein. 1988. 288p. (YA). Knopf. Tim Weber and Cheryl Banks had what they thought was a “casual” relationship—until she got pregnant and wanted to put the baby up for adoption. It sounded like the best thing for everyone. After all, Tim was about to start college—Columbia University in New York City. He was beginning a whole new life. But he just couldn’t forget the fact that it was his baby too. He decided he wanted to keep the baby, and raise it himself. But Tim didn’t realize how hard it was going to be, moving to Manhattan, starting college, and taking care of his son. What would happen to his hopeful dreams of the future? With wit, humor, and honesty, Norma Klein creates a deeply moving portrait of a young man precariously balanced between the responsibilities of single fatherhood and the freedom of college life.

Nobody’s Orphan. Anne Lindbergh. 1983. 147p. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Martha, the only green-eyed member of a brown-eyed family, is convinced she is adopted, but thinks she wouldn’t mind it so much, if only her parents would let her have a dog.

North of Beautiful. Justina Chen Headley. 2009. 384p. (YA). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. From School Library Journal: Terra’s body is very nearly perfect, except for the port-wine birthmark on her left cheek, which several surgeries have failed to remove. It is the teen’s final semester of high school and she looks forward to college where she can study art and escape from her bullying, verbally abusive father. Over the Christmas holidays, Terra and her mother get into a car accident and meet Jacob, a Goth Chinese boy with a cleft lip, and his adoptive mother. The women immediately strike up a supportive friendship, while Terra and Jacob grow close. When Terra’s brother, who lives in Shanghai, sends her and her mother tickets to visit, and Jacob’s mother wants to try to track down Jacob’s birth mother, they decide to travel together. But what about Erik, Terra’s enamored but slightly clueless boyfriend? Headley’s ambitious novel is written in a beautifully crafted style that flows seamlessly. The pace is somewhat bogged down in the first half but it quickens when the characters travel to China, where Jacob, Terra, and their mothers begin to confront their insecurities. Terra and Jacob are flawed, complex, and memorable characters. The message that true beauty and strength come from within is dominant, but this is also a moving and satisfying story in its own right. — Amy J. Chow, The Brearley School, New York City; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Author: If Justina Chen Headley’s life were a map, it would be dotted with destinations from around the world. Despite her ability to get lost anywhere, she revels in traveling and has lived in Australia and China. Her first young adult novel, Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies), won the 2007 Asian Pacific American Award for Youth Literature. Her second book, featuring a gutsy snowboarder, Girl Overboard, won praise from Olympic Gold Medalist and fellow snowboarder Hannah Teter. Justina is a co-founder of readergirlz, an online book community for teens, and lives in Washington with her two children. Visit the author’s website.

Not Quite a Stranger. Colby Rodowsky. 2003. 192p. (YA). Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Charlotte Flannigan (Tottie, for short) leads a conventional life in a conventional family. Her father is a well-respected pediatrician, her mother a popular newspaper columnist, and her younger brother a talkative but otherwise okay kid. But on an ordinary Saturday afternoon, Tottie’s comfortable life is threatened when the doorbell rings. She answers it to find a teenage boy, who looks eerily like her father, standing there. A stranger, but not quite a stranger. His name is Zachary Pearce, and he is her father’s—and not her mother’s—son. Told through the alternating perspectives of Tottie and Zach, Colby Rodowsky’s novel explores the ramifications of a sudden change in the makeup of a family. Fear, resentment, desperation, and potential for love all surface in this honest and heartfelt story.

Nutmeg Gets a Letter. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2003. 24p. (gr ps-3). British Association for Adoption & Fostering (UK). Another story suitable for post-adoption work with children, this book is about contact in adoption. In this story Nutmeg’s birth mother’s letter arrives late for his birthday and he is sad. As with the earlier stories featuring Nutmeg and his family (Nutmeg Gets Adopted and Nutmeg Gets Cross), this new book offers adoptive parents and carers a practical way to help adopted children identify and explore the strong feelings likely to be aroused by contact with their birth families —often triggered by special occasions in the child’s life such as birthdays. The story will again help parents explain to their young adopted child why their first mummy could not look after them and that it is all right to feel both happy and sad when they think about her. The author explores the helpful role of friendships with other adopted children likely to be dealing with the same issues, and also the importance of reassuring the child that their birth mother is herself being looked after. In a separate booklet, practice guidelines written by Hedi Argent plus a feature on contact issues and arrangements written by Judith Foxon will help parents and professionals to get the most out of the story and to deal with the often complex and emotional issues around maintaining links between adopted children and their birth families. The story will help children to understand their own feelings and come to terms with their past and their new family life.

Nutmeg Gets a Little Help. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2005. 28p. (gr ps-3). British Association for Adoption & Fostering (UK). Now Nutmeg is settled with his adoptive family, powerful feelings have resurfaced about his past, which confuse and worry him. Why couldn’t his birth mother look after him? Will he grow up to be cross like his birth father? How can he make sure he doesn’t forget about them? Nutmeg gets a little help from Beth Badger, his social worker. Over several visits, she uses various strategies—including a candle game and the drawing of family trees—to help Nutmeg understand and accept his feelings about his birth parents and his past. His adoptive parents help him to understand his place in his two families. As in the earlier stories (Nutmeg Gets Adopted, Nutmeg Gets Cross and Nutmeg Gets a Letter), this new title offers adoptive parents and social workers a practical way to help adopted children identify and explore the strong feelings likely to be aroused by their past experiences. This book will help parents explain to their young adopted child why their birth parents could not look after them, and shows how good memories from their child’s earlier life can be captured and retained while resolving the bad. The author explores the helpful role of life story work and how this can help a child to come to terms with confusing feelings, acknowledge and make sense of the past, and build a sense of self-worth. Practice guidelines will help to get the most out of the story and to deal with the complex emotional issues surrounding adoption support and life story work.

Nutmeg Gets a Little Sister. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2007. 24p. British Association for Adoption & Fostering. The adventures of Nutmeg, the small red squirrel, continue with this appealing story exploring family relationships, which can be particularly complicated for adopted children. Their adoptive family may include birth children or children who have been previously adopted, older brothers and sisters or younger siblings. This diverse mix can lead to uncertainty, confusion and, if a new child joins the family, a need to re-negotiate family roles. In this story Nutmeg, Poppy and Hops are living happily with their adoptive parents when they hear that their half-sister Pip, who lives with their birth mother Holly, has fallen out of a tree and broken her tail. Mummy Holly can’t keep Pip safe and look after her properly, so Pip needs a new family and is going to be adopted. When Nutmeg’s family decides to adopt Pip themselves the young squirrels are very excited to be getting a new sister, and are eager to meet her and help her to move in. But they are a bit anxious too and have many questions—what will it be like to have a new child in the family? What if she doesn’t like us? Will I have to share my room and toys? Comprehensive practice guidelines, which accompany the book, will help parents and professionals to get the most out of the story and to deal with some of the problems and concerns that could arise when considering sibling adoption. © 2007 BAAF and its suppliers.

Nutmeg Gets Adopted. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2001. 40p. (gr ps-3). British Association for Adoption & Fostering (UK). This book tells the story of Nutmeg, a small red squirrel, and his younger sister and brother who go to live with a new family when their mother is unable to look after them and keep them safe even though she loves them. It offers a practical way in which to help children explore and understand some of the very painful memories that they will have of their early life and may help to dispel the feelings of guilt and responsibility which so many children in the care system carry. A comprehensive set of practice guidelines accompanying this story will help parents and professionals working with children who may be bewildered, upset and angry, to come to terms with their family situation and adjust to a new life.

Nutmeg Gets Cross. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2002. 36p. (gr ps-3). British Association for Adoption & Fostering (UK). This book continues the story of Nutmeg, the small red squirrel who with his younger sister and brother, featured in the popular and well-received Nutmeg Gets Adopted. Suitable for post-adoption work with children, this new story offers a practical way to identify, explore and understand painful feelings that are likely to surface following adoption—often triggered by seemingly happy events such as birthdays or contact with birth siblings, but also due to problems at school such as bullying and being behind their peers. Happily adopted children may at times experience “butterflies in their tummies,” “muddled heads” making it difficult to think clearly, or angry reactions to siblings and friends and destructive impulses—but will be quite unable to explain their behaviour or strong feelings. This story will help parents and professionals working with children in this situation to understand what may be causing them to feel cross, confused and sad and to help them to heal by identifying and exploring possible reasons for their feelings. The benefits of tears, touching gently while talking with your child, and hugging with the whole family are also explained. The colourful illustrations feature the delightful characters of the previous story and while the book can be used simply as a story, it can also be used as a workbook and as a tool for therapy. Again, the text is accompanied by practice guidelines which explain the significance of each stage of the story and thoughts and feelings which may be explored.

