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Emily Out of Focus
Twelve-year-old Emily is flying with her parents to China to adopt and bring home a new baby sister. She's excited but nervous to travel across the world and very aware that this trip will change her entire life. And the cracks are already starting to show the moment they reach the hotel--her parents are all about the new baby, and have no interest in exploring.
In the adoption trip group, Emily meets Katherine, a Chinese-American girl whose family has returned to China to adopt a second child. The girls eventually become friends and Katherine reveals a secret: she's determined to find her birth mother, and she wants Emily's help.
New country, new family, new responsibilities--it's all a lot to handle, and Emily has never felt more alone.
In the adoption trip group, Emily meets Katherine, a Chinese-American girl whose family has returned to China to adopt a second child. The girls eventually become friends and Katherine reveals a secret: she's determined to find her birth mother, and she wants Emily's help.
New country, new family, new responsibilities--it's all a lot to handle, and Emily has never felt more alone.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
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329 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 27, 2019
Emily can’t wait to fly with her parents to China and adopt her baby sister, but that doesn’t stop her from being nervous. What about if she doesn’t like the food? What about if her parents find out she’s sneaking Nana’s camera on the trip? Most importantly, what about if her new sister doesn’t like her? But with her parents focused on the impending adoption, Emily finds herself spending time with Katherine, whose parents are also adopting a second child. However, Katherine has her own mission, and she wants Emily’s help to find her birth mother.
Author Miriam Spitzer Franklin obviously has a closeness to the subject matter— something that’s clarified in an insightful author’s note at the back of the book. Before briefly explaining her own experiences, though, she carefully expresses each step of adoption in China in a fictionalized account of the process. And while lesser authors might make this seem more like a guide with a flimsy throughline, Franklin ends up with a compelling narrative that also happens to offer a unique perspective on one form of international adoption.
What makes this work rests mostly on the strength of Emily. Focused on a budding photojournalism career and having a bit of a rebellious streak, Emily encapsulates the hesitation most would experience with a changing family unit. She feels real as she deals with the dawning realization that a baby sister will indeed change everything. Franklin never paints her as selfish in these feelings. Rather, Emily’s just trying to work through what it means to be a big sister, and it’s incredibly effective.
Yet this book is not just about Emily’s journey, and the addition of Katherine allows for a deeper understanding of how international adoption affects children once their older. Her story of wanting to find her birth mother (and enlisting the help of Emily in an amusing and winding plot) is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Mei Lin, Emily’s new sister, is too young to express what her adoption means to her, but Katherine provides a deeper understanding of how complicated adoption can and will be.
Touching with plenty of fun, Emily Out of Focus is a beautiful story of family.
Note: I received an ARC of this book through Edelweiss.
Author Miriam Spitzer Franklin obviously has a closeness to the subject matter— something that’s clarified in an insightful author’s note at the back of the book. Before briefly explaining her own experiences, though, she carefully expresses each step of adoption in China in a fictionalized account of the process. And while lesser authors might make this seem more like a guide with a flimsy throughline, Franklin ends up with a compelling narrative that also happens to offer a unique perspective on one form of international adoption.
What makes this work rests mostly on the strength of Emily. Focused on a budding photojournalism career and having a bit of a rebellious streak, Emily encapsulates the hesitation most would experience with a changing family unit. She feels real as she deals with the dawning realization that a baby sister will indeed change everything. Franklin never paints her as selfish in these feelings. Rather, Emily’s just trying to work through what it means to be a big sister, and it’s incredibly effective.
Yet this book is not just about Emily’s journey, and the addition of Katherine allows for a deeper understanding of how international adoption affects children once their older. Her story of wanting to find her birth mother (and enlisting the help of Emily in an amusing and winding plot) is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Mei Lin, Emily’s new sister, is too young to express what her adoption means to her, but Katherine provides a deeper understanding of how complicated adoption can and will be.
Touching with plenty of fun, Emily Out of Focus is a beautiful story of family.
Note: I received an ARC of this book through Edelweiss.
April 27, 2019
Emily is getting a new baby sister! In this new middle grade selection we spend two weeks in China with Emily and her family as they go through the adoption process. Each chapter shows us Emily's diary and her recap of the previous day. As a 12-year-old who has been an only child, Emily has little firsthand knowledge of what it is like to have a baby in the family. She soon realizes that her plans for the activities on the trip will not become a reality. On top of that Emily is trying to complete a photo journalism project for a contest. It is hard to find subjects for photos when you are spending so much time in the hotel room. Emily has to work through the disappointments related to her expectations, friendship problems with a fellow big sister in the group and deceiving her parents to achieve her goals. I appreciated the way the author used Emily's diary entries to show her working through her identity crisis on the trip. Her family also modeled loving interactions through conflict and administering consequences.
