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Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale
This is the story of one baby’s journey from her birth parents in China, who dream of a better life for their daughter, to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world, who dream of the life they can give her.
A turtle, a peacock, a monkey, a panda, and some fish shepherd the baby as she floats in a basket on a moonlit, winding river into the loving arms of her new parents.
Perfect for bedtime reading, Karen Henry Clark’s poetic text, reminiscent of a lullaby, and Patrice Barton’s textured and gentle-hued illustrations capture the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption.
A turtle, a peacock, a monkey, a panda, and some fish shepherd the baby as she floats in a basket on a moonlit, winding river into the loving arms of her new parents.
Perfect for bedtime reading, Karen Henry Clark’s poetic text, reminiscent of a lullaby, and Patrice Barton’s textured and gentle-hued illustrations capture the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2010
About the author
Karen Henry Clark
3 books9 followersKaren Henry Clark developed a three-point plan when she was four years old. 1. Marry a wonderful man. 2. Have a wonderful daughter. 3. Write a wonderful book. Realizing 1. and 2. involved becoming an adult, Karen wrote the book—on the living room wall, causing weeklong crayon imprisonment and demonstrating how difficult 3. would be. Always.
She worked as a teacher, college administrator, bookstore clerk, copywriter, book reviewer, and essayist. For decades, her picture book manuscripts were rejected (nicely) until adopting Margaret from China and writing Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale. When her daughter suggested writing another heartfelt story, Karen interviewed her friend Nancy from the bookstore. Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America’s Most Celebrated Librarian resulted.
In her blog Margin Notes, Karen writes about life’s simple, but magical moments. She lives in an Ohio village with husband Cliff and that 3-point plan accomplished.
Read selections from Karen's blog here:
The Kindness Effect
Pirates and Daffodils
Both Ends of a Scream
Reviews For Sweet Moon Baby:
"This lyrical story of destiny and love...is a triumph." - Kirkus Reviews
"For a young child beginning to make sense of her past, Sweet Moon Baby offers a safe doorway into a deeper understanding." -Adoptive Families magazine
"Heartfelt, moving, and lovely in every way. It's a marvelous pairing of Clark's exquisite text and Barton's glorious illustrations." - Nancy Pearl, author and NPR commentator
"A sublimely wondrous book about how families get made, even when those family members are born thousands of miles away....You can't leave me sniffling alone. Come share this extraordinary family journey indeed." - Terry Hong, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program
Find Sweet Moon Baby on Facebook here.
She worked as a teacher, college administrator, bookstore clerk, copywriter, book reviewer, and essayist. For decades, her picture book manuscripts were rejected (nicely) until adopting Margaret from China and writing Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale. When her daughter suggested writing another heartfelt story, Karen interviewed her friend Nancy from the bookstore. Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America’s Most Celebrated Librarian resulted.
In her blog Margin Notes, Karen writes about life’s simple, but magical moments. She lives in an Ohio village with husband Cliff and that 3-point plan accomplished.
Read selections from Karen's blog here:
The Kindness Effect
Pirates and Daffodils
Both Ends of a Scream
Reviews For Sweet Moon Baby:
"This lyrical story of destiny and love...is a triumph." - Kirkus Reviews
"For a young child beginning to make sense of her past, Sweet Moon Baby offers a safe doorway into a deeper understanding." -Adoptive Families magazine
"Heartfelt, moving, and lovely in every way. It's a marvelous pairing of Clark's exquisite text and Barton's glorious illustrations." - Nancy Pearl, author and NPR commentator
"A sublimely wondrous book about how families get made, even when those family members are born thousands of miles away....You can't leave me sniffling alone. Come share this extraordinary family journey indeed." - Terry Hong, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program
Find Sweet Moon Baby on Facebook here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 3, 2011
In China, a baby girl is born and her parents aren't able to care for her:
"We have barely enough rice to feed ourselves...she should have pretty things...she should learn to read..."
So they place her in a basket and put her in the river, placing their trust in the moon that only good things will happen to their daughter, while on the other side of the world, a husband and wife yearn for a daughter.
I really wanted to love this story--the illustrations are just gorgeous. But I feel that the story could confuse younger adopted children, particularly in the way that the little girl is given up by her parents. Also, I wasn't fond of the reasons given as to why she was given up: she should have pretty things? She should learn to read? REALLY? That's why they gave her up? To me, it trivialized the complex reasons why children are placed for adoption.