Nutmeg Gets Into Trouble. Judith Foxon. Illustrated by Sarah Rawlings. 2006. (gr ps-3). British Association for Adoption & Fostering (UK). The adventures of Nutmeg, the small red squirrel, continue with this engaging story exploring some of the problems that adopted children may have, or may come into contact with, in the school environment. As with the other books in the Nutmeg series, which began with the ever popular Nutmeg gets adopted (BAAF, 2001), this new book offers social workers, adoptive parents and carers a practical way to help adopted children explore their feelings about their circumstances and situations. In this story, Nutmeg is enjoying school but has started having problems since the arrival of Dill, another squirrel, who lives with a foster family. Dill calls people names and bullies the other animals, and Nutmeg gets into trouble for fighting him when trying to protect his friends. But, with the help of his parents, teachers and schoolmates, Nutmeg learns to understand Dill’s difficulties and help him overcome them. Comprehensive practice guidelines, which accompany the book, will help parents and professionals to get the most out of the story and to deal with the often complex issues surrounding settling in at school and establishing relationships with other children. The story will help children to explore their own circumstances and to make sense of their experiences.

Ocean Within, The. VM Caldwell. Illustrated by Erica Magnus. 1999. 236p. (gr 4-7). Milkweed Editions. As the book opens, eleven-year old Elizabeth is on her way to the beach with her new siblings for summer vacation. After six years in the foster care system, Elizabeth has learned to protect herself by not letting other people matter, so that she’s not hurt when she eventually leaves them. The most important thing to her is getting to see the ocean, a dream that has replaced the hope of having a family. By the end of the novel, however, tenacious four-year-old Petey Sheridan’s love and persistence breaks through Elizabeth’s defenses.

Oh, How You Make My Heart Sing!: A Heartfelt Story of Adoption. Beverly Wright. Illustrated by Sherry Morgan Horton. 2007. 32p. (gr ps-3). AuthorHouse. Mama Kitten is faced with the dilema of putting her unborn child up for adoption but wants to be certain that he will go to a special home, a place where he will make hearts sing. After much prayer, an answer comes. She will talk with her friend, Sadie Schnauzer, a childless Christian woman who has always wanted a son, about adopting him. The concept of adoption is explained by using animals as characters in such a way that even three to four-year-old children can understand.

Oliver: A Story About Adoption. Lois Wickstrom. Illustrated by Priscilla Marden. 1991. 32p. Our Child Press. Today is not a good day for Oliver, a lizard-like animal. Because of this, he is angry with his parents. While being punished in his room, he daydreams about his birth parents. He wonders what life would be like if he were still living with them. Of course he imagines that it would be much more exciting than his real life and family. This excellent book was a winner of the 1999 annual “Read, America!” collection.

Once Upon a Wishing Well. Lynda J Straker. 2008. 40p. (gr. ps-3). Xlibris Corp. Children love the bright and colorful pages of a fairytale picture book and easily become immersed in a story that depicts characters and a theme they can understand. In Once Upon A Wishing Well, Lynda J. Straker tackles the issue of adoption in this contemporary fairy tale written and designed for very young readers. Ms. Straker’s book tells the story of King Jeremy and Queen Ella, a young couple who dreams of adopting a child and Queen Angela, a birth mother, who dreams of becoming a ballerina Queen. They all ask for help from the Fairy of the Wishing Well. A charming fantasy book, rooted in the reality of adoption, Once Upon A Wishing Well provides a beautiful pictorial display and simple description of the adoption process that adults can use to discuss with even very young children.

One Beastly Beast: Two Aliens, Three Inventors, Four Fantastic Tales. Garth Nix. Illustrated by Brian Biggs. 2007. 176p. (gr. ps-4). Eos. Rodent video pirates leap out of grated manholes in the opening story of this amusing collection. They’ve snatched Peter’s mother’s DVD, so what’s a kid to do? In other stories, Princess Chlorinda discovers that the beastly beast on the battlements isn’t what it appears to be; Bill the orphan finds out that picking the right parents can be challenging, if not downright dangerous; and Serena, youngest of sixteen siblings with “S” names, finds a little space for herself when she’s transformed into a Penguin maid. About the Author: Garth Nix grew up in Canberra, Australia. Besides being a full-time writer, he has worked as a sales rep, publicist, editor, marketing communications consultant, literary agent, and part-time soldier. He is the author of Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen, the books in the internationally bestselling Abhorsen trilogy, as well as Shade’s Children and The Ragwitch. He now lives in Sydney, a five-minute walk from Coogee Beach, with his wife, Anna, his sons, Thomas and Edward, and lots of books.

101 Ways to Win Homecoming Queen. Marilyn Kaye. 1991. (gr 4-7). (Three of a Kind #6). HarperCollins. Cat’s friend, Marla is feeling really down. Cat wants to help her feel better, so she promises to help her become homecoming queen. But later, Cat finds out that she is nominated too! She has always dreamed of becoming queen, but will she still keep her friends promise? Meanwhile, Becka and Josie have promises of their own to keep. They all learn an important lesson about keeping promises.

One Thing That’s True. Cheryl Foggo. 1998. 128p. (gr 4-7). Kids Can Press. Roxanne Jacob, 13, can’t work out what’s gone wrong with her family. Why are her parents acting so weird, especially with her older brother, Joel? When it turns out that Joel is adopted and that they had kept it secret because of family trouble, Joel runs away. Roxanne is heartbroken and vents her anger not only on her parents but also on her best friend and on the boy she loves. Set in Calgary, Canada, this first novel is told in a fresh, funny, contemporary voice that blends the suspenseful plot about family secrets with Roxanne’s coming-of-age struggles (“Are you, like, in love or something?”). Race and class are part of the story: as one of the few black families in the community, the Jacobs feel part of the mainstream but are always wary of prejudice, which comes especially from the poor white kids and their families. The boyfriend is too perfectly gorgeous, wise, and understanding to be true, but Roxanne and her family are individualized with wit and poignancy. Foggo dramatizes serious issues without sermonizing and captures the joy and muddle of growing up. — Hazel Rochman. © 1998 American Library Association. All rights reserved.

One Wonderful You. Francie Portnoy. Illustrated by Tracy Higgs. 1997. 24p. (gr ps-5). Childrens Home Society of North Carolina Inc. For an adopted child, forming a healthy identity requires incorporating two family legacies into his or her self-definition. One Wonderful You shows how the child is a blend of two families: the physical traits and many of the personality traits that come from the birth family plus the nurturing contributions from the adoptive family, in order to form a complete person. This is a positive, feel-good book for adopted children.

Only the Best. Beverly Lewis. 1998. 128p. (gr 4-7). Bethany House. Jenna is elated when she’s made captain of her gymnastics team. The only problem is that she’s having trouble with her aerial cartwheels—and the next meet is just ten days away.

Orphan Train West Trilogy. Jane Peart. 1990. 576p. Revell. Three novels in one volume: Homeward the Seeking Heart, Quest for Lasting Love, and Dreams of a Longing Heart.

Other Sister, The. S(usan)T(hompson) Underdahl. 2007. 264p. (gr 4-6). Flux. Josey Muller’s regular life—studying with her best friends, planning for the Hollidazzle dance, and gossiping about hot guys—is shaken like a snow globe when her parents drop an A-bomb: she has a sister! Pressured to give up the baby they conceived in high school, her parents are overjoyed to reunite with Audrey. Even Josey’s brothers are cool with it. No longer the only daughter and the “smart one” in the family, Josey struggles to accept her infuriatingly friendly, witty, and talented older sister. But feelings of betrayal and jealousy threaten to boil over when she learns that Audrey is on her way to becoming a psychologist, Josey’s life goal. Just when she’s given up on ever feellike a sister to this stranger, a new side of Audrey is revealed—and their real-life nature versus nurture experiment offers a fresh start for them both. Anout the Author: Susan Thompson Underdahl is a North Dakota native who likes to believe she does not have any trace of a Midwestern accent. She once had an eight year friendship with a ghost, and she can occasionally breathe underwater, but not on command. During the weekdays, she is a neuropsychologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of dementia and brain injury. On evenings and weekends, she is the keeper of one daughter, two sons, and three stepdaughters, in addition to two cats and two dogs, and one husband. On her lunch hours, she writes. The Other Sister is her first novel.