A big thank you to Sky Pony and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Sky Pony and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2019
After twelve years as a family of three, Emily's family was preparing to become a family of four.
Emily was a 12-year-old with aspirations of winning a photo journalism competition and lots of worries about her trip to China to meet her new sister. Would she survive her first plane trip? Would she like the food? Would she like her sister? Would her sister like her? I had no need to worry though, because Emily and her family were able to work through all these issues and more during their journey.
Foreign adoption has become quite common in the US, and I enjoyed reading about the process. I appreciated Franklin sharing her personal experiences, and the first hand knowledge really showed, as she included many details, that were previously unknown to me. She shared the positives and some of the negatives, but what I really loved, was the different points of view she gave us.
The story was told by Emily, and therefore, the bulk of the experience was told from the adoptive family's perspective. Franklin did a wonderful job helping us navigate Emily's emotions. They came across as very real and reasonable, and I loved the way she and her family worked through all her feelings.
But we didn't only get the perspective of the new parents and the new sister, we also got to see this whole trip through the eyes of someone, who had previously been one of those babies - Katherine. Katherine was not as easy to like as Emily, but once I started learning more about her emotions regarding being back in China and her adoption, my heart ached a little for her, and I wanted to give her a great big hug.
Overall: A sweet, touching, and realistic look at foreign adoption, which brought us to China, and helped us see it through the eyes of a new, pre-teen sister, as well as an adoptee.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Emily was a 12-year-old with aspirations of winning a photo journalism competition and lots of worries about her trip to China to meet her new sister. Would she survive her first plane trip? Would she like the food? Would she like her sister? Would her sister like her? I had no need to worry though, because Emily and her family were able to work through all these issues and more during their journey.
Foreign adoption has become quite common in the US, and I enjoyed reading about the process. I appreciated Franklin sharing her personal experiences, and the first hand knowledge really showed, as she included many details, that were previously unknown to me. She shared the positives and some of the negatives, but what I really loved, was the different points of view she gave us.
The story was told by Emily, and therefore, the bulk of the experience was told from the adoptive family's perspective. Franklin did a wonderful job helping us navigate Emily's emotions. They came across as very real and reasonable, and I loved the way she and her family worked through all her feelings.
But we didn't only get the perspective of the new parents and the new sister, we also got to see this whole trip through the eyes of someone, who had previously been one of those babies - Katherine. Katherine was not as easy to like as Emily, but once I started learning more about her emotions regarding being back in China and her adoption, my heart ached a little for her, and I wanted to give her a great big hug.
Overall: A sweet, touching, and realistic look at foreign adoption, which brought us to China, and helped us see it through the eyes of a new, pre-teen sister, as well as an adoptee.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 24, 2019
I was so happy to hear what this book was about- a family traveling to China to adopt a new baby.
Twelve-year-old Emily and her family travel to China to adopt her new baby sister. There are a lot of things Emily is unsure of, but photography isn’t one of them. Plans of winning a photography competition swirl in Emily’s mind and when she meets her new sister Mei Lin, Emily realizes things are changing. Then, when Emily meets another big sister, Katherine, and gets roped into helping Katherine with a secret plan, things start to get even more complicated. Themes of honesty and family and love are woven into this important story.
Twelve-year-old Emily and her family travel to China to adopt her new baby sister. There are a lot of things Emily is unsure of, but photography isn’t one of them. Plans of winning a photography competition swirl in Emily’s mind and when she meets her new sister Mei Lin, Emily realizes things are changing. Then, when Emily meets another big sister, Katherine, and gets roped into helping Katherine with a secret plan, things start to get even more complicated. Themes of honesty and family and love are woven into this important story.
January 24, 2020
5 SHINING STARS
Budding photojournalist Emily is flying to China to adopt her baby sister after twelve years as an only child. Also on the trip she’ll meet Katherine, adopted from China as a baby also meeting a new baby sister. Emily happily agrees to help Katherine’s secret plan to find her birth mother, even though it means lying and sneaking around. What could possibly go wrong?