As an adoptive parent, my recommendation is to admire the illustrations, but skip this book if you are trying to help your young child make sense of his or her adoption.
"We have barely enough rice to feed ourselves...she should have pretty things...she should learn to read..."
So they place her in a basket and put her in the river, placing their trust in the moon that only good things will happen to their daughter, while on the other side of the world, a husband and wife yearn for a daughter.
I really wanted to love this story--the illustrations are just gorgeous. But I feel that the story could confuse younger adopted children, particularly in the way that the little girl is given up by her parents. Also, I wasn't fond of the reasons given as to why she was given up: she should have pretty things? She should learn to read? REALLY? That's why they gave her up? To me, it trivialized the complex reasons why children are placed for adoption.
As an adoptive parent, my recommendation is to admire the illustrations, but skip this book if you are trying to help your young child make sense of his or her adoption.
December 5, 2011
The most beautiful book ever about Chinese adoption. The writing is subtle, the art is stunning.
November 5, 2013
Parents give their children a story. It begins with, "you have always been loved."
November is National Adoption Month. Parents, family and friends are looking for storybooks they can give to the adopted children in their lives. Sweet Moon Baby: an Adoption Tale, written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Patrice Barton, is a wonderful book meant to be read to a child too young to read on her own. It is published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (ISBN: 0375857095).
If you've adopted a girl from China, you know her birth story is short on facts. Parents who violate China's One Child Policy face severe penalties that restrict a parent's chances for employment, good housing and even their child's educational opportunities. To complicate matters, giving a child up for adoption is considered abandonment and is illegal. Birth mothers leave their babies in places where they will be found quickly; outside of police stations, factory gates or, in the case of my own daughter, an open-air market on a morning in June. Any identifying information left with the baby can be used to track down the parents and punish them.
As parents, we feel a need to give our children stories that tell them that they are loved and have always been loved. Clark's book, Sweet Moon Baby, answers this need. Sweet Moon Baby begins with a child born under a full moon. Like all babies, she is perfect. Her parents are pictured as caring, thoughtful people who want more for their baby than they can give her. They send their off on a long journey down the Pearl River. What can they do but trust?
The lyrical illustrations of Patrice Barton allow us to travel downriver with the baby. Guardian animals keep her safe in spite of wind, rain and rough water. The full moon watches over all. Blues and greens predominate, are bright and have depth. It's obvious that the natural world of water, earth and sky are conspiring to bring the child from one set of loving parents to another. The red of the baby's blanket stands out in these pictures. Red is the color of good fortune in Chinese culture and its richness keeps our focus on the baby girl as she makes her way to a new home.
On the other side of the world, a couple is wishing for a child and make their home ready for the daughter they hope will come. They begin a journey of their own when they realize the moon in the night sky can see their baby, wherever she is. They trust they will find her and are ready to overcome great obstacles. The adoptive parents find their daughter as they search along the riverbank. Like Moses, she is plucked from among the reeds.
For those of us who have adopted, we know something more than "random chance" has brought us together with our child. In Chinese folklore, a red thread connects us to everyone in our life; those we have met and those we have yet to meet. Whatever you believe brought you to your child--fate, a miracle or Heaven--in the end it is a mystery as to how you came together to make a family. The story of Sweet Moon Baby is a reminder, too, that parental love and the capacity to give of yourself--these are what make a family.
Disclosure: A mutual friend asked if I would be interested in writing a review for this book as she knows I have a daughter who was born in China. I was given a review copy by the author. My compensation was really the chance to review a book I wish had been available when we adopted our own daughter.
November is National Adoption Month. Parents, family and friends are looking for storybooks they can give to the adopted children in their lives. Sweet Moon Baby: an Adoption Tale, written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Patrice Barton, is a wonderful book meant to be read to a child too young to read on her own. It is published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (ISBN: 0375857095).
If you've adopted a girl from China, you know her birth story is short on facts. Parents who violate China's One Child Policy face severe penalties that restrict a parent's chances for employment, good housing and even their child's educational opportunities. To complicate matters, giving a child up for adoption is considered abandonment and is illegal. Birth mothers leave their babies in places where they will be found quickly; outside of police stations, factory gates or, in the case of my own daughter, an open-air market on a morning in June. Any identifying information left with the baby can be used to track down the parents and punish them.