Otherworldlies, The. Jennifer Anne Kogler. 2009. 400p. (gr 4-7). HarperTeen. From Kirkus Reviews: Twelve-year-old Fern has always been unusual, but when she accidentally teleports out of an unpleasant classroom, she discovers she is an Unusual. Fern’s extreme sun allergy, pointy canines and dark hair are all normal for a vampire-or Otherworldly, as she learns the magical beings like to be called. Though Fern has grown up in an extremely ordinary adoptive human family, she’s anything but run-of-the-mill herself. Fern is one of the Unusual Eleven, a group of Otherworldly children with special abilities and important destinies. Fern and her beloved (and human) foster brother Sam are soon embroiled in a political battle against Vlad, leader of the evil Otherworldlies. Fern and Sam take the magical underworld of the Otherworldlies, composed of an unexpectedly bland bureaucracy informed by classical and European mythology, by storm. Despite plot threads that don’t quite hang together and some awkward turns of phrase, Fern’s story will readily please young vampire fans. About the Author: Jennifer Anne Kogler is also the author of Ruby Tuesday, which started as her senior thesis at Princeton University. Born and raised in California, she is the youngest sibling to six brothers and a sister and currently attends Stanford Law School.

Our Twitchy. Kes Gray. Illustrated by Mary McQuillan. 2003. 32p. (gr ps-3). Holt, Henry Books for Young Readers. “We’ve always been your mom and pop. And you’ll always be our Twitchy!” “Pop,” said Twitchy, “why don’t you and Mom hop like I do?” Twitchy and his parents live in a burrow and munch on carrots, just like any bunny family. But when Twitchy wonders why he doesn’t look like his parents, the answer surprises him. How can the three of them truly be a family if they’re not really the same? With lots of love (and plenty of carrots) Twitchy’s parents show him that they are indeed a family after all. This sweet, funny adoption story will appeal to children and parents alike.

Out for Good: The Adventures of Panda & Koala. Thierry Dedieu. Illustrated by the author. 1999. 32p. (gr ps-3). Doubleday. Panda and Koala are bored, so they decide to adopt a goldfish as their new friend. Despite their friendship kisses (deposited on the fish bowl’s glass), though, the fish is unhappy, and leaps out of the bowl in frustration. The two fuzzy friends decide that the best solution is to set the goldfish free. In the picture-book version of acclimatization, they start the fish out in the bathtub, proceed to a swimming pool, and eventually set it free in the deep blue sea. Panda and Koala are portrayed in bold strokes of poster paint, looking cuddly and slightly befuddled. Unlike their maneuvers in Hunting for Fur, Panda and Koala’s quest is as endearing as many of the plans of children, with some of the same drawbacks; they add salt to the bath water to prepare their fish for the saline ocean, which would kill a real goldfish. A fun book to readbut don’t encourage children to try the salt trick at home. — From Kirkus Reviews. ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Out of the Blue. Sarah Ellis. 1995. 120p. (gr 5-9). Margaret K McElderry Books. The shock not only comes out of the blue, but it also casts a blue haze over 12-year-old Megan’s perfect life. When her mother announces that she has rediscovered the child she had at 17 and gave up for adoption, everyone but Megan seems thrilled. When Natalie, now a 24-year-old Ph.D student in astronomy, invites the family to be part of her wedding, Mom becomes crazed with catering plans, 5-year-old sister Betsy is excited at being a flower girl, and Dad is supportive. Megan struggles with her emotions, searching for a “sense of family and self” at their island cottage, which is filled with generations of memories and serves as a reflective backdrop. When she finds a Japanese fishing float, it becomes a symbol for her confused state and a resolution for her feelings. Finely crafted characterizations convey Megan’s resentment, Betsy’s precociousness, and Mom’s preoccupation with melding present and past. Experience and emotion are interwoven in poignant descriptions like “she stayed inside herself like peanut butter in a jar.” Another portrayal of a contemporary family forced to refocus, written by an author who is in touch with real life and relationships.— Julie Cummins, New York Public Library (School Library Journal)

Painted Warriors & Wild Lions. Gilbert Morris. 2001. 128p. (Adventures of the Kerrigan Kids #1: Travels in Africa). (gr 4-7). Moody Press.

Parents Wanted. George Harrar. Illustrated by Dan Murphy. 2001. 320p. (gr 4-7). Millweed Editions. When 12-year-old Andy meets Laurie and Jeff at an adoption party, he has already been in eight foster homes. Andy’s alcoholic mother has given him up to the state as too hard to handle, and his father is in jail. Andy longs for a loving home and parents he can trust, but his attention deficit disorder, combined with the legacy of his dysfunctional parents, causes him to constantly challenge authority. He steals, destroys property, gets in trouble at school, tries to make a gunpowder bomb, and accuses Jeff, his soon-to-be father, of touching him inappropriately. To make matters worse, Andy’s real father shows up asking for money. But Andy’s new parents refuse to give up on him, and Andy must fight to save his soon-to-be-father’s reputation and his own chance at having a real family.

Paula, the Waldensian. Eva Lecomte. Translated by WM Strong. 1942. 191p. (gr 4-7). Loizeaux Brothers. Into the home of an interesting but self-centered family in old France comes Paula, a young orphaned cousin, from the little village of Villar, in the Waldensian Valley. Though living very simply, tending cows, goats, sheep and rabbits, Paula has been brought up to know and love the Lord Jesus and read the Scriptures. Her Lord and His Word are the center of her life, and she can no more keep this good news all to herself than she can stop breathing or eating. This causes a good many complications, for her cousins’ home was one where “religion” was a forbidden subject, never to be mentioned, and Paula soon found herself forbidden to read her own precious Bible. Paula’s loving obedience, her happy friendliness and charm, her overflowing lvoe for everybody she meets, win the hearts of all, family and neighbours alike, and cause many a change in that little French village on the road from Rouen to Darnetal. Originally written in French, translated into Spanish, and thence into English.

Pawns. Willo Davis Roberts. 1998. 160p. (gr 5-7). Atheneum. From School Library Journal: Roberts once again proves her craftsmanship in this tale of mystery and intrigue. Teddi, 14, has lived with her neighbor Mamie for several months since her mother’s death and her father’s suicide. The two have developed a close relationship, especially since the recent death of Mamie’s son Ricky in a plane crash. Then a very pregnant Dora arrives, purporting to be Ricky’s wife. This news shocks Mamie as she didn’t know her son had married. Still, she welcomes Dora and the baby with hope and open arms. Teddi, though, finds herself doubting the young woman’s story and decides she must try to find out what’s going on, knowing that what she uncovers may hurt Mamie. With the help of Jason, a new friend and neighbor, she investigates. Roberts blends the elements of mystery and suspense, a budding romance, and coming to terms with traumatic events of the past into a taut, well-constructed plot. Teddi’s desire to protect her caregiver makes her a worthy heroine. Mamie’s strength and humaneness as she faces Dora’s arrival, the birth of her “grandson,” and the discovery and aftermath of the betrayal provide a fully realized adult character often missing in young adult fiction. With its strong story line and well-defined characters, this novel is sure to be popular. — Janet Hilbun, Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX. © 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Peace Child, The. Ann Phillips. Illustrated by Tudor Humphries. 1988. 160p. (YA). Oxford University Press. In order to end a long-standing blood fued, two 14th Century English families agree to an exchange of children at birth. When 10-year-old Alys discovers that she was the “peace child,” she embarks on a journey to find her real parents in London.

