Book Review: We Wanted You

by Pam Connell | More from this Blogger

17 Jul 2007 10:49 PM

We Wanted You, by Liz Rosenberg, is a wonderful addition to a child's library, especially the library of a child who came to his or her family through adoption. The book is simple enough to be understood by a three-year-old, yet the beautiful illustrations by Peter Catalanotto will appeal to younger and older readers, and the message of love will be reassuring to adoptees of any age.

The words and pictures interact uniquely to tell the story of Enrique. The pictures begin with the present and go back to the past, while the words tell the adoptive parents' story from the beginning.

The series of pictures begins with Enrique, a handsome Latino young man, graduating from high school and washing his car. The text tells how his parents wanted Enrique from the moment he was born, and even before that. While the parents tell how they waited and waited for a child, we see Enrique celebrating his birthday, on a fishing trip with his family, at the ocean, As the parents tell how they prepared for a baby and made a quilt, we see Enrique, about ten years old, snuggling under the quilt waiting out the chicken pox. We see the preschooler Enrique playing in the room his parents hopefully painted during their wait. We see him "flying" in a superman cape as his parents tell how they flew to meet him when they got the telephone call telling them to come for him.

The text says, "Somewhere in the world a mother gave birth to you, a father gave life to you. We weren't your first father and mother." This is a gentle way to approach the subject of a birthfather with a child, to see if the child picks up on the chance to ask questions. (My daughter was in kindergarten when she first asked me who her father was, although I'm not sure if she was referring to her birthfather or her foster father. We had spoken from the beginning of her birthmother and how she grew [birthmother's first name]'s tummy.)

The text continues, "But we waited for you. We rocked you...." (The pictures have reached Enrique as an infant now.) I liked that the father is portrayed very lovingly in the pictures as being very involved in the care of the infant Enrique. The text tells how the adoptive parents did all the things parents do, concluding,

"And that's how you know that you are really ours. Because we were yours, all along." We see pictures of the young couple and baby Enrique surrounded by family under a "We Love You Enrique" banner at his welcome-home party. "We wanted you so much back then...

"And we still do." The final picture shows the proud family posing after loading a U-Haul truck. I think this would be reassuring to a young adult heading off to college or a new living situation after high school-that family bonds endure.

Please see these related blogs:

Love You Forever--Reassuring Your Adopted Child

Insecurity in Adopted Children

Helping a Traumatized Child Build A Sense of Security and Safety

Can This Child Really Be Mine?

Kids' Books Starring Internationally Adopted Kids

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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