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Rating: 
Summary: Mixed feelings
Review: Being able to watch for attachment and bonding issues really helped all of us become a family. The information on adopting a toddler, the agency gave us was miniscule in comparison to what is avaliable in this book .
We knew we might end up with a Toddler eventho our child was assigned to us when she was 9 months old. She was 23 months old when we got her home! I think the author prepares you for the worst that could happen in toddler adoption. I hope she comes out with a 2nd edition including more happy stories. Our daughter transitioned better than my highest expectations. My expectations were lowered after reading Toddler Adoption. All in all that was a good thing.
I sometimes wonder if being prepared changed our handling of situations, thus allowing us to facillitate her transition and bonding.
Because of the information in this book, We choose to travel to pick up our daughter and, we were better prepared for the "rejection phase".
This book was useful in stopping overbearing well wishers from becoming annoying. I actually handed this book to my neighbor open to the section on bonding, while she was being intrusive the first week our daughter was home.
It was a back up to my words of "no you may not feed her".
It also helped both sets of grandparents prepare for the inital visit with the newest addtion to the family.
Read the book, but don't think "This will happen to me". Rather think these things could happen but I can shorten the amount of time they take.
Rating: 
Summary: Read before Adopting for realistic expectations
Review: I found this book very worthwhile. It is depressing at times but shares a real life experience of the problems to be expected. Babies and toddlers do not come home without a past or memories that may be difficult to overcome. Parents to be need a basis to compare what they are truly ready to accept versus their "ideal" adoption. It has not made me rethink my adoption plans but has informed me of many challanges that are most likely to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Very negative
Review: I read this book after having returned from Kazakhstan with our 11 month old son. While I agree with a couple of the other reviewers that it could be a bit depressing at times, I also found it to be a very valuable tool in helping me assess some of my son's behaviors and recognize what might be adoption related versus typical toddler behavior. There were many valuable suggestions for those with toddlers who are dealing with emotional trauma. This book is not for the faint of heart, but those who have the courage to read it pre-adoption and use it to help evaluate their prospective child might find it is the best resource they have access to.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource
Review: I read this book after having returned from Kazakhstan with our 11 month old son. While I agree with a couple of the other reviewers that it could be a bit depressing at times, I also found it to be a very valuable tool in helping me assess some of my son's behaviors and recognize what might be adoption related versus typical toddler behavior. There were many valuable suggestions for those with toddlers who are dealing with emotional trauma. This book is not for the faint of heart, but those who have the courage to read it pre-adoption and use it to help evaluate their prospective child might find it is the best resource they have access to.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent source of information!
Review: My son's adoption from Romania was completed just after he turned four. Although not technically a "toddler" at that age, so many of the issues and behaviors in this book were present -- thank goodness someone else had recommended it to me!Hopkins-Best is right on target all around: her research on post-institutionalized children; her understanding of common developmental milestones, and how these are affected by orphanage life and the lack of a consistent caregiver; and her advice on dealing with common post-institutional behaviors. So many new adoptive parents find their children's behavior mystifying, and they really don't have to! I would go so far as to say this book is a "must read" for anyone adopting a child beyond infancy. I think even parents of school-aged children would find useful information and tactics here.
Rating: 
Summary: Negative and poorly written!
Review: Please do not read this book if you ever plan to adopt. I was very depressed and frustrated after reading this book. According to this book the only good age to adopt is an ifant. Apparently they don't believe other children deserve a home too. I'm glad I was well informed by real professional and good friends who have adopted before I read this book. Please do not read this RUN! Toddlers deserve a loving home too!
Rating:
Summary: good, but watch out...
Review: This is a great book, but pretty heavy on the "horror stories". We were so convinced by the horror stories that we pressed for a non-trivial amount of transition time with the birth mother, and she thought we were being too much of a pain and dumped us :-(
Rating:
Summary: An eye-opener about winning trust of grieving toddlers
Review: This is an informative book that has opened my eyes to a whole new world of adoption. The author gives constructive advice on how to win the trust and affection of a grieving, raging toddler. We adopted a four-day old girl in 1969 and were spoiled by the ease of raising our daughter compared to what it might have been like to adopt her as a toddler. I do know one family that adopted four older siblings and the stress of trying to earn these childrens' trust all but broke up the marriage. I greatly admire anyone who does the right thing and adopts an older child. After reading this book, I actually feel a little guilty to have taken the easy way out. One has these dreams of adopting the cute little boy or girl next door but doesn't realize that the toddler available for adoption may have special needs.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?
Rating:
Summary: Don't adopt a Toddler until you read this book!
Review: We adopted 2 Toddlers 15 yrs ago thru a govt agency. We spoke with their doctor,psychologist and social worker beforehand. They lied about the extent of abuse done by birth parents. We know today that children are taken from the Birth Parents only in cases of extreme neglect & abuse. If I had realized this and read this book I would have been a better parent. Bonding between the child and the adopted parent MUST take place in order for adoption to be successful.
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