SYNOPSIS

When You Were Born in China is a moving photo-essay that provides a child's eye look at Chinese adoptions, helping to explain some of the whys and hows that have brought these children to their new families.

With sensitive text and touching photography, When You Were Born in China brings the whole process of Chinese International Adoption to a personal scale. The book speaks directly to the adopted child, assuring her that hers is a special story, one that started in an ancient and amazing country. The text then suggests that maybe the reader has a few questions about her story, how she was born in China, who might have known her then, and how she came to be adopted. It then provides a brief overview of some of the factors that may have contributed to her story, such as China's population control policies, and the cultural desire to have a son. It goes on to tell the story of what might have happened to the reader: life in an orphanage or a foster home, perhaps, and then the formal adoption process leading up to meeting her new mom or dad for the first time, and finally the flight home.

This book will be invaluable to adoptive parents who are looking for just the right words to help their child understand some of the factors that brought them together. It sensitively addresses the difficult issue of why birthparents felt they could not care for their child, and it provides some context for the whole process. The book will be enjoyed by school-agers and adults, and can be read or paraphrased to younger children as an excellent way to integrate these topics into their daily lives.

There are many families who are awaiting their adoption referrals who will be interested in this book as well, for the insight it provides into the life of their soon-to-be child.

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