[.ca] A Koala for Katie (ISBN 0807542105)

Could Have Been So Much Better:
I was so excited to read this new book to my 2 1/2 year old adopted son, but the farther I read, the more disappointed I became. I think the author's (Jonathan London) choice of words in explaining adoption were VERY poorly chosen. When Katie asks about her "real" mother, I just about lost it. Mr. London needs to understand that the adoptive parents ARE the REAL mom and dad. In relating this story to small children he could of at least used real and relevant words like "birth mother/birth parents." Adopted children can be confused enough as it is, but using this misleading language is totally unnecessary.

Great:
Here's another of our son's adoption favorites. Like Katie, he wondered where babies come from, and why he came to his parents differently than most. He identifies strongly with Katie, whose trip to the zoo let him, early on, explore the adoption theme. He pulled this book from those I intended to review, explaiming, "OOOOOOO! I love this book!" The zoo will find a new mother for a baby koala that suddenly lost its own. Katie's parents compare this to the way that an adoption agency found parents for her when her birth parents could not care for her. Katie's parents buy her a stuffed koala, which she adopts to act out her concerns. This is simply a great book for any child who was adopted, as well as for his siblings. Alyssa A. Lappen

Good for adopted children:
My 3-yr old adopted daughter really likes this book. It is a good story and well written. The part where Katie becomes motherly toward the stuffed koala is very age appropriate for the 3-4 year olds.