From the first page to the last, EMILY OUT OF FOCUS drew me in and kept me interested on the journey of adoption, changing families and friendship. I loved Emily’s passion for photography and her connection to her grandmother’s memory.
Miriam Spitzer Franklin, who herself adopted a daughter from China, did a great job contrasting family’s different paths toward adoption without ever sounding like she was teaching readers. She showed the difference between changing the names of adoptees vs retaining their Chinese names, the sad reality of understaffed orphanages seamlessly within the plot.
I’d love to see a follow up to EMILY OUT OF FOCUS.
Budding photojournalist Emily is flying to China to adopt her baby sister after twelve years as an only child. Also on the trip she’ll meet Katherine, adopted from China as a baby also meeting a new baby sister. Emily happily agrees to help Katherine’s secret plan to find her birth mother, even though it means lying and sneaking around. What could possibly go wrong?
From the first page to the last, EMILY OUT OF FOCUS drew me in and kept me interested on the journey of adoption, changing families and friendship. I loved Emily’s passion for photography and her connection to her grandmother’s memory.
Miriam Spitzer Franklin, who herself adopted a daughter from China, did a great job contrasting family’s different paths toward adoption without ever sounding like she was teaching readers. She showed the difference between changing the names of adoptees vs retaining their Chinese names, the sad reality of understaffed orphanages seamlessly within the plot.
I’d love to see a follow up to EMILY OUT OF FOCUS.
May 1, 2021
Heartwarming story of found family and lasting friendship. Emily is traveling to China with her parents to adopt a baby sister. At 12, Emily doesn’t really understand why her family still needs another member, and she’s full of worries over the trip and the changes in her life. She secretly brought along her Grandmother’s camera, hoping to become the next great photojournalist, and now, her new friend Katherine has given her an idea of the perfect piece. But things come crashing down and it seems like all of her fears might be justified.
I enjoyed Emily’s story and the information about adoption in China. While it was easy to get caught up in her feelings, the writing style was a bit dry and even the first-person POV seemed distant at times. Overall an engaging story with a lackluster execution.
I enjoyed Emily’s story and the information about adoption in China. While it was easy to get caught up in her feelings, the writing style was a bit dry and even the first-person POV seemed distant at times. Overall an engaging story with a lackluster execution.
June 9, 2019
Just finished fellow #kidliterati author, Miriam Spitzer Franklin’s Emily Out of Focus. #mgbookshelf I loved this true-to-life story of one family’s overseas adoption. Emily discovers what it means to be a big sister and have a family. Adventure and secrets unfold.
October 3, 2019
I enjoyed Emily as a point of view character and her worries were age appropriate for middle grade. I also liked the strong family relationships and peek into adopting a foreign child through the eyes of the older sibling as well as a child who was adopted herself.
March 21, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC of this book.
When Emily’s parents travel to China to adopt her little sister, they learn about Chinese culture and trans-racial/continental adoption. Emily also meets Katherine, a girl her age who was adopted from China and is — unbeknownst to anyone but Emily — looking for her birth mother.
The entire book is a remarkable immersion into Chinese culture for anyone who’s never visited. I loved reading about the new food and city life Emily experiences. It’s also an honest exploration of the behind-the-scenes of adoption from China, from the perspective of adoptive parents. I learned a great deal about why there’s a spike in Chinese adoptions as well as what the process is like. Emily Out of Focus is in that sense a reminder of what’s so wonderful about children’s books — a variety of subjects tackled as compassionately as possible.
My only real complaint is that I found this book more educative than enjoyable. I see the need for books like this, but I also believe books can teach without making the reader feel like they're taking a course on the subject matter.
Full review here https://readingmiddlegrade.com/emily-...
When Emily’s parents travel to China to adopt her little sister, they learn about Chinese culture and trans-racial/continental adoption. Emily also meets Katherine, a girl her age who was adopted from China and is — unbeknownst to anyone but Emily — looking for her birth mother.
The entire book is a remarkable immersion into Chinese culture for anyone who’s never visited. I loved reading about the new food and city life Emily experiences. It’s also an honest exploration of the behind-the-scenes of adoption from China, from the perspective of adoptive parents. I learned a great deal about why there’s a spike in Chinese adoptions as well as what the process is like. Emily Out of Focus is in that sense a reminder of what’s so wonderful about children’s books — a variety of subjects tackled as compassionately as possible.
My only real complaint is that I found this book more educative than enjoyable. I see the need for books like this, but I also believe books can teach without making the reader feel like they're taking a course on the subject matter.
