Book Rec Time!

I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a long time, and finally picked it up today to read it.

It’s a middle grade reader and it’s written in verse, so it’s a super quick read. I got through it with several interruptions in less than 2 hours. But boy does it pack a lot into those few verses!

It’s written from the perspective of a 14-year-old girl who was adopted as a baby. She writes about all the secret thoughts and worries she has about her adoption, and what it means about her. She notices her adoptive parents don’t tell people she’s adopted, and she worries it’s a dirty secret they’re helping her keep. Her friend who was adopted gets bullied on the playground and the bully specifically drags her friend for having been “unwanted” by her birth mom. She wonders a great deal about her birth parents, and what it means that they gave her away. And so much more.

I feel like every single adoptive parent out there should read this book so they can have a glimpse into the kinds of things a child’s brain will come up with about their adoption, especially if it isn’t openly discussed, or if the child’s story is told to them in a way that causes unintentional hurt. It’s insight into the way adoption affects a child’s self esteem and self image.

This book may make an adoptive parent’s stomach hurt, and make them want to say “but not every adopted child and not mine!” But I encourage adoptive parents to dig deep, and sit with their emotions, and THEN after they’ve processed their own feelings, start conversation with their adopted child about their experiences.

I also think every adopted tween should have access to this book, so they can feel their many thoughts and wonders and worries and fears being validated.

I got a used copy from the Am of zons back before I was boycotting them, for a whopping dollar and change. It’s not available at Barnes and Noble, but might be something you could order from a local bookstore instead of supporting Jeff Bezos. But get it from somewhere – I won’t judge. It’s so worth a read!