Peace, Locomotion. Jacqueline Woodson. 2009. 144p. (gr 4-7). Penguin Group. Twelve-year-old Lonnie is finally feeling at home with his foster family. But because he’s living apart from his little sister, Lili, he decides it’s his job to be the “rememberer”—and write down everything that happens while they’re growing up. Lonnie’s musings are bittersweet; he’s happy that he and Lili have new families, but though his new family brings him joy, it also brings new worries. With a foster brother in the army, concepts like Peace have new meaning for Lonnie. Told through letters from Lonnie to Lili, this thought-provoking companion to Jacqueline Woodson’s National Book Award finalist Locomotion (1993) tackles important issues in captivating, lyrical language. Lonnie’s refl ections on family, loss, love and peace will strike a note with readers of all ages. About the Author: Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults, is the author of Newbery Honor winners Feathers and Show Way, Miracle’s Boys (recipient of a Coretta Scott King Award and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize), Locomotion and Hush (both National Book Award finalists), among many others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Pedro & Mac. Patricia McCune Irvine. 2000. 128p. (gr 7-9). Writers Club Press. This is the story of Maclovio Lopez and Peter Scott, both eleven, during one summer at Big Bay Island. Maclovio, of Mexican descent, is a foster child in the Scott home. For different reasons, each boy is wary of the other, feels threatened by the other, and each in turn is defensive and aggressive. Their angers, frustrations and torments, as well as their devotion to T-Bone, the beautiful collie dog, plus their fun adventures to a dangerous jetty, an old “castle,” foggy dunes and a deserted canal, eventually bring them to mutual understanding and respect. Both come to realize they are not so different under the skin after all, and each has finally earned the trust of the other. They are at last friends.

Penny. Beatrice Schenk De Regniers. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 1966. Viking. A little girl, no bigger than a penny is adopted by an elderly couple who try and find her a spouse but she rebels and finds her own.

Penny & Peter. Written & Illustrated by Carolyn Haywood. 1946. 160p. (gr 1-5). Harcourt, Brace & World. When Penny’s parents decide to adopt Peter, the two new brothers decide to do everything they can to help their parents. From painting the bedroom blue, to going fishing or getting a sweet surprise, the boys get into twice as much trouble—but they also have twice the fun! About the Author: Carolyn Haywood was born January 3, 1898 in Philadelphia, PA. She attended the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts where she studied under such noted artists and illustrators as Jessie Wilcox Smith. She worked as a teacher, portrait painter and mural artist before publishing her first book for children, When I Grow Up, in 1931. In 1939, Carolyn Haywood published “B” Is for Betsy, the first book in her “Betsy” series. The book was very successful with children, and critics praised the book, and others in the series, for the author’s “imaginative yet wholesome situations,” “simple, natural style” of writing and for how she “captured children’s speech and interactions.” In 1947, she published Little Eddie, a book that told of young Eddie, a rambunctious little boy who would prove as endearing as Betsy. Like the “Betsy” books, this series also dealt with experiences children could relate to: school events, interactions with friends. Carolyn Haywood illustrated most of the books in both series and her drawings are also noted for their simplicity. In 1956, she received the Boy’s Club of America Junior Books Award for Eddie and His Big Deeds (1955), and later won the Utah Children’s Book Award, in 1981, for the body of the work. Carolyn Haywood died on January 11, 1990 in Philadelphia. By the Same Author: Here’s a Penny (1944) and Penny Goes to Camp (1948) (below).

Penny Goes to Camp. Written & Illustrated by Carolyn Haywood. 1948. 191p. William Morrow & Co. Penny and his adopted brother Peter spend the summer at camp.

Penny Maybe. Kathleen Martin. 1999. 200p. Second Story Press. It’s a name I chose because I am never really sure of anything or anyone, especially myself. So says Penny Maybe, a vulnerable but gutsy teenager who has spent most of her life in and out of foster care. As the story opens, Penny is on the threshold of what promises to be yet another tragedy. She’s been placed in a foster home with a warring couple and she’s fallen in love with a young man who is certain to reject her. Undeterred, Penny salvages her spirit by focusing on an impossible challenge: swimming Lake Ontario. In this novel, readers will find themselves cheering on Penny as she struggles to meet both the challenges of the lake and of life itself. Her many foibles and ironic insights, filtered through a surprisingly mature sensibility, provide an entertaining and humorous read. — Dust Jacket

Penultimate Peril, The. Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 2005. 368p. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #12). (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. After any harrowing struggle, it is nice to consider checking into a hotel for a rest. In fact, this might be just the break Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire could use after their wearying deep-sea adventure. A hotel can be a good choice for any family vacation. With so many floors, such a variety of rooms, and a curious array of guests, spending time in the safety of the right hotel can be the perfect learning environment for children of any age. A keen researcher like Klaus, an adept inventor like Violet, and a sharp-toothed culinary master like Sunny are all sure to find engaging diversions during their stay. Regardless of how they pass their time while at a hotel, the three siblings will be sure to take in all the interesting sights and sounds—and write them down—just in case this episode turns out to be the darkest yet in a series of unfortunate events.

Perfectly Made: Pickle & Peanut. KJ Adams. 2009. 16p. (gr ps-3). Total Publishing & Media.

Permanent Rose. Halary McKay. 2005. 234p. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. While trying to reconnect with her friend Tom, who has returned to the United States without leaving a forwarding address, eight-year-old Rose inadvertently discovers the identity of her adopted sister Saffy’s father.

Phoebe’s Family: A Story About Egg Donation. Linda Stamm, PsyD. 2003. 16p. (gr ps-7). A first of it’s kind! This book is written for children to explain the process of egg donation. Phoebe’s Family is a heartfelt story that addresses the egg donor process with sensitivity and clarity. This book addresses some of the questions which are often asked by children in a gentle, patient manner. The mother in this story guides her daughter through the process step-by-step with explanations of procedures and defining words within all phases of this subject matter. This book illustrates that through open communication and honesty, even the toughest conversations can be the most memorable and life worthwhile. I highly recommend this book to parents who have children through egg donation or for future parents who may be contemplating parenthood through egg donation.

Pictures of Hollis Woods. Patricia Reilly Giff. 2004. 176p. (gr 4-7). Wendy Lamb Books. Hollis Woods has been in so many foster homes she can hardly remember them all. She even runs away from the Regans, the one family who offers her a home. When Hollis is sent to Josie, an elderly artist who is quirky and affectionate, she wants to stay. But Josie is growing more forgetful every day. If Social Services finds out, they’ll take Hollis away and move Josie into a home. Well, Hollis Woods won’t let anyone separate them. She’s escaped the system before; this time, she plans to take Josie with her. Yet behind all her plans, Hollis longs for her life with the Regans, fixing each moment of her time with them in pictures she’ll never forget.

Pinballs, The. Betsy Byars. 1977. 144p. (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. Carlie knows she’s got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she’s just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own Iives.

Pinky & Rex & the New Baby. James Howe. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. 1993. 39p. Atheneum. Rex’s parents are adopting a baby, and Rex doesn’t like the idea at all. Suppose her parents are so busy with the new baby they forget about her? So she comes up with a plan. If she can be the perfect big sister, her parents will have to pay attention to her. The trouble is, being the perfect big sister is a lot of work, and it doesn’t leave time for much else—like her best friend, Pinky.

Pity Party, The: 8th Grade in the Life of Me, Cass. Alison Pollet. 2005. 160p. (gr 5-8). Orchard Books. From School Library Journal: In this sequel to Nobody Was Here, readers get to know Penelope Schwartzbaum’s friend Cass better. Orphaned when she was eight, she lives with her beloved guardian, Bea, and attends a New York City private school. Cass is devastated when she discovers that she does not have classes with her two best friends. While she is at first horrified that troublemaker Rod Punkin sits behind her in English class, the two eventually develop a friendship, and she begins to understand herself and why he is the way he is. She is able to come to terms with her parents’ death, accept the benefits of counseling, and gain a sense of belonging. Inventive details, such as Cass’s word lists, the comforting rhyming games she remembers playing with her mother, and the warm support of her art-collecting guardian and psychoanalyst aunt make this a first-rate purchase. Multi-layered characters inhabit this complex, thoughtful book that beautifully hones in on middle-school friendships. — Debbie Stewart Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Place for Jeremy, A. Patricia Hermes. 1987. HBJ. Sequel to: What If They Knew? Novel for young readers about an 11-year-old girl whose life is disrupted by the parent’s adoption of a baby sister from overseas.

Place in My Heart, A. Mary Grossnickle. Illustrated by Alison Relyea. 2006. 32p. (gr ps-3). Speaking of Adoption. Charlie was adopted, and he wonders about the same things that many adopted children think about. What do my birth parents look like? Do they think about me? Can I give them a place in my heart? A Place in My Heart reassures your children that it’s okay to ask those questions. Reading A Place in My Heart with your children gives you an opportunity to discuss adoption, birth parents, and the fact that our hearts are big enough to hold everyone we care about.

