
A parent would reach for this book when their child begins asking about their own 'beginning' or when they want to celebrate the joyful, chosen nature of their family. It is an essential resource for families formed through adoption, providing a script for a story that is often told and retold as a bedtime ritual. The book follows a young girl as she asks her parents to recount the night she was born and the journey they took to bring her home. While the specific context is adoption, the emotional themes of belonging, anticipation, and unconditional love resonate with any child who finds comfort in hearing their origin story. Jamie Lee Curtis uses humor and warmth to demystify the adoption process, making it feel like a grand, happy adventure. It is perfectly aged for 3 to 7 year olds, offering a gentle way to affirm that being 'chosen' is a source of immense pride and joy within a family.
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewThe book approaches adoption with a secular and highly positive lens. It does not delve into the birth parents' circumstances or the reasons for the adoption, focusing instead on the adoptive parents' experience. This keeps the tone light and hopeful, though it may require supplemental conversation for children with questions about their biological origins.
A preschooler or early elementary student who was adopted at birth and is starting to ask 'where did I come from?' It is also perfect for a child who loves 'predictable' stories where they already know the happy ending.
This book is safe to read cold. However, parents should be prepared for the child to ask if their own adoption story happened exactly like the one in the book (the plane ride, the hotel, etc.) if their personal history differs. A child asking, 'What did you do when you found out I was coming?' or expressing a need to feel 'special' or 'chosen' among their peers.
Younger children (3-4) will delight in the silly details like the 'handball bag' used as a suitcase. Older children (6-7) will better grasp the concept of the long-distance journey and the permanence of the family bond being described.
Unlike many adoption books that are overly sentimental or abstract, this one uses humor and specific, mundane details to make the experience feel grounded and relatable.
The story is a rhythmic, first-person narrative of a young girl asking her parents to recount the specific details of her adoption. It covers the middle-of-the-night phone call, the frantic packing, the airplane ride to the hospital, and the first moments of meeting and bonding. It emphasizes the preparation and excitement the parents felt while waiting for her.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.