Book Review: Motherbridge of Love

by Pam Connell | More from this Blogger

31 May 2009 03:17 PM

Motherbridge of Love has definitely earned a place in my Adoption Books with Great Art series. (Anyone would enjoy the gorgeous artwork-in fact, this book was number 3 on Time Magazine's "10 Best Children's Books of 2007" list.)

This book is based on an anonymous poem familiar to many people connected with adoption, usually called "Legacy of an Adopted Child". There are several versions which change the wording only slightly.

Personally, I hadn't found this particular poem especially moving until I saw this version. (Maybe because the version I saw had the line "heredity or environment-which are you a product of?" Not exactly poetic, plus I have an aversion to humans being called "products". This version, which was sent anonymously to the charity "Mother Bridge of Love", is much better.) To my surprise it was my nine-year-old, not my six-year-old, who upon spotting this book very emphatically said "Yes, yes, you should get it....because it's like me!"

Canadian illustrator Josee Masse has taken this poem and applied her art to creating beautiful illustrations. A closer look at these reveals subtle messages which support the text. The cover supports the title by depicting the hands of two women touching each other to form a heart-shaped "bridge" around an exuberant young girl cartwheeling through a field of flowers. In another spread a young Asian woman is blowing bubbles. The bubbles depict a daughter reading with her adoptive mother, playing outside, blowing out birthday candles. To me this suggests the birthmother's dreams for her daughter. The moon on one page has a face which looks distinctly like the Asian mother's, and a haunting image on the final spread shows the American mother and daughter enjoying a fall breeze, while elements of leaves, wind and sun form features of a birthmother's face.

The book's title comes from the nonprofit organization Mother Bridge of Love, which was founded by a Chinese journalist. Its goals are: to reach out to Chinese children all over the world, especially adopted children; to promote cultural understanding between China and the West; to help adoptive youth travel to the countryside of China, where most adopted Chinese children are born; and to provide educational and other support to children in poor rural areas of China. You can visit Mother Bridge of Love's website to learn more.

Royalties from the sales of this book will be donated to Mother Bridge of Love.

Barefoot Books tries to publish art and stories which "open the hearts and minds of children from all walks of life". A copy of the poem written in Chinese can be printed the Barefoot Books website.

Please see these other blogs from my Adoption Books with Great Art Series:

Over Land and Sea: a Story of International Adoption

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes

Megan's Birthday Tree

Learn more about Pam Connell

Pam Connell is a mother of three by both birth and adoption. She has worked in education, child care, social services, ministry and journalism.

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