Barefoot Books- LadyD: US National Adoption Month

Hardcover $16.99

Barefoot Books- LadyD is very excited to share that from today and throughout the whole month of November, for every order placed on my website by you, Barefoot Books will donate one book to First Book in the US or Book Aid in the UK.

Visit http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com

This November, for National Adoption Month, why not look at the beauty and poignancy of Motherbridge of Love. With every copy sold, the text royalties go towards bridging the gap between adoptive and birth culture for many adopted children.

Motherbridge of Love

Cherish the special bond between parent and child with this beautiful, anonymously written poem. Through the exchanges between a little girl and her adoptive parent, this poignant selection celebrates love and family.

Text royalties from this book are donated to Mother Bridge of Love, a charity that reaches out to Chinese children all over the world in order to develop a connection between China and the West, and between adoptive culture and birth culture. Xinran, the acclaimed Chinese author, broadcaster and journalist, is the founder of Mother Bridge of Love.

For all ages
Illustrated By: Josée Masse
Author: Xinran

Visit his website for more information: http://www.joseemasse.com/

Here's What Others Say:

This book touches the hearts of all mothers. Although this book is poem for adoptive parents or adopted children, it is the essence of motherhood! It is beautiful! No one stage of being a parent is more important than another, and each day a child needs love, caring and guidance- by a loving parent!

This is the best adoption book ever written! I think every family should have a copy of this book in their house. It is perfect for the child who was adopted, the parent considering adoption, and for any child who might not understand what adoption is. This book tenderly explains the gifts a child receives from both their birth mother and adoptive mother, and how those gifts make them whole. An absolutely lovely book!

Focuses on China-US international adoption, but summarizes the adoption concept well in general too, and shows respect for each person within the triad and the role of both mothers and both places in contributing to the adopted child's life and identity.

Straightforward and easy to understand to introduce kids to the idea of adoption, especially cross cultural/cross country adoption, but again also in general, and makes a beautiful meaningful gift for families who are waiting to, or have, adopted.

The illustrations are gorgeous, pairing images of the first-mother and birth culture and across one the page next to it, images of the adoptive mother and the child, illustrating both in words and pictures the contributions and roles of both in shaping the child's life and the coming together of people to create family by adoption.

It's beautifully illustrated by Canadian Josée Masse. Fine lines give definition to each element on the page, particularly the leaves and clouds. Saturated colors bring intensity to each double-page spread, nicely complementing the emotional poem. My favorite illustration is on the last spread - the young child and her adopted mother are together on one page, and red leaves dance in air forming the smiling face of the birth mother looking at the two from the other page.

Product Details

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Barefoot Books; Library Binding edition (September 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1846860474
ISBN-13: 978-1846860478

Product Description

This beautiful poem celebrates the bond between parent and child in a special way. Through the exchanges between a little Chinese girl and her mother, Motherbridge of Love offers a poignant and inspiring message to parents and children all over the world.

Review

This book shares its name with a London-based organization dedicated to promoting greater understanding of Chinese life and culture among adoptive families in the West. The text, credited to an anonymous adoptive mother, takes the form of a series of heartfelt, parallel musings about two women "who never knew each other" but who are central to a sprightly Chinese girl. "The first one gave you life; the second taught you to live it.... One found a home for you that she could not provide, the other prayed for a child; her hope was not denied." Masse (Goodnight, Sweet Pig) echoes this dreamy lyricism with gently surreal illustrations rendered in a texture like shot silk. Her treatment of the birth mother merits particular interest: on some spreads, she portrays the woman relatively realistically, carrying water in her village or gazing down at her pregnant belly. But in other spreads, the mother is transformed into a benevolent spirit; readers will notice her Asian features in the moon that shines down on the adoptive mother and child, and even in the mountain that the pair traverse during a hike or in a dramatic sky. It's a risky artistic choice, but Masse pulls it off in an understated way that offers comfort and encouragement to parents and children. A portion of the proceeds benefits Mother Bridge of Love. Ages 4-10. (Sept.) --Publisher's Weekly, Sept. 10, 2007

"Got a girlfriend who just adopted a kid? You're going to want to get them this book, although the illustration is so gorgeous, you could give it to anyone. The text was submitted anonymously to the charity Mother Bridge of Love, which seeks to connect kids adopted from China with their homeland...it does explain quite lyrically how two mothers can each have a part in making one whole child" --Time Magazine

"I read the book with my adopted daughter and awaited her response. It was wonderful. When I asked her what she liked in the book she immediately said the two mothers were two trees with a shared heart" --Maura Sills, founder, The Karuna Institute
Celebrate family with Barefoot Books!