As parents, we feel a need to give our children stories that tell them that they are loved and have always been loved. Clark's book, Sweet Moon Baby, answers this need. Sweet Moon Baby begins with a child born under a full moon. Like all babies, she is perfect. Her parents are pictured as caring, thoughtful people who want more for their baby than they can give her. They send their off on a long journey down the Pearl River. What can they do but trust?
The lyrical illustrations of Patrice Barton allow us to travel downriver with the baby. Guardian animals keep her safe in spite of wind, rain and rough water. The full moon watches over all. Blues and greens predominate, are bright and have depth. It's obvious that the natural world of water, earth and sky are conspiring to bring the child from one set of loving parents to another. The red of the baby's blanket stands out in these pictures. Red is the color of good fortune in Chinese culture and its richness keeps our focus on the baby girl as she makes her way to a new home.
On the other side of the world, a couple is wishing for a child and make their home ready for the daughter they hope will come. They begin a journey of their own when they realize the moon in the night sky can see their baby, wherever she is. They trust they will find her and are ready to overcome great obstacles. The adoptive parents find their daughter as they search along the riverbank. Like Moses, she is plucked from among the reeds.
For those of us who have adopted, we know something more than "random chance" has brought us together with our child. In Chinese folklore, a red thread connects us to everyone in our life; those we have met and those we have yet to meet. Whatever you believe brought you to your child--fate, a miracle or Heaven--in the end it is a mystery as to how you came together to make a family. The story of Sweet Moon Baby is a reminder, too, that parental love and the capacity to give of yourself--these are what make a family.
Disclosure: A mutual friend asked if I would be interested in writing a review for this book as she knows I have a daughter who was born in China. I was given a review copy by the author. My compensation was really the chance to review a book I wish had been available when we adopted our own daughter.
January 19, 2012
3 stars for the story
5 stars for the illustrations
Spoilers: This is a lovingly told adoption story with a fanciful twist. A baby girl is born on a summer night in China. Her parents love her, but believe she should have a better life than the one they can give her. So, they set her adrift in a basket on the river. Along the way, she is cared for by various animals who help her on her journey. Meanwhile, a couple on the other side of the world want a daughter. One night, the moon leads them to find the baby girl in the basket.
I really wanted to love this story. I think it is told from the heart (the author adopted a baby girl from China and dedicated the story to her) and it is beautifully told. However, I was a bit troubled by some of the elements and, in looking at other reviews, find I am not alone. The baby's birth parents seem irresponsible just letting her drift off in a basket down the river, thinking she will find a better life that way. Moreover, I'm not sure that reasons such as not being able to give her "pretty things" or "teach her to read" are very good reasons for giving up a child. It is hinted at that they don't have much food, either, but I think the other reasons seem a bit shallow. The illustrations really impressed me, though. I absolutely love them! Beautiful, touching, full of life, rich in details that connect and enhance the story. Wow!
I would recommend that parents with adopted children preview this book before they share it with their children. I believe it is supposed to be a reassuring tale of adoption, showing that both birth parents and adoptive parents love the baby girl. But, it is also a very fantastical portrayal and the baby being set adrift could upset some children (and parents!).
5 stars for the illustrations
Spoilers: This is a lovingly told adoption story with a fanciful twist. A baby girl is born on a summer night in China. Her parents love her, but believe she should have a better life than the one they can give her. So, they set her adrift in a basket on the river. Along the way, she is cared for by various animals who help her on her journey. Meanwhile, a couple on the other side of the world want a daughter. One night, the moon leads them to find the baby girl in the basket.
I really wanted to love this story. I think it is told from the heart (the author adopted a baby girl from China and dedicated the story to her) and it is beautifully told. However, I was a bit troubled by some of the elements and, in looking at other reviews, find I am not alone. The baby's birth parents seem irresponsible just letting her drift off in a basket down the river, thinking she will find a better life that way. Moreover, I'm not sure that reasons such as not being able to give her "pretty things" or "teach her to read" are very good reasons for giving up a child. It is hinted at that they don't have much food, either, but I think the other reasons seem a bit shallow. The illustrations really impressed me, though. I absolutely love them! Beautiful, touching, full of life, rich in details that connect and enhance the story. Wow!
I would recommend that parents with adopted children preview this book before they share it with their children. I believe it is supposed to be a reassuring tale of adoption, showing that both birth parents and adoptive parents love the baby girl. But, it is also a very fantastical portrayal and the baby being set adrift could upset some children (and parents!).
