Rating: 
Summary: Practical, reassuring advice for every adoptive parent.
Review: As a new adoptive parent in 1980, I wanted to know what I could expect. The traditional sources of child care information were not useful to me. They talked about the importance of natural childbirth and breastfeeding to bonding and attachment, but didn't talk about how to breastfeed an adopted child or how a child not born to his parents would grow to love them. I wrote the first edition of "Raising Adopted Children" to let parents know what to expect from the time they took their child home until the time that child leaves home. This new edition of "Raising Adopted Children" reflects changes in adoption over the past 12 years, including the increase in adoptions from China and Eastern Europe and the unique issues arising from those situations. It incorporates the most recent research into various aspects of adoption, including the psychological impact of adoption, and the outcomes for children from orphanages and children who were prenatally exposed to drugs, as well as for children adopted as healthy infants. In addition to 12 more years of research, this book reflects 12 more years of personal experience. My children, just preschoolers when I wrote the first edition, are now 15 and 18. My oldest is leaving home to attend college and my youngest is beginning the quest for identity and independence. I believe I can reassure adoptive parents that the satisfaction of being an adoptive parent continues and the deep love we feel for our children grows.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful info, holier-than-thou tone
Review: Despite the fact that Melina makes the comment, "in many respects being an adoptive parent is no different from being a biological parent," it seemed to me from the tone of the book that she doesn't believe that statement at all. While she criticizes biological parents for "minimizing" the differences between raising bio children and adopted ones, she does a 180 and interprets almost every single child-raising issue (many of which seem quite universal) as uniquely adoptive child-related (which is just as bad).While there's a lot of useful information in this book, especially the ideas about creating meaningful scrapbooks/lifebooks for children, I found the "it's an adoption thing" tone very grating after a while. If parents of adopted children "adopt" her tone, they're very likely to alienate everyone around them.
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful book.
Review: Do read this book and learn about which adoption practice is for you and what to expect about your child's emotions from infant to teen and how to handle th em. Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful book.
Review: Do read this book and learn about which adoption practice is for you and what to expect about your child's emotions from infant to teen and how to handle th em. Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I am currently in the process of adpoting a child from Korea and this was one of the best books I read -- it is definitely on my "top 5 books for adoptive parents."
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent info, dry writing, exceedingly PC
Review: I'm only half way through this book but I think it has some really great information. My DH and I are planning to adopt but haven't officially started the process yet. This book is giving us lots of issues to think about. It provides good examples of positive language for discussing adoption with your child. The author doesn't shy away from the hard issues like racism or a history of incest. She does a great job of integrating child/teen development into all issues. She cites many studies to support her advice. The writing is rather dry (much like my own) and academic, which is actually useful. I trust this author because her writing isn't colored by a lot of emotion. She uses plenty of real-life examples from the experiences of adoptive families. The book does suffer a little from being broad and trying to address all flavors of adoption (domestic & international, same race and transracial). I highly reccomend this book to anyone considering adoption as a way to start conversations with your spouse about the hard issues you will face as adoptive parents. Might even be a good idea to share it with extended family.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent info, dry writing, exceedingly PC
Review: I'm only half way through this book but I think it has some really great information. My DH and I are planning to adopt but haven't officially started the process yet. This book is giving us lots of issues to think about. It provides good examples of positive language for discussing adoption with your child. The author doesn't shy away from the hard issues like racism or a history of incest. She does a great job of integrating child/teen development into all issues. She cites many studies to support her advice. The writing is rather dry (much like my own) and academic, which is actually useful. I trust this author because her writing isn't colored by a lot of emotion. She uses plenty of real-life examples from the experiences of adoptive families. The book does suffer a little from being broad and trying to address all flavors of adoption (domestic & international, same race and transracial). I highly reccomend this book to anyone considering adoption as a way to start conversations with your spouse about the hard issues you will face as adoptive parents. Might even be a good idea to share it with extended family.
Rating:
Summary: Great for preadoptive parents, yet a bit unrealistic
Review: Most of the information in this book is very helpful and thought provoking. She used research from many sources, which I found to be very helpful since there is so much to consider with adoption decisions. I can appreciate her advice on communicating to the child about adoption, and do agree with most of it; however, I disagree with the ages that she suggests to bring up certain topics. She seems to give the idea that small children are capable of understanding adult issues. Everything else is great and I would highly recommend reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have
Review: My husband and I bought this book in the midst of our homestudy when we were in the process of adopting. This book really hit on a lot of the issues we were dealing with. In fact,I marked what I felt pertained to our situation, and use it as a reference guide a year later!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and should be required for prospective adoptives
Review: So many adoptive parents lose sight of the fact that adoption exists to provide loving homes for children, NOT to provide them, an infertile couple, with a child. Even the happiest adopted child, in the very best of circumstances, will have certain issues throughout their life and their parents should be prepared to deal with these and answer questions. For far too long adoption has been a secretive practice and everyone has assumed that the process itself ended when the court papers were signed. It's a lifetime adjustment and education like this will help ease the concerns of all three members of the adoption triad - birthparents, adoptives, and adoptees. How I wish my adoptive parents had had something like this to read. They did so many insensitive things that were so hurtful. Should be required reading for everyone planning to adopt.
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