Full review here https://readingmiddlegrade.com/emily-...
May 29, 2019
From the opening pages of the book the reader gets a glimpse into what Emily wants:
-- to be a photojournalist like her grandmother,
and what she fears:
--not liking or being liked by her new little sister Mei Lin,
and what she wonders:
--why did her parents need another child and why wasn't she enough?
In order to follow her grandmother's career as a photojournalist, Emily decides to,
a) bring along her grandmother's camera to China without her parents' permission so that,
b) she can take pictures and win a scholarship to the best photojournalism camp in the country.
These threads weave throughout the book and--you guessed it--get her into trouble.
Right off the plane, she meets a Chinese girl named Katherine who was adopted as a baby. Katherine's family are a part of Emily's group and have come to China to adopt another child. Although Emily has her doubts about Katherine, the two end up bonding over Katherine's secret: she plans to contact her birth mother while in China and needs Emily's help.
Emily's days are filled with boring meetings over finalizing Mei Lin's adoption, secret adventures with Katherine, and learning to love and be loved by Mei Lin.
Half-way through the book Mei Lin gets sick and Emily begins to realize how much she cares for her little sister. Another crucial scene is when the group visits Mei Lin's orphanage. Suddenly, Emily begins to see what it was like for Mei Lin and Katherine to be abandoned as babies. When the girls visit the park where Katherine's mother left her (a common practice), Emily watches her friend.
She sunk on the ground, running her hand over the grass, "This is where she left me," she said quietly.
I just stood there, not knowing what to say. I reached for Nana's camera, but I froze as I looked at Katherine through the lens, the way she was staring down at the grass, a look in her eyes I'd never seen before. Despair. Overwhelming sadness,. Loss. Her eyes were filled with a kind of pain I would never know, the kind that comes from realizing your mother--the person who was supposed to love you and keep you safe--had abandoned you in the exact spot where you were standing.
I put my camera down. (pp. 153-54)
Emily Out of Focus is a realistic portrayal of a 12-year-old girl's coming to grips with a new adopted sibling. Combining Mei Lin's story with Katherine's brings a richness to the novel and will open middle grade reader's eyes to a world they might never have known.
-- to be a photojournalist like her grandmother,
and what she fears:
--not liking or being liked by her new little sister Mei Lin,
and what she wonders:
--why did her parents need another child and why wasn't she enough?
In order to follow her grandmother's career as a photojournalist, Emily decides to,
a) bring along her grandmother's camera to China without her parents' permission so that,
b) she can take pictures and win a scholarship to the best photojournalism camp in the country.
These threads weave throughout the book and--you guessed it--get her into trouble.
Right off the plane, she meets a Chinese girl named Katherine who was adopted as a baby. Katherine's family are a part of Emily's group and have come to China to adopt another child. Although Emily has her doubts about Katherine, the two end up bonding over Katherine's secret: she plans to contact her birth mother while in China and needs Emily's help.
Emily's days are filled with boring meetings over finalizing Mei Lin's adoption, secret adventures with Katherine, and learning to love and be loved by Mei Lin.
Half-way through the book Mei Lin gets sick and Emily begins to realize how much she cares for her little sister. Another crucial scene is when the group visits Mei Lin's orphanage. Suddenly, Emily begins to see what it was like for Mei Lin and Katherine to be abandoned as babies. When the girls visit the park where Katherine's mother left her (a common practice), Emily watches her friend.
She sunk on the ground, running her hand over the grass, "This is where she left me," she said quietly.
I just stood there, not knowing what to say. I reached for Nana's camera, but I froze as I looked at Katherine through the lens, the way she was staring down at the grass, a look in her eyes I'd never seen before. Despair. Overwhelming sadness,. Loss. Her eyes were filled with a kind of pain I would never know, the kind that comes from realizing your mother--the person who was supposed to love you and keep you safe--had abandoned you in the exact spot where you were standing.
I put my camera down. (pp. 153-54)
Emily Out of Focus is a realistic portrayal of a 12-year-old girl's coming to grips with a new adopted sibling. Combining Mei Lin's story with Katherine's brings a richness to the novel and will open middle grade reader's eyes to a world they might never have known.
November 29, 2018
This book felt very real. I think it covered a comprehensive emotional rollercoaster that a pre-teen could experience when her family adopts a new child.