January 26, 2011
This is an adoption story that takes a more fairy tale approach. In China, perfect baby is born. However, her parents don’t have enough food for themselves and worry about the future of this tiny baby. So they put trust in the moon and send their baby away down the river. On the journey, several animals help that baby. While she sleeps, she is carried by a turtle, flown high by a peacock, sheltered by a monkey, and guided by a panda. On the other side of the world, a family is waiting for a child. While they wait, they prepare for her. They create a garden, plant trees, build her a room, and fill it with pretty things and lots of books. They know she is there, but where? They travel long distances following the moon’s path. And when the moon paths of the baby and the family meet, so do they.
So often adoption books are about the concrete steps taken from one family to the next. It is a pleasure to read a book that is whimsical and magical about adoption. Clark’s writing celebrates the connection between child and new family while paying homage to the birth family as well. The entire book is suffused in a gentle beauty that allows anyone reading to know immediately that this is a joyous tale.
Barton’s illustrations are particularly fine. From the first two-page spread of the new baby and her bright-eyed beauty, the illustrations are captivating. They have a subtle humor to them as well as a soft touch that matches the tone of the book. Done in sketches and then digitally, the images have interesting textures.
A very successful fairy-tale telling of the adoption story, this book may not answer the questions of how an adoption takes place, but it does speak to the magical nature of love. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
So often adoption books are about the concrete steps taken from one family to the next. It is a pleasure to read a book that is whimsical and magical about adoption. Clark’s writing celebrates the connection between child and new family while paying homage to the birth family as well. The entire book is suffused in a gentle beauty that allows anyone reading to know immediately that this is a joyous tale.
Barton’s illustrations are particularly fine. From the first two-page spread of the new baby and her bright-eyed beauty, the illustrations are captivating. They have a subtle humor to them as well as a soft touch that matches the tone of the book. Done in sketches and then digitally, the images have interesting textures.
A very successful fairy-tale telling of the adoption story, this book may not answer the questions of how an adoption takes place, but it does speak to the magical nature of love. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
July 26, 2011
Oh. My. Goodness. I am in love with Patrice Barton's illustrations. This is the sweetest baby I have ever seen, hands down. If I knew a family who had adopted a baby girl from China, I would buy one copy of this book for them, and a second copy so I could cut the pages out and frame them for their nursery walls. They're that gorgeous.
A perfect baby girl is born in China to parents who dream of more for her than they can provide. So with both happiness and sadness, they set her afloat in a basket in the river to save her life, like the Biblical Moses. The moon guides the baby girl and animals help her along her way to the other side of the world, where another couple is waiting for the daughter of their dreams. To prepare for her arrival they plant a garden and trees, build a house with a room for her, and look at the moon for a hopeful sign. Eventually, the moon leads them to the baby girl in the water, and they take her home. The final spread leaves the reader with the sense that it has all been an imaginative bedtime story the girl's adoptive parents tell her about how she came to join their family. Patrice Barton's digitally-altered pencil sketches are absolutely beautiful, lending a gentle sense of peacefulness to the story. This book would make an excellent gift for adoptive parents.
A perfect baby girl is born in China to parents who dream of more for her than they can provide. So with both happiness and sadness, they set her afloat in a basket in the river to save her life, like the Biblical Moses. The moon guides the baby girl and animals help her along her way to the other side of the world, where another couple is waiting for the daughter of their dreams. To prepare for her arrival they plant a garden and trees, build a house with a room for her, and look at the moon for a hopeful sign. Eventually, the moon leads them to the baby girl in the water, and they take her home. The final spread leaves the reader with the sense that it has all been an imaginative bedtime story the girl's adoptive parents tell her about how she came to join their family. Patrice Barton's digitally-altered pencil sketches are absolutely beautiful, lending a gentle sense of peacefulness to the story. This book would make an excellent gift for adoptive parents.
June 16, 2012
Opening and Synopsis –
“On a summer night in China, a baby girl was born. She was perfect.”
A little girl was born on a summer’s night in China. Her parents were poor and they wanted her to have so many things that they couldn’t give her. The little girl’s parents made the decision to set their little girl sailing in a basket and they trusted that “only good things will happen” to her. The little girl goes on a long but peaceful journey. On the other side of the world a husband and wife wait for a daughter and the little girl finds her way to them.
Why I liked this book – I thought this book had a really cute story. It is more of a fairy tale about an adoption (not a re-telling of an adoption story) and I really like that. I think the story idea is really different (it being a fantasy tale about adoption). I think it would make a great bed time story for any kid! The author wrote the book for her daughter who she adopted from China. The illustrations in the book are excellent! I loved seeing the little girl floating in her basket!
