book recommendations for adopted girl

[Rachel]

My friends are currently in Africa adopting a 10 year old girl. As a gift I would like to give her some books. 

They don’t necessarily have to be books on adoption but more books where she will see herself in the story. She has some education and speaks English but my friends don’t know yet how much education and know very little about her background. She had been at the orphanage about three years.

 I’m thinking picture books. I gave them one that has a white dad and a black daughter when they found out they were finally going to get to pick her up, but I don’t remember the title. I’ve searched for adoption picture books but most seem to be for children adopted as babies. I know I have read books to my kids set in Africa but I’m blanking on titles. I thought maybe Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy too. 

Suggestions?

[Tanaqui]

I think it would be better to meet this child so you know how much English she speaks and what her interests are. If she speaks English well, she might be embarrassed by picture books meant for smaller children.

[prairiewindmomma]

To be very blunt, my 9 yo would be totally embarrassed to receive Corduroy books. Even the functionally illiterate kids in her classroom would be embarrassed to receive Corduroy. Even if she has minimal English and is developmentally stunted from the experiences that led her to be placed into an orphanage, I wouldn't head the picture book route. 

Soccer ball? Cute hair stuff? Cute sunglasses or nail polish? I would head that direction if you could not wait to give a gift..... Hair and nails are something that can be done together without a lot of shared language. When I lived abroad and did not understand the local language, a book was the last thing I wanted. It reminded me of all that I did not know. She will have enough going on with regards to an initial learning curve....even if she is fully fluent in English. She may very well be. My friends from Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Africa all speak perfectly fluent English. My newly arrived neighbor from Eritrea isn't fluent, but totally has enough to read and converse, even if she struggles to find a word.

 

[Rachel]

Oh see my kids still love Corduroy, my 10 year old read it today, I definitely don’t want to embarrass her.  We read all kinds of picture books in my house even though 2/3 my kids are technically past the age that most of the books are geared toward, maybe we are weird?  

I was thinking of reading being a bonding experience for her with her new parents and sisters. She is from an English speaking country so she is fluent in English.  My impression is that she hasn’t had much schooling but it’s really unknown right now.  I’m open to middle grade books and read alouds. 

[goldenecho]

I HAVE one.  I picked it up at a garage sale not knowing what it was about (just liked the picture on the front), and wanted to give it to someone who had an international adoption.  It's about a family that adopt a child...the child is from Asia though.  I can't remember the name and can't seem to find it right now, but if you would like it I'm happy to send it to you when I find it.  You can private message me with your address and such if you want it.

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by goldenecho

[Tanaqui]

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Oh see my kids still love Corduroy, my 10 year old read it today, I definitely don’t want to embarrass her.  We read all kinds of picture books in my house even though 2/3 my kids are technically past the age that most of the books are geared toward, maybe we are weird?  

 

There is a really big difference between still wanting to read picture books from when you were little and receiving one as a gift. I was babysitting a ten year old last year, and he was amazingly resistant to the idea of simply reading a picture book *to his little brother* if his friends might see him - nevermind that his friends are all smart enough to understand that he wasn't reading a picture book to himself, he was reading it to a five year old.

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I’m open to middle grade books and read alouds. 

 

You might try Misadventures of the Family Fletcher - all the children in the family are adopted, though all when they were little. She might not want to read about adoption as an older child - she's familiar with that story, of course, as it's her story. Otherwise, gimme a day, I can come up with a broad list of books that might appeal to a ten year old.

[acresoft]

My Friend and I by Lysanne Grey

Children of Color Storybook Bible

or a colorful nature book

[Lori D.]

Well, I am a huge book lover, and love to give books, but for this situation, I would probably opt for a special individualized / commemorative / welcome type of gift. For example, make or commission a special/meaningful piece of jewelry. Or a jewelry box or "special treasures" box. Or two small items that could be Christmas tree ornaments, one from her place of origin, and one from the US. Or make a special picture frame to hold a photo of her with her adoptive parents while still in Africa, so she has both of her "worlds" in one photo. (Perhaps make a fabric photo frame using a fabric design from her original homeland.) Or a hand-made lap-size quilt made of a variety of fabrics to commemorate both her original and new homelands.

Otherwise, if books are the best fit for the family and the occasion, what about a nicely illustrated folktales from around the world book?

Favorite African Tales (Mandela)
Fairy Tales from Around the World (Lang)
Favorite Folktales from Around the World (Yolen)
A Year Full of Stories: 52 Classic Stories from Around the World (McAllister)
Wonder Tales from Around the World or Wisdom Tales from Around the World (Forest)

Edited August 17, 2018 by Lori D.

[Xahm]

Books that show immigrant children/"outsider" children having some difficulty but ultimately doing well and being accepted might be nice. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson comes to mind, as does Molly's Pilgrim (which is a picture book).