Emily is a happy, upbeat, but typical pre-teen, which comes through very clearly in her narration. After many years of waiting, her parents finally get what they wished for - a chance to adopt a Chinese baby girl. Emily gets to travel to China with her parents to pick up the baby and to finalize the adoption. But it's not easy to go from being a single child to a big sister. There are lots of new adjustments, both emotional and physical, and not all of them are good ones. To top it off, her parents are even more restrictive and over protective at this time, and hardly let Emily even leave the hotel room on her own. When Emily stretches the truth a bit too get around these rules... things get complicated.
The adoption process and orphanage scenes shed a light on how the system works, and what these children go through - the lucky ones who get adopted, and a hint of what happens to the others. We also get to see though the eyes of an older adoptee who wishes to connect with her birth family. It's very emotional and well written.
Emily is an engaging and complex character. I really enjoyed reading this book. Family (and friendship) is an important theme here, which is becoming exceedingly rare in modern books where parents are taken out of the equation in order to make the plot more exciting. This was written very realistically, and I loved every minute of it (except for the parts where Emily has to face the music 😖).
I highly recommend this book for all ages.
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Emily is a happy, upbeat, but typical pre-teen, which comes through very clearly in her narration. After many years of waiting, her parents finally get what they wished for - a chance to adopt a Chinese baby girl. Emily gets to travel to China with her parents to pick up the baby and to finalize the adoption. But it's not easy to go from being a single child to a big sister. There are lots of new adjustments, both emotional and physical, and not all of them are good ones. To top it off, her parents are even more restrictive and over protective at this time, and hardly let Emily even leave the hotel room on her own. When Emily stretches the truth a bit too get around these rules... things get complicated.
The adoption process and orphanage scenes shed a light on how the system works, and what these children go through - the lucky ones who get adopted, and a hint of what happens to the others. We also get to see though the eyes of an older adoptee who wishes to connect with her birth family. It's very emotional and well written.
Emily is an engaging and complex character. I really enjoyed reading this book. Family (and friendship) is an important theme here, which is becoming exceedingly rare in modern books where parents are taken out of the equation in order to make the plot more exciting. This was written very realistically, and I loved every minute of it (except for the parts where Emily has to face the music 😖).
I highly recommend this book for all ages.
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2019
Emily and her family are finally taking the trip to China to adopt her new baby sister, they've been waiting years for their family to be complete. Once there Emily meets Katherine who like the new little sister Emily is picking up was adopted from China. This time Katherine's there with her family to adopt her new sister as well. But Katherine's also on her own secret mission, she wants to find her birth mother and she thinks Emily is the one to help her to do it, but Emily isn't too sure her parents would approve. But she changes her mind when it seems all the plans Emily made with her parents before the trip are getting squashed by a new baby and too much paperwork. What Emily didn't expect was how much helping Kathrine was going to effect her.
This book is lovely, it tugs at your heart strings in such a true and honest way. Emily struggles when they get to China but it's not because she's selfish or trying to make it all about her, she's adjusting to her new family and the fact that it's not just her anymore. Katherine's desire to find her birth mother shows a lot about the adoption process, from what the author's note says, used to be like and what Emily's new sister might be facing one day. A great book about about family and changes.
This book is lovely, it tugs at your heart strings in such a true and honest way. Emily struggles when they get to China but it's not because she's selfish or trying to make it all about her, she's adjusting to her new family and the fact that it's not just her anymore. Katherine's desire to find her birth mother shows a lot about the adoption process, from what the author's note says, used to be like and what Emily's new sister might be facing one day. A great book about about family and changes.
February 10, 2019
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for review to Collabookation.
Emily's family is on their way to China to meet, adopt, and take home her new baby sister. Emily has had years to get used to the idea, but now that it's a sure thing, she doesn't know how to feel.
When she arrives and meets other adoptive families, she finds an unlikely friend in Katherine, another sibling awaiting a sister. Turns out, both have hidden agendas for their trip to China.
Miriam Spitzer Franklin writes honest, caring characters for whom we are bound to root for. Both Emily and Katherine are kind and compassionate, with big dreams and doubts to match (isn't that the conundrum of adolescence?).
This book is a wonderful story of family, connecting, and helping those in need. As an older sibling to an adopted sister, I could identify with Emily's doubts of connecting with her new sibling~ and with those doubts disappearing the minute I met my baby sister.
I highly recommend Emily Out of Focus to students in grades 4 and up!
Emily's family is on their way to China to meet, adopt, and take home her new baby sister. Emily has had years to get used to the idea, but now that it's a sure thing, she doesn't know how to feel.
When she arrives and meets other adoptive families, she finds an unlikely friend in Katherine, another sibling awaiting a sister. Turns out, both have hidden agendas for their trip to China.
Miriam Spitzer Franklin writes honest, caring characters for whom we are bound to root for. Both Emily and Katherine are kind and compassionate, with big dreams and doubts to match (isn't that the conundrum of adolescence?).
This book is a wonderful story of family, connecting, and helping those in need. As an older sibling to an adopted sister, I could identify with Emily's doubts of connecting with her new sibling~ and with those doubts disappearing the minute I met my baby sister.
I highly recommend Emily Out of Focus to students in grades 4 and up!
December 17, 2018
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing our #bookexpedition group with an ARC to read and review.
Twelve year old Emily wants to be a photojournalist, inspired by her recently passed Nana. She feels her family’s journey to China to adopt her long-awaited sister from an orphanage will provide the photos and the story she needs to enter a contest to win her a spot at a two week photojournalist camp in NYC.
Emily’s journal entries chronicle the adjustments she’s making on the journey, and not all of them are positive. While meeting a new friend who’s hoping to find her birth mom and traveling to the orphanage where her new sister spent the first 18 months of her life, Emily has to make some tough decisions that take her out of focus.
I especially liked the author’s note at the end of the novel that shared her adoption story process firsthand.
With themes of family and friendship, this is an important heartprint story for middle grade readers. Publishes March 2019.
Twelve year old Emily wants to be a photojournalist, inspired by her recently passed Nana. She feels her family’s journey to China to adopt her long-awaited sister from an orphanage will provide the photos and the story she needs to enter a contest to win her a spot at a two week photojournalist camp in NYC.
Emily’s journal entries chronicle the adjustments she’s making on the journey, and not all of them are positive. While meeting a new friend who’s hoping to find her birth mom and traveling to the orphanage where her new sister spent the first 18 months of her life, Emily has to make some tough decisions that take her out of focus.
I especially liked the author’s note at the end of the novel that shared her adoption story process firsthand.
With themes of family and friendship, this is an important heartprint story for middle grade readers. Publishes March 2019.
November 2, 2018
Told through the lens of 12-year-old Emily, an aspiring photojournalist, this story honestly relates the joy and struggle of a family as they pick up their long-awaited daughter, Mei Lin, from an orphanage in YiYang City in China. Readers will cheer Emily on as she transforms from a reluctant big sister and trepidatious traveler who is harboring a few secrets to a welcoming big sister. The book also explores what is means to be a friend, as well as the importance of reassessing core goals. This is a story that adoptive families will relish and share with their friends; it offers an important snapshot of what it means to become a family and is written by an author who has experienced the adoption process first hand.
May 22, 2019
This was a great read! Emily adventurous spirit and kind heart captured my attention and held it all the way to the end. Seeing China through Emily's eyes was fascinating, and the descriptions really brought the story to life. Her determination and passion for photojournalism was exciting, but I also loved the way that she became more conscientious and empathetic as the book went on. She stepped outside of herself and became more aware of what life was like for others, particularly her new baby sister Mei Lin and her friend, Katherine. Her relationship with her family was sweet and authentic, even if things weren't always perfect. This was a lovely story about family, friendship, and connection.
October 8, 2020
Emily, a budding photo-journalist, writes down all her fears about her trip to China where her family will pick up her adopted baby sister. As she faces her fears, she also makes a new friend, who has a secret and daring proposal. Emily feels guilty as the secrets and the lies start to pile up, but is willing to keep her friend's secret hoping to use it to win a photojournalist contest and to help her friend.
This is a really cute story, with a realistic character that shows a realistic amount of growth. From the details included, I could tell that the author had been on a trip like this too. I think kids will identify with the character, enjoy the adventure, and appreciate the themes in the story.
This is a really cute story, with a realistic character that shows a realistic amount of growth. From the details included, I could tell that the author had been on a trip like this too. I think kids will identify with the character, enjoy the adventure, and appreciate the themes in the story.
April 29, 2020
Emily and her parents travel to China in order to bring home a new baby sister. They're in a large group with other adoptive families, and Emily meets Katherine, who was adopted herself and hopes to (secretly) find out something about her birth mother.