Place to Belong, A. Joan Lowery Nixon. 1989. 147p. (The Orphan Train Adventures Series #4). (YA). Bantam Books. The Orphan Train Quartet follows the story of the six Kelly children, whose widowed mother has sent them west from New York City in 1856 because she realizes she cannot give them the life they dereve. Danny and his younger sister Peg feel lucky to be adopted by kind Alfrid and Olga Swenson in St. Joseph, Missouri. But when Olga dies suddenly, the children fear they will lose their wonderful new family. Danny come up with an ingenious plan so they won’t be separated, and which might even bring his real family back together. Then Danny runs into a phony doctor he knew from New York City, who recofgnizes him. Can Danny protect himself and those he loves from the evil doctor and still make his plan work?

Pollyanna Grows Up. Eleanor H(odgman) Porter. 1915. 308p. LC Page & Co.  

Pretty House That Found Happiness, The. Eleanor Eisenberg. Illustrated by Betsy Warren. 1964. 31p. Steck-Vaughn Co. A man and a woman living in a pretty house find that both they and the house are much happier after they adopt a little boy.

Princess Vika’s Forever Family. Mary Eklund. 2006. 48p. AuthorHouse. This is a story about adoption. Both sides, that of the orphaned little girl and the adoptive parents, who have a story to tell that in the end becomes the story of both. The story portrays a dream within a dream and dreams that overlap. Distance, language, and culture cannot seperate these hearts that long to become a true family; where each becomes the other’s dream turned into reality. The wonderous love of God is seen as he works out the rough spots and opens doors to breach the distance that brings them together. You will be touched by the story and its sweetness and simplicity. About the Author: Mary Eklund resides in Califonia with her husband Kenneth Eklund. She is a 1991 graduate of Stanislaus State, Turlock, Califonia. Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She enjoys writing stories for children and writing poetry. She is a published author and one of her poems, “Loving Sunshine,” appeared in the 1997 issue of the National Library of Poetry. Mary and her husband were foster parents for three years as well as raising children of their own.

Prom. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2005. 224p. (YA). Viking Juvenile. High school senior Ashley Hannigan doesn’t care about prom, but she’s the exception. It’s pretty much the only good thing at her urban Philadelphia high school, and everyone plans to make the most of it—especially Ash’s best friend, Natalia, who’s the head of the committee. Then the faculty advisor is busted for taking the prom money, and Ash suddenly finds herself roped into putting together a gala dance out of absolutely nada. But she has help—from her large and loving (if exasperating!) family, from Nat’s eccentric grandmother, from her fellow classmates. And in putting the prom together, Ash learns that she has choices about her life after high school. Prom has everything that award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for-humor, poignancy, teen readers’ tough issues dealt with head-on, and a voice teen readers will recognize as their own. About the Author: Laurie Halse Anderson (www.writerlady.com) lives outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Promise Song. Linda Holeman. 1997. 266p. (gr. 5-8). Tundra Books. In 1900, 14-year-old Rosetta and her younger sister, Flora, arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia, part of a group of English orphans hoping to make new lives in Canada. Although Rosetta has promised they will stay together, a farm family adopts Flora and the melancholy Thomases secure Rosetta’s services as an indentured servant. Rosetta tries to find her sister until Mr. Thomas confiscates all her money, making it impossible for the two to correspond. Eventually, Rosetta and the timid Mrs. Thomas establish a tentative bond that enables both to break away and follow their dreams. The theme and setting make this title a likely choice for fans of Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables books. Although Rosetta’s experiences are darker than Anne’s, both girls exhibit a spirited determination that allows them to succeed, despite the cards life has dealt them. — Kay Weisman, Booklist, Copyright © 1997, American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Pugnose Has Two Special Families. Karis Kurzel. 1996. 16p. (gr ps-k). R-Squared.

Puzzle, The. Tracy Lynn Beal. Illustrated by Charles E. Cunningham. 2008. 17p. PublishAmerica. The Puzzle is a story about being adopted and fitting perfectly into your family, just like the missing piece of a puzzle.

Pyxx. Robert Wahl. Illustrated by the Author. 1989. 32p. Price Stern Sloan. On Tangled Hill lived the wild children who dressed in leaves and vines and followed their own leads for things to do. But one by one, the wild children leave the hill to join the civilized world and leave their magical powers to the only one who stays behind: Pyxx—a Peter Pan-like sprite who remains behind to live in the hearts of all children, that they never become too tame.

Queen of Dreamland, The. Ingrid Tomey. 1996. 179p. (gr 7 up). Atheneum. After she discovers her birth mother, 14-year-old Julie is torn between her feelings for the parents who adopted her and the Queen of Dreamland.

Rain & I. Dorris Heffron. 1982. 157p. (gr 6 up). Macmillan Children’s Books (Canada). Rain and Apple were sisters, but with a difference. Apple was the natural daughter of Jim and Dot Pickford, and Rain had been adopted. Ever since the two girls had been babies, Dot had told them an exciting story about Rain’s ancestors. They were chieftains of the Micmacs, a proud and noble people who lived in Canada. About the Author: Dorris Heffron was born in Noranda, Quebec and was raised in various Ontario communities, including Toronto. She has an Honours B.A. and an M.A. in Literature and Philosophy from Queen’s University. She lived in Oxford, England from 1968-1980, where she was a Tutor for Oxford University and The Open University, giving courses in Literature. While there, she wrote three novels about teenagers which are regarded as pioneers in the genre of young adult fiction. They were translated and put on high school courses in Europe, Japan and Canada. She has taught creative writing at The University of Malaysia, travelled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America, and resided while writing and teaching, in Holland, France and Cape Breton Island. Heffron returned to Toronto in 1980 and served on the National Council of The Writers’ Union, on the Executive of PEN Canada and on the Board of Directors of The Native Men’s Residence. She was writer-in-residence at Wainfleet Public Library and is currently Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of The Writers’ Union and serves on the Toronto Arts Council. Dorris Heffron lives in Toronto and Beaver Valley with her husband Donald Gauer. They have four children. (Photo: 1995, Barbara Nettleton)

Rainbabies, The. Laura Kraus Melmed. Illustrated by Jim Lamarche. 1992. 32p. (gr ps-3). Lothrop Lee & Shepard. In the magic of a Moonshower, a childless couple find a dozen tiny babies in the grass. Small enough to rock to sleep in a pair of wooden shoes, the chidren never grow. Through troubles, the old couple’s love never waivers and in the end they are rewarded with their heart’s desire.

Rainbow Maker. Bonnie Joy Eagleheart. 1998. 40p. Newport Books. As Katelyn snuggled close to her adoptive mother, she looked up and said, “`I know why I’m special.” The four-year-old then told her mother about how she had been especially chosen to be her daughter. This beautifully illustrated, full-color children’s book about open adoption was inspired by that night. The Baby Angel Katelyn, on the Rainbow Brigade, is chosen to become the child of a very special woman. The author takes the true story of her child’s adoption and spins it into a tale that all children will understand. As a writer of self-help books for adults, Bonnie Eagleheart has turned a difficult situation for children into a beautiful story that any child, aged 6—10, can read and understand either about themselves or a friend. Rainbow Maker teaches all children, whether adopted or not, that they are special. Bonnie Joy Eagleheart is a writer of self-help and metaphysical books. She lives with her daughter, Katelyn, in Colorado. — Excerpted from Newport Books’ website

Raspberry House Blues. Linda Holeman. 2000. 192p. (gr 4-7). Tundra Books. Poppy is on an odyssey. Her adoptive mother has taken off to find herself, so Poppy decides to live with her adoptive father, his new wife, Calypso, and their toddler, Sandeep, in a ramshackle rasp-berry-colored house. At first Poppy is distressed by the disordered household, which is unlike anything she has ever known, but soon it becomes a jumping-off point for her search for her birth mother. Poppy discovers a great many things in the course of her search. She finds a kindred spirit in a strange, sickly woman named Becca, and an unexpected connection with the hippy, Calypso. But most of all, she finds a part of herself she didn?t even know was missing. About the Author: Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Linda Holeman had always dreamed of becoming an author. Her first writing success came when she was in grade 5. A story she had written was aired on the CBC radio program “Story Broadcast Journal” and she still has a copy of the booklet it was published in. Her career has included stints as a classroom and resource teacher and an adult workshop instructor. Her first published work as an adult was a collection of short stories called Saying Good-bye in 1995. She is the author of Frankie on the Run, a picture book, and Flying to Yellow and The Devil’s Darning Needle, two collections of short stories for adults. Her fiction and non-fiction pieces have appeared in numerous anthologies. Both Promise Song, her first young adult novel, and Mercy’s Birds, her second, were selected for Books for the Teen Age lists by The New York Public Library. Her third YA novel, Raspberry House Blues, was published in Fall 2000 to excellent reviews. All three novels feature strong female teen protagonists and have been praised for the true representation of character, and especially, dialogue. Search of the Moon King’s Daughter is a new work of historical fiction, already being well received. Linda Holeman lives in Winnipeg.