“On a summer night in China, a baby girl was born. She was perfect.”
A little girl was born on a summer’s night in China. Her parents were poor and they wanted her to have so many things that they couldn’t give her. The little girl’s parents made the decision to set their little girl sailing in a basket and they trusted that “only good things will happen” to her. The little girl goes on a long but peaceful journey. On the other side of the world a husband and wife wait for a daughter and the little girl finds her way to them.
Why I liked this book – I thought this book had a really cute story. It is more of a fairy tale about an adoption (not a re-telling of an adoption story) and I really like that. I think the story idea is really different (it being a fantasy tale about adoption). I think it would make a great bed time story for any kid! The author wrote the book for her daughter who she adopted from China. The illustrations in the book are excellent! I loved seeing the little girl floating in her basket!
August 2, 2012
The first thing that struck me about Sweet Moon Baby is the beautiful illustrations. They are enchanting and whimsical in water color. Patrice Barton has amazing talent. She worked on them for the author, Karen Henry Clark who adopted a child from China and had no story to tell her about her young infant life before she came to America. Clark uses prose to tell the tale of a family in China who doesn't have enough food to feed their baby and want to give it a better life.
In the mean time, another family across the globe in America is preparing their home for a baby by planting a garden and filling a room with books and toys, still no baby comes. Both families have to rely on the moon to carry their wishes. Sweet Moon Baby is a wonderful book for parents with adopted children and children who wonder why their biological parents would give them up. I recommend it for all ages and can honestly say it will be a favorite in our home.
In the mean time, another family across the globe in America is preparing their home for a baby by planting a garden and filling a room with books and toys, still no baby comes. Both families have to rely on the moon to carry their wishes. Sweet Moon Baby is a wonderful book for parents with adopted children and children who wonder why their biological parents would give them up. I recommend it for all ages and can honestly say it will be a favorite in our home.
November 23, 2011
A family in China barely has enough food to feed themselves so they send their new baby girl off in a basket on the river. The moon guides the baby’s basket to safety. On the other side of the world, a man and a woman prepare their house for a new baby. The two follow the moon’s glow to find the baby in the river.
“One summer night in China a baby girl was born. She was perfect.
‘We have barely enough rice to feed ourselves,’ the father said.
‘She should have pretty things,’ the mother said.
‘She should learn to read,’ the father said.
They were happy and sad at the same time.”
“One summer night in China a baby girl was born. She was perfect.
‘We have barely enough rice to feed ourselves,’ the father said.
‘She should have pretty things,’ the mother said.
‘She should learn to read,’ the father said.
They were happy and sad at the same time.”
June 4, 2012
This is such an adorable story about the adoption of a sweet little girl and the parents who have longed to have her in their family. This is not an in-depth story about adoption, but a beautiful, heart warming story about the journey of a baby girl born in China, and her whimsical journey to her new home. The illustrations are absolutely amazing! They capture the feeling of this story perfectly. The story's prose and the beautiful illustrations make this the perfect bedtime book for young readers, infant and older. It's one of those books that you'll want to read again and again.
August 27, 2011
This is a fairy tale type story about a little chinese girl who was adopted by an american couple. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. It's been quite some time since I've enjoyed illustrations so much. I also liked the story but it's definitely a fairy tale and not for those looking for a realistic story about adoption. Overall it was a joy to read.
August 28, 2011
My Review: I don’t know if you can fall in love with a book but I did when I first read Sweet Moon Baby. Sweet Moon Baby An Adoption Tale written by Karen Henry Clark is a story of love, hope and faith. This story is about two couples, one who could barely afford to feed themselves and their new born child and the other who wants a baby. As they await the arrival of their baby girl from China, they set about preparing for her by planting a fruit tree to building a house with a room just for her. Back in China, the child is placed in a basket by her parents as they trusted the moon to guide their baby down the river. As the baby floated away she slept peacefully throughout her journey while her adoptive parents waited.
Anyone would love this book and you don't have to be adopting a child or have an adopted child to love this book. The watercolor illustration by Patrice Barton captures every scene in the book. A must have for all parents who are adopting and a perfect bedtime story.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
Anyone would love this book and you don't have to be adopting a child or have an adopted child to love this book. The watercolor illustration by Patrice Barton captures every scene in the book. A must have for all parents who are adopting and a perfect bedtime story.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
November 18, 2012
This is an absolutely adorable picture book that tells the story of a baby girl who is born in China. Her parents want the best for her, and trust the moon to find it. On the other side of the world is a couple praying for a baby. They follow the moon across the world and find their new baby daughter waiting for them.
