Our Chosen Child: How You Came To Us And The Growing Up Years

 
Released: June, 2003

Author(s): Judy Pelikan, Judith Levy

Hardcover: 64 pages

Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches

Parents record every milestone-from the first smile to the first day at school-in a child's baby book for posterity. Thanks to best-selling author Judith Levy, adoptive parents can now express their joy and love for a child in a baby book created especially for them. Our Chosen Child omits the traditional space for recording details about the pregnancy, labor, and delivery, highlighting instead the special preparations adoptive parents make and the excitement and anticipation they feel.In Our Chosen Child, adoptive parents can record family history and all the milestones of childhood through high school graduation.

Additionally, Our Chosen Child includes the milestones that an adoptive family achieves. A page entitled "Waiting for You" acknowledges the many steps along the journey to becoming an adoptive family, such as completing a home study and getting references. On the page entitled "When We First Saw You" parents can capture the special moment when they first meet their intended child, whether as a newborn or as a five-year-old. The happy memories of the day the adoption is finalized are recorded on the "Adoption Day" page.Each page features original poetry by Judith Levy, such as this loving dedication: "You had a journey to make, A trip to come through, To parents who were praying, And waiting for you." Judy Pelikan's tender illustrations grace every page, making this book a beautiful keepsake.All adoptive parents will want to complete this treasury of memories for their own "chosen child."

ADOPTSHARE REVIEW, October 2006

Our Chosen Child does a good job of incorporating adoption into a baby book that tries to fit any adoption situation. Although not all pages apply to every family, this is book does a good job of adapting to various situations. 

This book is a baby book and isn't supposed to replace your child’s lifebook. The book covers child’s life from infancy to late teen. This book is not a good fit for a single parent or non-traditional families as the captions are to be written from 'mom' and 'dad'. 

From a Family Tree to When I first Saw You, this book rings true to the adoptive family.  The author allows the parent to expand on the subject matter by giving broad titles, for example 'other people who love me' allowing the parent to include information on the birth parents if they choose.

This book provides a great choice for an adopted child’s baby book where a traditional baby book would not work.