Raven Summer. David Almond. 2009. 208p. (YA). Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Liam and his friend Max are playing in their neighborhood when the call of a bird leads them out into a field beyond their town. There, they find a baby lying alone atop a pile of stones—with a note pinned to her clothing. Mystified, Liam brings the baby home to his parents. They agree to take her in, but police searches turn up no sign of the baby’s parents. Finally they must surrender the baby to a foster family, who name her Allison. Visiting her in Northumberland, Liam meets Oliver, a foster son from Liberia who claims to be a refugee from the war there, and Crystal, a foster daughter. When Liam’s parents decide to adopt Allison, Crystal and Oliver are invited to her christening. There, Oliver tells Liam about how he will be slaughtered if he is sent back to Liberia. The next time Liam sees Crystal, it is when she and Oliver have run away from their foster homes, desperate to keep Oliver from being sent back to Liberia. In a cave where the two are hiding, Liam learns the truth behind Oliver’s dark past—and is forced to ponder what all children are capable of. About the Author: David Almond won the Printz Award for his novel, Kit’s Wilderness, and a Printz Honor for Skellig. He lives in England with his partner and their daughter.

Ready-Made Family. Frances Salomon Murphy. Illustrated by Mabel Jones Woodbury. 1953. 184p. (gr 4-7). Crowell. After spending the past few years in an orphanage, 12-year-old Hedwig Kowalski and her younger siblings find out they’re finally going to live in a real home with new parents. It seems like a dream come true...after the death of their mother, disappearance of their father, and being tossed around to the homes of various relatives who were indifferent to them, Hedy, Mary Rose and Peter are going to live with Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy, a childless couple who seem thrilled to have a “ready-made family.” But adjusting to a new life isn’t easy. Hedy finds herself shrinking before her classmates, as the only girl in the small town who lives with foster parents. They still have to please their social worker, and there never seems to be enough money for all the things they need...let alone braces for Hedy, who is ashamed of her crooked teeth as she grows older and more self-aware. The worst problem is Peter, who has learned to fight and argue as a defense mechanism against all the people who mistreated him during his past. When money suddenly disappears, Hedy is afraid that Pete will ruin the chance for all the Kowalskis to finally have a home of their own.

Real For Sure Sister. Ann Angel. 72p. (gr 3-6). 1988. Perspectives Press. A racially mixed family of adopted siblings prepares for the arrival of a biracial baby named Stevi.

Real Hannah Green, The: An Orphan Train Story. Kathleen Muldoon. Illustrated by Sue Cornelison. 2003. 64p. (gr 4-7). Perfection Learning. The latest title in Kathleen M. Muldoon’s “Orphan Train” series, The Real Hannah Green tells the story of a young girl in the “orphan train” program who winds up with a Texas family. Her veterinarian foster father is cold and distant at first, but when a deadly disease spreads among Texas cattle, Hannah and her foster father must help the suspicious and stubborn populace learn new ways of caring for their animals and containing the sickness. Other Orphan Train titles include: Champion of The Cornfield; The Copper King; The Road Home; and Join Hands & Sing.

Real Sisters. Susan Wright. Illustrated by Bo-Kim Louie. 1995. 24p. (gr ps-5). Gynergy Books/Ragweed Press. After seven-year-old Claire, who’s shite and adopted, switches schools, the other kids at her new school tease her about the differences between her and her older sister, Jennifer, who’s black. This causes Claire to reflect on what makes sisters really sisters. She thinks aboout all of the things she and Jennifer do together, which are the same things that all sisters do together, and so she decides that, regardless of what anyone else may think, they are “real” sisters.

Recycling George. Stephen Roos. 2002. 144p. (gr 3-7) Simon & Schuster. In this slender but expressively written story that is full of agile observations yet strangely lacking in emotional reality, a poor boy moves in with a rich classmate and his family, enjoys the good life, then realizes that staying on involves a sacrifice he isn’t willing to make. George Honiker, who is in sixth grade, lives in a tiny cramped space in a trailer park with his very pregnant sister and her husband Karl. Karl works in the local mill, which is both the backbone of the town’s economy and its biggest polluter, “transforming a thousand gallons of clean water into poison every sixty seconds.” When environmental activists force the mill to close, Karl and George’s sister are gone by the end of day-Karl has found a new job that starts immediately-leaving George some money and instructions to follow. Instead, George accepts an invitation to move in with Rennie Whitfield, the richest boy in town. George loves living in luxury, and soon Rennie’s idiosyncratic grandmother offers to adopt him, hoping to recycle him from his poor trash background into a gentleman. George, realizing the deal requires him to give up his family and identity, declines her invitation before moving back with his sister. The elegance of the writing can’t hide the fact that the Whitfield clan operates on a psychological plane that’s devoid of human authenticity, and George’s deep attachment to his family is not adequately rendered. So his final decision doesn’t have the emotional gravitas and air of inevitability this graceful book deserves. — From Kirkus Reviews

Red Eagle, Buffalo Bill’s Adopted Son. M O’Moran. Illustrated by Charles Hargens. 1948. 212p. (gr 4-9). JB Lippincott. “O’Moran ... writes with directness and moving simplicity,” in this true story of a Choctaw boy adopted by Buffalo Bill Cody in the 1870s.

Red Thread, The: An Adoption Fairy Tale. Grace Lin. 2007. 28p. (gr ps to 3). Albert Whitman & Company. There is an ancient Chinese belief that an invisible, unbreakable red thread connects all those who are destined to be together. A king and queen rule a beautiful and peaceful land. They should be full of joy and contentment, but they both feel a strange pain that worsens every day. Then a peddler’s magic spectacles reveal a red thread pulling at each of their hearts. The king and queen know they must follow the thread—wherever it may lead. Grace Lin’s lovely adoption fairy tale is for all children—and the parents who would search the world to find them. About the Author: Grace Lin, who lives in Massachusetts, previously illustrated The Seven Chinese Sisters written by Kathy Tucker. This is the first book Ms. Lin has written for Albert Whitman.

Refugee Boy. Benjamin Zephaniah. 2001. 213p. (gr 7-9). Heinemann Educational Publishers (UK). Walk in the shoes of Alem and you will learn what it’s like to be a boy without a country. Alem’s father is Ethiopian and his mother Eritrean, and as long as these two countries are at war, Alem’s family is not welcome in either place. So Alem’s father does what at first seems unthinkable—he leaves Alem in England, alone, in the hope that he will find safety as a refugee. Though the Refugee Council in London takes Alem’s case, through the legal processing, finding a foster family, and entering school, it is Alem’s courageous and caring character that wins him the friends, the respect, and ultimately, the legal permission to stay in England and start his own, new life. About the Author: Benjamin Zephaniah is a British performance poet of Jamaican descent and travels on literary world tours for the British Council. Benjamin cannot remember a time he was not creating poetry. He believes that working with human rights groups, animal rights groups and other political organizations means that he will never lack subject matter. He currently lives in England.