First the story- it is an imaginative tale where the baby floats down the river sound asleep, drifting to her new parents. Along the way a turtle, peacock, monkey, panda and fish help her stay safe. Children will love each wonderful animal as it comes to the rescue. There is also repetition, giving the child something to look forward too.
Now the illustrations- the first thing that catches your eye is how cute this baby looks. She is an angel in a basket, and as the reader you can't help but rout for her safety.There is so much emotion and beauty in each illustration, it is breathtaking.
This book makes a beautiful bedtime story. It is full of love and hope. Definitely one to add to your picture book collection.
First the story- it is an imaginative tale where the baby floats down the river sound asleep, drifting to her new parents. Along the way a turtle, peacock, monkey, panda and fish help her stay safe. Children will love each wonderful animal as it comes to the rescue. There is also repetition, giving the child something to look forward too.
Now the illustrations- the first thing that catches your eye is how cute this baby looks. She is an angel in a basket, and as the reader you can't help but rout for her safety.There is so much emotion and beauty in each illustration, it is breathtaking.
This book makes a beautiful bedtime story. It is full of love and hope. Definitely one to add to your picture book collection.
July 6, 2016
Appropriate for grades prek-1. The Chinese parents give their baby girl up for adoption because they couldn't feed her, so they send her down a river to find a better home. Along the way animals take care of her until she ever so perfectly meets up with the American parents that are anxiously awaiting for her arrival. The story line is just not realistic and would be misleading to young children about the adoption process. The most realistic part is showing how the family prepares and waits and waits for the baby to come. The illustrations in this book are beautiful though. I would not use this book in the classroom because it does not provide accurate information about the adoption process.
June 26, 2011
I loved this sweet and tender book. The illustrations were marvelous, as well. Each year I have at least one student who is adopted or waiting to be adopted. They always love, enjoy, and appreciate books about adoption. It helps them tell their story to their peers. The books seem to make them feel as though someone else understands. This book is a tender look at adoption using a myth created by the parents. To use it in class, we would have to discuss that of course, no parent really put their child afloat on a river. We would have to explore what author was really trying to say - a great lesson on theme - by the way. Just a precious, lovely book.
December 23, 2011
Four stars because the artwork alone just made me fall in love with this! This is an adoption story that doesn't try to be "real". It's told in very much a fairytale paradigm, with gentle, lyrical language. A little girl in China is sent off in a basket into the wide world. A couple far away is wishing and waiting for a baby girl that hasn't come.
It's . . . a good story, but parents who want to address the real issue of adoption with their child may find it way too fantastical to be helpful with explaining the actual adoption process. Still, for what it is I really like the book!
It's . . . a good story, but parents who want to address the real issue of adoption with their child may find it way too fantastical to be helpful with explaining the actual adoption process. Still, for what it is I really like the book!
August 7, 2012
Illustrations get an A+++...they were gorgeous.
The storyline, not so much. In the story, the parents are poor so they put the little girl in a basket and set her afloat on the river. The animals and birds take care of her until her searching adoptive parents find her just as she awakes after floating a long way down the river.
I understand that this is supposed to be a whimsical and fun story, but to me it just seems scary. I don't think it would help a young child understand adoption at all.
The storyline, not so much. In the story, the parents are poor so they put the little girl in a basket and set her afloat on the river. The animals and birds take care of her until her searching adoptive parents find her just as she awakes after floating a long way down the river.
I understand that this is supposed to be a whimsical and fun story, but to me it just seems scary. I don't think it would help a young child understand adoption at all.
March 2, 2013
"Sweet Moon Baby" is a lovely, poetic adoption tale written by Karen Henry Clark. The book gently introduces the concepts of adoption to young children, from preschool age through Kindergarten, giving parents the opportunity to discuss their child’s own adoption story. "Sweet Moon Baby" is written in a style that I prefer for young children with succinct wording and repetitive sweet-sounding phrases. I recommend every family have a copy of "Sweet Moon Baby" for their young child.
January 17, 2011
The illustrations make this charming story exquisite. A tale of adoption, the story chronicles the journey of a young baby from one family who loves her enough to let her go, to another family who searches for her until she is found. With fairy tale elements infused in an otherwise routine tale, the author has created a beautiful story.
