Carried in Our Hearts: the Gift of Adoption

January 14, 2013
A New York pediatrician specializing in adoptive medicine, and the founder of Worldwide Orphans Foundation, Aronson is a crusader for international adoption, gathering here myriad stories of her efforts over the years to bring surprisingly untraditional families together across the world, including her own tale of adopting as a single parent in 2000. Aronson groups the stories around themes: from the decision to adopt, including factors such as the advanced age of the mother or the determination to help orphans in need; the journeys abroad to places in China, Russia, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, many of which are gloomy and rundown; the first emotionally overwhelming meetings with the orphans before any developmental issues with the children were revealed; and the rocky adjustments to life back in the U.S. In presenting these candid stories, fashioned by the various parents and even an older sibling and an adoptee herself, Aronson does not sugarcoat the details, describing the arduous bureaucracy involved and the fact that some orphans have suffered such abuse that they cannot make the transition to American homes, as well as Aronson’s fervent belief that international adoption should be “the last resort for an orphan” when all other attempts at keeping the original family together have failed. Overall, there is a wealth of information—and hope—here for people looking at possibilities for international adoption, and there is certainly no better advocate on the long journey than the upbeat, passionate Aronson. Agent, David Kuhn, Kuhn Projects.

February 1, 2013
True stories of creating loving families despite long odds. Pediatrician and Worldwide Orphans Foundation founder Aronson gathers first-person, heartwarming accounts of adoption by couples and single mothers and fathers, with biological children or without. The decision to adopt can stem from a variety of motivations: inability to conceive, a mission to help those less fortunate, a desire for a larger family. Regardless of the reasons behind the action, each of these succinct narratives puts the adoptive child at the forefront, with the adoptive parent(s) expressing their love and devotion to their new child. Each mini-essay is a picture of what Aronson calls the " 'leap of faith' required when creating a family." One mother writes about being "so thankful" she ignored her fears and "took that leap"; she and her new daughter "are the perfect team." In addition to families in the United States, the author profiles children from countries around the world, including Ethiopia, Russia, China and Guatemala. Some parents elaborate on the endless mountains of paperwork involved in the adoption process and the months, sometime years, of waiting. Others focus on the health issues, known and unknown, of their new child and the heartache and angst of caring for a child with AIDS or one with severe behavioral issues. All the parents agree that despite the setbacks, adopting one or more children is the best process that could have happened to these children and their new parents. With more than 150 million orphans in the world today, these stories provide encouragement to those contemplating the adoption process. Short, sweet, eye-opening thoughts on adoption and mixed-race parenthood.

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August 1, 2013

In this uplifting collection of essays, experienced adoption medicine leader Aronson (founder, Worldwide Orphans Foundation) gives hope to those choosing parenthood through adoption, confirming that the often bewildering amount of red tape, the glacial pace of applications, changing international laws, and the resulting roller-coaster ride of emotions is worth it. Parents speak of love at first sight and a sense of destiny, as well as feeling "claimed" and being chosen. Portraying everyone from older couples suffering infertility to young singletons, the parenting stories are as diverse as the adoptees--Chinese, Vietnamese, American, Russian, Pakistani, Tibetan, etc. VERDICT The audience for this book is clearly adoptive parents. Aronson doesn't include stories from grown adoptees or birth parents, but for libraries needing a supportive addition to the literature for that readership, this title would work nicely.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.