WeAreGoodkin.com says Tribute Books has 2 Great Book about Adoption

Goodkin
August 19, 2010

2 Great Books About Adoption
by Adrienne Breaux

We all know that adoption is a valid and important way in which many people create families. Sometimes it's adopting children or babies domestically or internationally, and sometimes it's by adopting a new pet, like a cat or a dog. Chances are you know someone either in your family or through a friend or coworker who’s life has been touched by adoption. The stories are always unique, touching and we love hearing every one of them.

This month we kept our eyes and ears open for any stories about adoption that were particularly inspiring, and were delighted when we were contacted by the folks at Tribute Books. Long known for publishing and promoting books with wonderful messages, they had two book suggestions for this month’s theme on adoption, and we highly recommend you check them out.

The first book we’d like to tell you about is Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog by Sandra Gerencher. In this easy-to-read book, Gerencher writes from an interesting perspective, Chance, the 4-month-old Rottweiler German Shepherd mix that is adopted to be a companion to Ryan, who is also adopted and living with Autism. You read about Chance coming home to live with the mom, the son and the household’s other doggie friends.

You read about how Chance had to get settled in, learn the lay of the land and get to know everyone. You really get a sense of what it must be like for an adopted dog coming into a strange new environment through Gerencher’s captivating descriptions. Soon, images of the day-to-day life of this family make way for more serious topics like how Ryan came to be adopted. Don’t be fooled by the narrator being a dog; the story isn’t told in a simplistic way, rather an easy to digest and rich way, full of detail, care and interest. Lighthearted, yes, but you’ll find yourself both enjoying the book and learning from it, as well. Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy With Autism and his Shelter Dog sells for $11.07 on amazon.com.

The next book we’d like to recommend is Red in the Flower Bed: An Illustrated Children's Story about Interracial Adoption, by Andrea Nepa. Eight-year-old Leah was born in September of 2001 in a Vietnamese hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Adopted by Andrea and her husband David from the orphanage as an infant, Leah and her new family live in Haddonfield, NJ. This children’s fiction book is written by Andrea to help parents who have adopted, kids who are adopted and everyone in between understand just what adoption is, and how a loving, caring family can come from adoption.

The journey of adoption—anyone who has ever undertaken adopting a child will understand that it really is a journey—is told through a metaphor of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a flower family. Seeds are planted, blooms grow, plants thrive—and all this great word imagery is surrounded by beautiful illustrations. It’s simple and lovely, and understood by children of many ages and adults alike. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this book will go to Paul’s Kids, a Vietnamese orphanage charity. You can purchase your own lovely copy of Red in the Flower Bed from Amazon.com for $11.65.

What books, poems or websites have helped you and your family understand and explore the topic of adoption? We would love to hear your recommendations.

Wee Share reviews "Red in the Flower Bed"

Wee Share
May 28, 2010

Review & Giveaway: Red in the Flower Bed Children's eBook
by Desi

Raileigh and I love to read together. She has quite an extensive collection of books. Some have been passed down from Darren and I, and some we have purchased just for her. There is something so amazing about curling up with my daughter and reading. She listens closely, sometimes chiming in to share something that she sees in the illustrations. I ask her questions as we go and she excitedly answers them. It is so rewarding to see her learning as we read together.

Until recently, I had not really experienced an eBook. In fact, I was not all that excited to try one. Maybe I am old fashioned, but I love the feel of the pages between my fingers as I read through the book. I like that I can take a book anywhere and get lost in it's pages. I also like the look of bookcases filled to the brim with books to read.

However, when Nicole at Tribute books contacted me about reviewing some of their children's books in eBook form, I decided to give it a try. Raileigh was napping, so I browsed through the books myself. I enjoyed sitting at the computer, taking in the short, but very delightful children's titles that Nicole had sent over.

When Raileigh awoke, I decided to try out one of the stories with her- Red in the Flower Bed. I let her sit in the computer chair, which she was very excited about. She tries to often, but I usually make her get down (she likes to delete emails). I told Raileigh that we were going to read a book on the computer. Slowly, I scrolled through the pages of the story and read her the delightful, rhyming text. She pointed out things she recognized in the illustrations as we read.


It was a very different experience than reading an actual book, but we both really enjoyed it. One thing that I really like is that there are no pages that can be ripped or torn. We are trying to teach Raileigh how to care for books, and usually, she does a good job. There are times, though, when she can be a little rough. The great thing about an eBook is that is in that new, pristine condition every time you read it.

I also like that it changes things up a bit for Raileigh. It is always good to have new experiences and do things a little differently, and reading is no exception. I think as we continue to read eBooks, I am going to start teaching her how to use the mouse to scroll. I know she is going to enjoy that!

eBooks are also considerably cheaper than an actual book. I am sure you can see why! Plus, eBooks don't take up all the room in your house that a normal book does. I know we are getting to the point where we need to pass on some old books before acquiring any new ones. So, I really can appreciate the lack of space that an eBook takes up!

Now that I have told you all about our overall experience with eBooks, let me tell you a little about the actual story we read. Red in the Flower Bed is written and illustrated by Andrea Nepa. This delightful story tells the story the story of interracial adoption through the use of imagery.

Synopsis (as taken from the Tribute Books website)

The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of "seeds" being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.

My Thoughts

Initially, I was drawn to the beautiful illustrations. They were simple, yet vivid and breathtaking. I love how easily the text flows, as the rhyming words tell the story. Raileigh, I know, did not understand the imagery the story represented. However, the imagery in relation to interracial adoptions was very well done. For a child who is yet too young to understand, it still tells a lovely story of a seed who is wandering around looking for a place to grow.

The story also touches on the changing of seasons as the seed experiences rain, snow, and falling leaves. The illustrations show this perfectly. The story shows the seed traveling on each page until it finds a home. Raileigh thought the poppy seed was a ball, so this gave me the opportunity to share with her about seeds.

The story is written on a level that children can understand. It is the perfect way to teach kids about what adoption is and how beautiful families of all kinds are. I also think it would be wonderful to share with a child who has been adopted. To make them feel like a beautiful flower would surely make the child feel special!

I am so excited to tell you that Nicole at Tribute Books is doing a giveaway here at Wee Share! One lucky reader will receive a copy of the eBook Red in the Flower Bed.

Mandatory Entry (Must be done before any extra entries will qualify)

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Giveaway is open to worldwide residents. Giveaway will close June 11, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST.