Rating: 
Summary: New Beginnings......
Review: "The sun rose above North America, and all over the continent people were getting up. For some of them it was a special day..." Meet four wonderful "families" as they get ready to make their long awaited trip to China to meet their new daughters. They pack very carefully, go to the airport, and fly halfway around the world to the city of Guangzhou. They stay at the famous White Swan Hotel, where after waiting a long, long time, and signing many papers, they finally get to hold their babies. And halfway around the world, in China, meet four special baby girls, ready to begin their new lives with loving parents..... Drawing from personal experiences, authors Jean Davies Okimoto and Elaine M Aoki tell an uplifting and joyous story about international adoption. Their engaging text is rich in varied emotions and warm humor, and is complemented by Meilo So's dazzling illustrations. Each expressive page is filled with vivid color, swirling energy, and eye-catching detail. With an afterword to fill in details and further enlighten, The White Swan Express is a captivating and heartwarming story about love and making new families.
Rating:
Summary: An Funny Story on Adoption
Review: As adoptive parents of a little girl born in China, it was hard for my wife and I not to be attracted to this book. The memories of our special time in China are very fresh and will always be cherished. It was fun to read about the excitement, the preparation, the journey, the people and places, and the wonderful moment of meeting. One thing I will say for the book is that it does communicate the fun of the journey (both in the text and the illustrations), which is not the aim of most books on Chinese adoption.Having said that, I must express profound disappointment and surprise about the book on several levels. For starters, I am puzzled about the general purpose of the book. With the retelling of the adoption adventure, it reads more like a book for the parents, rather than for the adoptive child. But, the book is clearly a children's book. Then, there are the inaccuracies in the text, to which others have made reference. An adult reading the book could easily get confused about the process of adopting from China from reading the book. The biggest inaccuracy is the depiction of the lesbian couple and their interaction in China. Regardless of whether one thinks adoption to same-sex couples should be encouraged or discouraged (...), there are several issues that should be beyond question. First, China explicitly disallows adoption to homosexuals. This is where I have to ask what in the world the authors were thinking. Even if these adoptions are taking place, I consider it irresponsible to raise the issue in such a flippant way, given the position of the Chinese government. Second, families want to address controversial issues like this with their children in the context of the best information and their own convictions. I question the way the issue was placed in a children's book that appears to be about nothing other than adoption from China. It's sad to have to given such a negative review to one of the relatively few books on the topic of Chinese adoption. Thankfully, there are many other great books. I recommend that adoptive parents pass this one by, and keep looking.
Rating:
Summary: By parents, teachers, or care-givers
Review: Charmingly written by the team of Jean Davies Okimoto, and Meilo So, The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption is a simple yet heartwarming picture book about four baby girls in China, each of whom will make a family in four different homes very happy. Simplified color illustrations by Elaine M. Aoki wonderfully enhances the authors' easygoing prose narrative making The White Swan Express an unusually fine picture book experience for young readers, as well as an excellent read-aloud story to precede or enhance a serious discussion about the issues of adoption by parents, teachers, or care-givers.
Rating: 
Summary: Too dense, too many people
Review: Four happy couples are getting ready to fly to China to pick up their little girls. The book is very crowded with names and places which may overwhelm a young child. The simplicity and enchantment of Rose Lewis' I love you like Crazy Cakes stands in stark contrast. Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?
Rating:
Summary: why did they have to do that?!
Review: I have to agree with the others who gave this book a low rating. In addition to not being realistic, it also creates a difficulty in using this book with young children and siblings. Obviously, the issue of homosexuality has to be addressed at some point with children, but I'd prefer not to have it wedged into an otherwise excellent book written for children. How obnoxious to promote an agenda this way. I'm looking for another book on the same subject because of this. Any suggestions?
Rating:
Summary: why did they have to do that?!
Review: I have to agree with the others who gave this book a low rating. In addition to not being realistic, it also creates a difficulty in using this book with young children and siblings. Obviously, the issue of homosexuality has to be addressed at some point with children, but I'd prefer not to have it wedged into an otherwise excellent book written for children. How obnoxious to promote an agenda this way. I'm looking for another book on the same subject because of this. Any suggestions?
Rating: 
Summary: Very sad!
Review: I purchased this book for my daughter who is adopted from China, and I wish I would have taken the time to read the book reviews first. I am sad that my money went to support a book that is clearly more interested in promoting homosexuality than honesty, as homosexuals are not allowed to adopt children from China. Eventually, I suspect the Chinese government will make a decision not to allow single women to adopt because of a few dishonest individuals who choose to disregard the government's requirement that homosexuals not be allowed to adopt. This will result in many children being denied the opportunity to have a forever family. I hope those homosexuals who disregard China's law and pursue the adoption of Chinese children will remember the possible consequences of their actions.
Rating:
Summary: Very sad!
Review: I purchased this book for my daughter who is adopted from China, and I wish I would have taken the time to read the book reviews first. I am sad that my money went to support a book that is clearly more interested in promoting homosexuality than honesty, as homosexuals are not allowed to adopt children from China. Eventually, I suspect the Chinese government will make a decision not to allow single women to adopt because of a few dishonest individuals who choose to disregard the government's requirement that homosexuals not be allowed to adopt. This will result in many children being denied the opportunity to have a forever family. I hope those homosexuals who disregard China's law and pursue the adoption of Chinese children will remember the possible consequences of their actions.
Rating:
Summary: Another Chinese adoption story
Review: I really liked this book, especially since we stayed 12 days at the White Swan or White Stork as the locals call it. The vivid illustrations really make this book!
And you see what you want to see, I choose to see the two women as best friends. And FYI we bought the Silver bell bracelets at Jennifer's Place.
Rating:
Summary: A Lovely Book
Review: I'm the happy mom of a beautiful girl from China and I heartily recommend this book. The story is sweet, completely realistic and the illustrations are magnificent. I cried when I read it. My seven year old was completely indifferent. She only likes books about princesses at the moment. To those who object to the fact that the story includes a lesbian couple, fine, don't buy the book. But I can only quote from John McCutcheon's wonderful book and song "Happy Adoption Day" in the CD "Family Garden" Some families come different
And some come the same
But wether they're singles or pairs
You're always at home
You're never alone
As long as there's someone who cares.
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