Fascinating look at the process of adopting a Chinese child. I struggled (as I always will) with a plot in which children blatantly lie to their parents. Sneaking out and traveling through a foreign city alone tripped my plausibility sensor and made me a little sick as a parent. Not my kind of adventure, but compliments to Franklin for forcing such strong reactions out of me.
Fascinating look at the process of adopting a Chinese child. I struggled (as I always will) with a plot in which children blatantly lie to their parents. Sneaking out and traveling through a foreign city alone tripped my plausibility sensor and made me a little sick as a parent. Not my kind of adventure, but compliments to Franklin for forcing such strong reactions out of me.
May 7, 2019
Miriam Spitzer Franklin creates authentic characters that invite you in to their lives to join them on their journeys. In this case the journey is a literal one across the world as twelve-yer-old Emily's family adopts a baby girl, Mei Lin, from China. Emily finds herself drawn into a secret journey with another girl her age who was herself adopted from China as a baby. As the story unfolds, Emily and her family learn many life lessons along the way. All middle graders will both enjoy and learn from EMILY, OUT OF FOCUS. I would especially recommend this book to all adoptive families.
July 10, 2019
An excellent book on the process of adopting a little girl from China told from the perspective of the 12 yo sister. We see everything through the eyes of Emily. We see her excitement to visit a new place, her fears (how will this change things, what if the new sister doesn't like her, why can't they do the things she wants to).
I liked this book: 1. it's a theme that is near and dear to my heart, 2. it's interesting and well-written,
and 3. insight into the emotions and struggles a 12yo must go through when the family unit changes this much.
I liked this book: 1. it's a theme that is near and dear to my heart, 2. it's interesting and well-written,
and 3. insight into the emotions and struggles a 12yo must go through when the family unit changes this much.
May 14, 2019
3.5 stars. This was an interesting adoption story. Made me think often of friends who adopted from China. Emily grew on me over time. I am a character-driven reader, so I would have liked this more if I had connected better with some of the characters. My favorites were the girls the two families were adopting. Lots to think about in this story especially things about family. My favorite passages were those where Emily really started to understand life for her sister in China.
December 9, 2020
Stunning book.
Amazing writing and storytelling. Such a great voice and crafted novel. I'm amazed at all the detailed information and emotion from this story in such a fast pace middle-grade novel. One of the best I've read in the past five years.
This novel is rich in so many ways: the story of the adoption, the cultural shock, dealing with becoming a big sister in such circumstances, wanting to know where you come from... Fantastic.
Amazing writing and storytelling. Such a great voice and crafted novel. I'm amazed at all the detailed information and emotion from this story in such a fast pace middle-grade novel. One of the best I've read in the past five years.
This novel is rich in so many ways: the story of the adoption, the cultural shock, dealing with becoming a big sister in such circumstances, wanting to know where you come from... Fantastic.
November 13, 2025
It’s more of a 4.75 but that’s not an option so 5 stars it is I love this book so much it was so good read it when i was in 6th grade and fell in love with this book read it twice it was so good when it ended i was really sad it was over. I read it in a week all the different plots were really good i loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes fiction between 9-12 years old. So yeah loved it and i hope other people like it as much as i did!!!!!!!!!😁📚❤️📖
February 11, 2019
This book made me want to take the first plane to China to hang out with Emily and her family. The author does such a good job of bringing the setting - and the struggles - to life that you feel like you're there with them from the first page to the last. I will post a full review on my website soon.
September 29, 2023
I'm focused on where Emily and Katherine's friendship will go. It's about friendship and it's also about being parents in handling their children. their parents are very calm and try to stay well and improve each other. I also discovered about the different foods of China, so this book is also an adventure
July 8, 2019
Interesting and informative - based on a real-life experience.
Strong, realistic main character who has to adjust to life as a big sister after 12 years of being an only child. The trip to China and the tired parents are all part of the experience.
Would make a good read -aloud.
Strong, realistic main character who has to adjust to life as a big sister after 12 years of being an only child. The trip to China and the tired parents are all part of the experience.
Would make a good read -aloud.
February 23, 2020
This is a compelling children's book about a 12 year old girl who accompanies her parents to China to adopt a baby. It was well-written novel and explored ideas about identity, family, friendship, loyalty, and honesty. It needed a little more editing for typos toward the end of the book.
February 18, 2019
An inside look at the adoption process that all kids can enjoy and adoptive families will appreciate.
May 12, 2019
This was really, really good.
September 12, 2019
Super good book for tweens and teens.
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