July 15, 2015
Such a sweet story about a baby girl being adopted and both sets of her parents being happy and sad at the same time, one because they couldn't care for her and the other because they were waiting for her but she hadn't come.
April 11, 2018
Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale is a children's picture book written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Patrice Barton, which tells the tale of a journey of a baby child's journey from her birth parents in China, who dreams of the life her new family could give her to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world.
Clark's text is simplistic, lyrical, and poetic, which flowed rather well, like a lullaby. Barton's illustrations are beautifully with textures of gentle-hues that gives that perfect bedtime story affect. It also captures the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption.
The premise of the book is rather simple a family in China couldn't take care of their daughter so they put her up for adoption for a better life for their child. It depicts their biological daughter's journey around the world to her adoptive parents' home.
My minor problems with this story is that the journey is metaphorical or perhaps metaphysical, which would probably create more questions than it intended to do. While I do like the allegorical journey, a more realistic journey would have been helpful to a young child. Secondly, I'm not overly thrilled of the reason the child is giving up for adoption – it sounds like the child was given up for superficial reasons, which in reality, giving up a child is complex and varied.
All in all, Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale is a wonderful children's book depicting a child's journey from her birth parents to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world, while not the perfect text for adoption – it is a good one nevertheless, perhaps for slightly older children.
Clark's text is simplistic, lyrical, and poetic, which flowed rather well, like a lullaby. Barton's illustrations are beautifully with textures of gentle-hues that gives that perfect bedtime story affect. It also captures the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption.
The premise of the book is rather simple a family in China couldn't take care of their daughter so they put her up for adoption for a better life for their child. It depicts their biological daughter's journey around the world to her adoptive parents' home.
My minor problems with this story is that the journey is metaphorical or perhaps metaphysical, which would probably create more questions than it intended to do. While I do like the allegorical journey, a more realistic journey would have been helpful to a young child. Secondly, I'm not overly thrilled of the reason the child is giving up for adoption – it sounds like the child was given up for superficial reasons, which in reality, giving up a child is complex and varied.
All in all, Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale is a wonderful children's book depicting a child's journey from her birth parents to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world, while not the perfect text for adoption – it is a good one nevertheless, perhaps for slightly older children.
October 10, 2020
I recognize that a large number of Asian babies were adopted by American parents over the last 30-40 years; however, I am very tired of seeking picture books about adoption and finding 90% of them to be portraying international adoption from Asia. Publishers must have gone crazy for this type of story. I guess domestic adoption or foster care books aren't/weren't being encouraged. (If you are a children's book author or illustrator and want some inspiration for a different kind of adoption book, message me and I'll give you some source material. :)
As others have explained, there are issues with the story. A mythical theme of the baby being helped by animals after the birth parents send the baby down a river in a basket is obviously not realistic. Since most of the story is centered in reality, it came come across as callous actions by the birth parents. Plus reasons for the baby to be placed in the river were that she should have pretty things and learn to read. What?! I wish the author had leaned more heavily on the lack of food.
As others have explained, there are issues with the story. A mythical theme of the baby being helped by animals after the birth parents send the baby down a river in a basket is obviously not realistic. Since most of the story is centered in reality, it came come across as callous actions by the birth parents. Plus reasons for the baby to be placed in the river were that she should have pretty things and learn to read. What?! I wish the author had leaned more heavily on the lack of food.
January 8, 2019
This poignant picture book tells a mystical adoption tale that begins, “On a summer night in China, a baby girl was born. She was perfect.”
Her poverty-stricken parents, though, realize they can’t provide for her. “‘We barely have enough rice to feed ourselves,'” and “‘She should learn to read,'” the father says.
Then, authentically capturing the birth parents’ mixed feelings, the text reads, “They were happy and sad at the same time.”
And so, the parents trust the moon to look out for their daughter as they whisper goodbye. The tender digital pencil illustrations add richness to the story, as the baby floats away on a river, aided and protected by a turtle, peacock, monkey, panda, and fish. All through her journey, she sleeps peacefully.
Complete review at https://bookbonding.wordpress.com/201...
Her poverty-stricken parents, though, realize they can’t provide for her. “‘We barely have enough rice to feed ourselves,'” and “‘She should learn to read,'” the father says.
Then, authentically capturing the birth parents’ mixed feelings, the text reads, “They were happy and sad at the same time.”
