28 December 2006

a good book

My Amazon package arrived today with two new adoption memoirs. One I was foolish when buying (self-published and poorly written; lacking depth and insight). But, the other--WOW!

The Waiting Child by Cindy Champnella is amazing. I cried repeatedly as I read it (and that's saying something). It's about a little girl who was adopted from China (my first foray into non-Russian adoption literature)and her love for another child in her orphanage that she, at the age of four, cared for and mothered. It's about her adjustment to her new family and new life in America. It's about her passion for giving "her baby" all that she had been given.

Aside from the amazing story, I found the insights into what an "older" child experiences very helpful. Those of you who adopted older children, I'd be curious to hear how her adjustment compared to your children's.

If you're looking for a feel-good tear-jerker, read this book and tell me what you think. (Did you know that women's tears contain endorphines and men's tears don't? Interesting, eh?)

3 comments:

Calico Sky said...

Boy do I need to read that. What was the not so good book? I blogged yesterday about my mom being an 'older orphan', I have been thinking about it ever since, and what we can all do to help children who are left behind...
I am going to look for the book now.
p.s. was great to chat!

Holly said...

I'll have to check that book out too. Here's a list of adoption books I have (haven't read them all yet)...

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Sherrie Eldridge

Cross-Cultural Adlption by Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz

Keys to Parenting an Adopted Child by Kathy Lancaster

Attaching in Adoption by Deborah D. Gray (I like this one)

Raising Adopted Children by Lois Ruskai Melina

Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel

Holding Time by Martha G. Welch, M.D.

There's one other one that I can't for the life of me remember. When I find it, I'll post it...it was a great book.

Holly said...

Found it:

Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children k