Reptile Room, The. Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 208p. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2). (gr 4-7). HarperCollins. The Reptile Room begins where Lemony Snicket’s The Bad Beginning ends ... on the road with the three orphaned Baudelaire children as they are whisked away from the evil Count Olaf to face “an unknown fate with some unknown relative.” But who is this Dr. Montgomery, their late father’s cousin’s wife’s brother? “Would Dr. Montgomery be a kind person? they wondered. Would he at least be better than Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?” He certainly is not worse, and in fact when the Baudelaire children discover that he makes coconut cream cakes, circles the globe looking for snakes to study, and even plans to take them with him on his scientific expedition to Peru, the kids can’t believe their luck. And, if you have read the first book in this Series of Unfortunate Events, you won’t believe their luck either. Despite the misadventures that befall these interesting, intelligent, resourceful orphans, you can trust that the engaging narrator will make their story—suspenseful and alarming as it is—a true delight. The Wide Window is next, and more are on their way. — Karin Snelson

Returnable Girl. Pamela Lowell. 2006. 240p. (gr 8 up). Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. From School Library Journal: Veronica Hautman is 13 and unsettled. Since her mother left two years ago, she has been in a succession of foster families, including an uncle and a religious but selfish aunt. Now she is living with a new foster mother, a child psychologist who is willing to tackle Ronnie’s lying, stealing, and violent outbursts. Through diary entries, the girl relates her conflicted feelings toward, and sporadic long-distance interactions with, her mother; her growing love for and desire to be good for the first authority figure to care for her; and a complex peer environment. By creating a truly believable teenage narrative voice and a fully realized cast of characters, Lowell offers an engrossing, well-plotted, and impressive read. Each character, from Ronnie’s depressed and self-destructive neighbor to the motorcycle-riding youth minister, struggles with very human challenges and plays a meaningful role in the girl’s growth. Difficult issues–betrayal, depression, emotional abuse–are handled without melodrama or sensationalism. Ultimately, the novel celebrates the resilience of both teens and adults, the bonds formed in healing, and the journeys taken in finding and following one’s heart. Readers will feel they have traveled the physical and emotional distance with Ronnie, and will find comfort and hope in the story’s resolution. — Riva Pollard, The Winsor School Library, Boston; © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Visit the author’s website.

Rewind. William Sleator. 1999. 120p. (gr 4-7). Dutton Books. You only live once. Or do you? Maybe—just maybe—it’s not that simple. When Peter runs out in the street and gets killed by a car, he is greeted in the afterlife by a voice that shares the opportunity of a lifetime. It gives him the chance to try again: Peter can go back to any point during his past life, begin from there, and work to change events so that he doesn’t wind up under that car. Best of all, he gets to remember everything as he goes along. The first time he goes back, he thinks it’s a cinch. The second time, he figures he should be a little more careful—he doesn’t know how many chances he’ll be given. Maybe he needs to confront a few old issues—like breaking through to his adoptive parents, standing up to the school bully, and learning how to trust his own talents. But the clock is already ticking. Can Peter really manage to change his whole life in time to prevent his own tragic—and final—death?

Riddle of Baby Rosalind, The. Angela Elwell Hunt. 1993. (Nikki Holland Mystery Series No. 9). Thomas Nelson. Nicki and her friends expected a normal flight home from Ireland until Lara meets a woman in the airport and offers to watch her baby. When the woman fails to board the plane with the girls, Laura and Nicki find a note in the baby’s diaper bag. Did the mother really abandon the child? Was the woman in the airport really the baby’s mother or a kidnapper? Nicki and her friends have only eight hours to find answers to their questions about the baby in their care.

Riding the Universe. Gaby Triana. 2009. 272p. (gr 7 up). HarperTeen. From Publishers Weekly: The narrator of this uneven novel, 17-year-old Chloé Rodriguez, lives with her supportive adoptive parents, her twin baby brothers and her beloved Harley Davidson, “Lolita”—a gift from her late uncle Seth. At school, she is assigned a peer tutor, the enigmatic Gordon, to avoid failing chemistry. Though she is still reeling from her uncle’s death and insists that “keeping safe from any more heartbreak is my main goal,” she and Gordon begin dating. Chloé initially finds some happiness with Gordon, but their relationship is volatile. And then there is her best friend, Rock, who is interested in taking their friendship a step further. Triana (The Temptress Four) has created a well-rounded character in Chloé, from her biker chick persona to her tendency to make up portmanteau words (girlgoyle, fathomystic), but she falls short in describing Chloé’s feelings about her adoption and her attempts to find her birth parents. When secrets surrounding her adoption are brought to light, the revelation seems anticlimactic. Nevertheless, the novel is well-paced and themes of family, romance and identity should resonate. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Author: Gaby Triana is the author of the critically acclaimed Backstage Pass and Cubanita. She lives in Miami, FL, with her husband and their four children.

Riding the Waves. Theresa Tomlinson. 1993. 144p. (gr 6-9). MacMillan Pub Co. In an English seaside town, Matt befriends an elderly woman who helps him fulfill his dream of surfing and learn to accept his having been adopted.

Right to Be Wanted, Right to Be Loved. John L Perry. 2004. 52p. Xlibris Corporation. Right to Be Wanted, Right to Be Loved is intended for reading by parents to help children understand adoption before entering school, where they may otherwise hear of it first on the playground. The author appreciates that receiving this information is likely to be an unsettling experience for children—just as imparting it is not always easy for adopting parents, either. Nor is Right to Be Wanted, Right to Be Loved intended just for adopted children and adopting parents. It is suited as well for assisting all parents and all children to understand the power and value of love that can underlie the adopting process. Children who are not adopted may, through this book, come to understand better those children who are adopted—and to learn that the same values are reflected in their relationship with their own parents. They, too, have a right to be wanted and a right to be loved, and to know that it is right—a good thing—to be wanted and to be loved. Aware that younger children often relate more readily to stories in which the characters are gentle animals, Right to Be Wanted, Right to Be Loved conveys its theme through Mother and Father Rabbit and their little adopted daughter, Allison (Bunny) Rabbit. Bunny is confused, angry, and afraid when Mother and Father Rabbit tell her she was adopted. They help her lose her confusion, anger, and fear and regain her feeling of security as a member of the family when they explain to her that they wanted her from the very beginning and that she will always be loved by them. She realizes she has a right to be wanted and a right to be loved—and that it is right, a good thing, to be both wanted and loved. This book’s theme is taken from a true-life story that culminated in 1957, a story of immense public drama that was all over the news, domestically and internationally. The celebrated “Hildy Ellis Case” produced such a groundswell of public interest that some 25,000 telegrams and letters (this was long before e-mail) poured into the office of the then-governor of Florida.

Rite of Passage. Richard Wright. 1996. 160p. (gr 7-up). HarperTrophy. Fifteen-year-old Johnny Gibbs does, well in school, respects his teachers, and loves his family. Then suddenly, with a few short words, his idyllic life is shattered. He learns that the family he has loved all his life is not his own, but a foster family. And now he is being sent to live with someone else. Shocked by the news, Johnny does the only thing he can think of: he runs. Leaving his childhood behind forever, Johnny takes to the streets where he learns about living life—the hard way. Richard Wright, internationally acclaimed author of Black Boy and Native Son, gives us a coming-of-age story as compelling today as when it was first written, over fifty years ago. About the Author: Richard Wright won international renown for his powerful and visceral depiction of the black experience. He stands today alongside such African-American luminaries as Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, and Toni Morrison, and two of his novels, Native Son and Black Boy, are required reading in high schools and colleges across the nation. He died in 1960.

Road to Paris, The. Nikki Grimes. 2006. 160p. (gr 3-6). Putnam Juvenile. Paris has just moved in with the Lincoln family, and isn’t thrilled to be in yet another foster home. She has a tough time trusting people, and she misses her brother, who’s been sent to a boys’ home. Over time, the Lincolns grow on Paris. But no matter how hard she tries to fit in, she can’t ignore the feeling that she never will, especially in a town that’s mostly white while she is half black. It isn’t long before Paris has a big decision to make about where she truly belongs. Nikki Grimes has created a portrait of a young girl who, in the midst of being shuffled back and forth between homes and realizing things about other people and the world around her, gradually embarks on the road to discovering herself.

Robbie’s Trail Through Adoption. Adam D Robe. Illustrated by Nathalie Gavet. 2008. 76p. (gr k-5). Robe Communications, Inc. Designed for children ages 5-10 who become eligible for adoption, Robbie’s Trail through Adoption is part of an educational, dialogue-opening series for kids in out-of-home care. This full-color 76-page book contains an engaging story followed by activities covering issues such as control, grief and loss, feelings, communication and self-identity. Use with Adult Guide to Robbie’s Trail through Adoption, sold separately. (The adult guide is a requisite companion piece containing instructions for facilitating activities, talking points, tips and answers when applicable.)

The Robbie Rabbit(TM) stories and their supplemental materials are designed specifically for adoptive parents, foster parents and/or caseworkers who want to: (1) Help a foster child and/or an adoption-eligible child adjust better to tough changes in life; (2) Promote communication between the child and the important people in his life; and (3) Gain insight into a child’s feelings and interpretation of the world around him: Robbie’s Trail Through Foster Care; Adult Guide to Robbie’s Trail Through Foster Care; Moving To Another Foster Home; Meeting My CASA; and Wanting To Belong.

