Solomon's Sword: Two Families and the Children the State Took Away

by Michael Shapiro

In an era when headlines often seem dominated by horrific stories about abused children, Solomon's Sword weaves together the elements of two painful custody battles into a memorable book that no reader who cares about children will be able to put aside. The first story unfolds around Gina Pellegrino, who, in 1991, hours after giving birth to a daughter, abandons the child in a Connecticut hospital, and Cynthia and Jerry LaFlamme, a childless New Haven couple who have waited five years for an adoptive baby. When asked by a caseworker to name their highest priority--do they prefer a boy, a girl, an infant, a toddler--the LaFlammes say they simply want a "risk-free baby," one who can't be taken from them under any circumstances. Four months after the baby girl has come to live with them--and soon before their adoption would become legal--Pellegrino reappears, hoping to reclaim the child.

Next, Michael Shapiro describes the Melton sisters, living with nineteen children amid squalor and vermin in a drafty Chicago rowhouse. One snowy night in February 1994, policemen discover the children and evacuate them as a TV camera rolls, searing into our collective conscience shameful images of the officers emerging from the house with child after child in their arms. Though the children  are not victims of outright abuse, their neglect compels authorities to hold the threat of permanent removal over their hapless mothers.

In examining the collision between Gina Pellegrino's belated commitment to her daughter and the LaFlammes' threatened adoption of the girl, as well as the Meltons' inability to understand their parental shortcomings, Shapiro meets judges, lawyers, social workers, clergy, and therapists who must advocate a course of action not only in these two cases, but in thousands more every year across America. Reading about these dedicated people who are in the vanguard of new approaches to the problem of mistreated children will leave readers hopeful that we are finally learning how to ameliorate this enduring national disgrace. Solomon's Sword sheds new light on a dire social problem in a powerful book that will influence public policy for years to come.

Genres: Fostering, Nonfiction, Adoption

331 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Michael Shapiro writes about travel, the performing arts, and environmental issues for magazines and newspapers. A former staff reporter and editor at newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area, he’s the author of The Creative Spark, a collection of interviews with many of the world’s most creative people, and A Sense of Place, featuring conversations with leading travel writers. His stories appear in National Geographic, AFAR, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications.

Reviews

[Joänna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book shed light on two important cases within the child welfare system, and asks some great questions about who should be parenting. It also raises some valuable points from experts about bonding timelines and trauma responses. However, the book itself was horribly constructed. The organization is a heap of facts in no semblance of order, the writing is chaotic, and it constantly deep dives into useless histories about random people. The author adds in their opinion frequently as opposed to reporting facts, and their opinion clearly impacted who they interviewed and what facts they chose to illuminate. We all know writers are going to be biased, but I'm unaccustomed to it jumping off the page so boldly. When I examine the massive list of sources for this book I get the feeling Mr. Shapiro got in over his head with research and didn't know how to tie it all together.

If you want an academic deep dive into the history of child welfare, instead read "From Poor Law to Welfare State" by Walter Trattner.

For a current examination of one family's experience within the child welfare system in New York, and an organized analysis of shortcomings, check out "Invisible Child" by Andrea Elliott.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finished this - not even remotely. Some parts were very good, then it went into detail about the Judge...really, really unnecessary detail. Most parts were just too drawn out and the good parts were too short. Seems like it would be a good story, even though I was disappointed!

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok book which brings up some good points/issues about the best interests of children and when the state should or should not intervene, but all in all not the greatest read. It's long winded and redundent. Could have been edited much better.

[LauraLee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book helped me see a child and welfare services in a new way. One thing I will take from this is how important it is to look at the whole picture when considering foster care.

[Klaudyna Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book about foster care. I gave it 4 stars and not 5 because there was some college-like background reading in it which I don't enjoy reading.