December 25, 2010
Red in the Flower Bed by Andrea Nepa
by Jessica Pitcairn
A tale of belonging, uses flowers as a metaphor for adoption
I hadn't read any picture books about adoption, so I jumped at the chance to review this. The illustrations are cheerful, providing a warm feeling to the story. They are deceptively simple, and have a real sense of texture. The message behind the pictures and the story is very important. Adopted children may be chosen by their adoptive parents, but they are loved deeply and very much wanted. Whatever their background, the new family opens them with welcome arms. The adopted child may be of a different race, but that doesn't matter. Skin colour doesn't matter. Being with different flowers doesn't matter. The symbolic poppy is where it belongs - it has helped create a rainbow of colours. Inter-racial adoption adds an extra bundle of energy to a family. Who they are as a person matters infinitely more than what they look like.
Final conclusion
A sweet way of explaining to adopted children how special and loved they are by their new family.
Here's a photo of Andrea with her adopted daughter Leah, to whom she dedicated this book.
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