Room for One More. Donna B Mavrides. Illustrated by Ann Pilicer. 2009. 24p. (gr ps to 3). Llumina Kids. Room For One More is a beautiful story to share with children whose families are expecting a new member. The story focuses on a little girl’s reaction to the news that her family is adopting a baby. The child observes her parents as they happily make preparations for the newborn. As she watches their activies, she seems fearful and worries that her mommy and daddy will stop loving her after the baby’s arrival. As soon as the busy parents tune into their daughter’s fears, they assure her that their love is not only for now, but will be hers forever and ever. Room For One More reinforces the belief that children need affirmation of parental love, especially when the family dynamics are changing. In order to build strong family bonds, reduce sibling rivalry, and create harmonious home environments, parents must maintain open dialogue with their children. The human heart is an amazing organ that has the capacity to grow stronger as it expands. Please read Room For One More with your child/children as your family continues to grow.

Room With a Zoo, A. Jules Feiffer. 2005. 192p. (gr 3-5). Michael Di Capua Books. From Kirkus Reviews: “I have a zoo in my room. I need it. Because I’m either going to be a vet when I grow up or a zookeeper.” Indeed, to say Julie, nine, is obsessed with animals would be an understatement. Julie’s first pet ever is a sickly cat from the animal shelter named Timmy—a disaster. The make-up-for-the-disaster pet is a hamster, and a motley menagerie soon follows. Feiffer’s vivacious illustrations that scamper through the pages are as spare and expressive as ever, and offer the first clue that Julie is African-American, adopted by a white family. While adoption isn’t the main theme, the fact that Julie is essentially adopting animals makes for some cleverly subtle parallels. (She realizes when her fish Oscar eats his tankmate: “You have to keep your child even if he’s bad”). Julie’s voice and perspectives are childlike and often hilarious, effectively captured in breathless run-on sentences or short choppy ones. Children and adults alike will appreciate everything from over-the-top slapstick fiascos to Julie’s wonderfully funny, insightful observations of pet-human and human-human dynamics.

Roos, The: A Home For Baby. David Baker. Illustrated by Randy Jennings. 2005. 25p. (gr ps-3). Lulu.com. Two daddy-roos get their chance to adopt the baby-roo they have dreamed of for so long, but they have one problem, how do they carry baby-roo. Join them in their quest for an answer. About the Author: Born in Wisconsin, David Baker grew up and led a typical life. He recognized he was gay when he was 14. His life was never the same hiding what he knew was true, leading his life as normal as possible until his life was changed for the worse, and lost his liberty and freedom, and spent several years living a most depressed life. When least expecting his life to change for the better, he met, at the time, who he thought was the most interesting, intriguing, intelligent warm, loving caring man who helped him become the man he is today. Visit the Author’s website.

Rosie’s Family: An Adoption Story. Lorie Rosove. Illustrated by Heather Burrill. 2001. 32p. (gr ps-5). Asia Press. Rosie’s Family is a story about belonging in a family regardless of differences. Rosie is a beagle who was adopted by schnauzers. She feels different from the rest of her family and sets forth many questions that children who were adopted may have.

Ruby Holler. Sharon Creech. 2003. 320p. (gr 3-7). HarperCollins Children’s Books. Dallas and Florida have been dubbed the “trouble twins.” They have been shuffled between foster families and orphanages all their lives, longing only for a loving place to call home, though mistrustful that one exists for the likes of them. Tiller and Sairy are an eccentric older couple whose children are grown and long gone, and they’re each restless for one more big adventure while their bodies are still spry enough to paddle a river or climb a mountain. Ruby Holler is the beautiful, mysterious place that changes all their lives forever. When Tiller and Sairy invite Dallas and Florida to stay with them and keep them company on their adventures, the magic of the Holler takes over, and the two kids begin to think that maybe, just maybe the old folks aren’t so bad. Filled with humor, poignancy, cookies, and treasure maps, Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech’s Ruby Holler is a delightful book about a special place where it’s never too late to be loved.

Runaway. Dandi Daley Mackall. 2008. 224p. (Starlight Animal Rescue Series #1). (YA). Tyndale Kids. I’ve run away seven times—never once to anything, just away from. Maybe that’s why they call me a “runaway,” and not a “run-to.” Meet 16-year-old Dakota Brown. She used to love all things “horse” until she lost everything, including hope. The minute she sets foot on her foster parents’ farm—Starlight Animal Rescue—she plans her escape. But can an “impossible” horse named Blackfire and this quirky collection of animal lovers be the home she’s always dreamed of? Starlight Animal Rescue: Where problem horses are trained and loved, where abandoned dogs become heroes, where stray cats become loyal companions. And where people with nowhere to fit in find a place to belong. By the Same Author: Home Is Where Your Horse Is (2000).

Runaway. Wendelin Van Draanen. 2006. 272p. (YA). Knopf. Holly is in her fifth foster home in two years and she’s had enough. She’s run away before and always been caught quickly. But she’s older and wiser now—she’s twelve—and this time she gets away clean. Through tough and tender and angry and funny journal entries, Holly spills out her story. We travel with her across the country—hopping trains, scamming food, sleeping in parks or homeless encampments. And we also travel with her across the gaping holes in her heart—as she finally comes to terms with her mother’s addiction and death. Runaway is a remarkably uplifting portrait of a girl still young and stubborn and naive enough to hold out hope for finding a better place in the world, and within herself, to be.

Runaway Twin. Peg Kehret. 2009. 192p. (gr 7 up). Dutton Juvenile. Sunny Skyland longs to be reunited with her twin sister, Starr. With only an old photograph, taken a few days before the girls were separated at age three, to guide her, Sunny begins the cross-country journey that she has dreamed of during her ten years in various foster homes. Sunny manages to locate her twin, only to be faced with a whole new challenge. Award-winning author Peg Kehret combines suspense and action with reflections on the true meaning of family as Sunny learns that sometimes we must let go of our dreams in order to embrace a different, better future.

Runnerland. John Burns. 2007. 251p. Raincoast Books. Peter’s just a normal teenager living a normal life—until his father suddenly dies and his world is turned upside down. Already teetering on the brink of despair, Peter goes over the edge when he accidentally discovers that he was adopted. Feeling betrayed, overwhelmed, and confused, Peter runs away from home and goes underground, living with other street children in a squat ruled by the creepy yet charismatic Dekman. The constant panhandling soon bores him, and Peter finds himself blacking out, escaping to a strange subconscious world he calls Runnerland. As the pressures on the street and in the squat mount, the borders between Runnerland and the real world begin to blur, forcing Peter to make some hard choices and seek answers to the questions he’s been avoiding. But can he escape Dekman’s cult-like gang? And if so, where will he go? Cautionary without being demeaning, Runnerland portrays life on the street with chilling accuracy.

Running From the Inside Out. Jessica James. 2008. 72p. Xlibris. Running, I was running again. But what was I running from? It is different this time. There’s something I need to find. It’s pulling me towards it. What is it… Where is it? I need to find it. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. I’m losing all self-control. It feels as if I’m drowning and there’s no one there to help me. Hate, anger, and insecurity are building up inside of me. Who could have done such a thing? Take the only people I truly loved and cared for. If they had to die…. Then so should others. About the Author: Jessica James grew up on Long Island, located in the suburbs of New York. With an interest in poetry and short stories, by the age of thirteen she launched into the creative world of fictional writing, for young adults. Running from the Inside Out, her first novel, expresses the complexity of the adolescence world; a journey of misfortune, leading to the discovery of one’s identity, inner strength and truth. Jessica once kindly but powerfully stated, “You should not let anyone tell you, you are too young to do great things. If you have the courage, heart and determination, you, at any age, can achieve extraordinary things.”

Running Toward Home. Betty Jane Hegerat. 2006. 219p. Newest Publishers. Transferred between foster homes for most of his life, twelve-year-old Corey Brinkman has developed a bad habit of running away. His new foster parents, Wilma and Ben Howard, are determined to make their home his for life, but old habits are hard to break. Wilma takes Corey to the Calgary Zoo for his annual visit with his birth mother, despite her discomfort about Tina Brinkman and the fever Corey is pretending not to have. When Corey goes missing at the zoo, his two mothers are forced into an uneasy truce in the search for their son. Running Toward Home reveals the complex relationships surrounding a foster child, and the fine line between protection and standing in the way of life lessons. For twenty-four hours the Calgary Zoo becomes the entire world, and the lines between the nurturing instincts in animals and humans become blurred.