And so, the parents trust the moon to look out for their daughter as they whisper goodbye. The tender digital pencil illustrations add richness to the story, as the baby floats away on a river, aided and protected by a turtle, peacock, monkey, panda, and fish. All through her journey, she sleeps peacefully.
Complete review at https://bookbonding.wordpress.com/201...
May 17, 2017
I want to say that I don't know if I like this book or not. But as I start typing, I have a clearer answer. The pictures to this story are beautiful. I would love to get prints of many of the pages to hang on my walls. The story though I'm not really a fan.
It is an adoption story but it's pure fantasy. The entire story is a fantastical tale with out any truth. The birth parents put the baby in a basket that floats down a river where various animals help keep her safe. The adoptive parents do different activities while waiting for a baby. Then end up searching for the baby and finding her in the river. I just have a hard time with it.
It is an adoption story but it's pure fantasy. The entire story is a fantastical tale with out any truth. The birth parents put the baby in a basket that floats down a river where various animals help keep her safe. The adoptive parents do different activities while waiting for a baby. Then end up searching for the baby and finding her in the river. I just have a hard time with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2024
Based on the true story of an American couple's adoption of a Chinese baby, this comforting picture book uses fantasy elements to tell the main character's journey. Gentle rhythm and sweet storytelling emphasize the idea of strong family ties and acceptance of personal identity. A perfect companion to books like Wherever you Go, Always, Someday, and other love-affirming narratives.
July 4, 2024
Such a sweet, sweet story of family! The words on the page are written with love and tell a beautiful story of how the baby becomes part of their lives, completing their family. The illustrations are incredible, perfectly painted pictures that make the story come to life. The book is utter joy, nourishing your sight and soul.
November 19, 2024
A couple abandons their baby girl by sending her adrift on a river in a basket to fend for herself and somehow be found before her next feeding and diaper change? Lovely illustrations can’t make up for the horrors of this story, which are all too common in countries like China with a long history of female infanticide.
November 20, 2017
This book is a fantastical tale of how a little Chinese girl traveled on the river from her birth parents in China to her adopted parents on the other side of the world. The pictures in this book were stunning. I loved the way the water seemed to move across the page.
August 21, 2017
This is a wonderful, thoughtfully written story about adoption.
June 13, 2018
A beautiful, dreamy little book about a baby girl adopted from China.
Of the handful of adoption picture books I've read, this may be my favorite. The illustrations are gorgeous and the storytelling is fairly solid. It's not a realistic retelling of the adoption process, but a symbolic journey from one loving couple (the girl's biological parents, presented as caring but ill-equipped) to the next (her adoptive parents, who have been preparing for her arrival since before they knew she existed). Obviously this stylized, overly simplified version of events won't suit all ages or situations, but I imagine it would work well as a cozy bedtime story for a toddler or preschool child.
That said, it's worth noting that the author - like the adoptive parents (re)presented in the story - is not Chinese, and the book relies on stereotypical Chinese markers: words like rice and moon; images of rivers, bamboo, and cuddly pandas. Are any of these concepts bad or especially inaccurate? Not exactly. As shorthand, they make sense. However, they're extremely broad, and may reflect a sort of exoticism of Chinese culture that's apparent in many similar adoption tales (both fictional and otherwise).
If you're not convinced, look at the depiction of the adoptive parents, who are presented without any such cultural indicators. A soaring bald eagle does not bring the baby to her American home, for example, nor do her new parents happily announce that they have enough McDonalds Happy Meals to feed her. (They DO mention having enough food; they're just not relegated to the most stereotypical diet staple of their country, like her biological parents who worry specifically about rice.)
Again, given its Western audience, these elements make sense, and I don't think the author is trying to stereotype China as merely exotic or "other." For the real "moon babies" reading this book, however, I hope they learn elsewhere what a rich and varied country they come from and what a vibrant culture they carry with them, wherever they end up.
Of the handful of adoption picture books I've read, this may be my favorite. The illustrations are gorgeous and the storytelling is fairly solid. It's not a realistic retelling of the adoption process, but a symbolic journey from one loving couple (the girl's biological parents, presented as caring but ill-equipped) to the next (her adoptive parents, who have been preparing for her arrival since before they knew she existed). Obviously this stylized, overly simplified version of events won't suit all ages or situations, but I imagine it would work well as a cozy bedtime story for a toddler or preschool child.
That said, it's worth noting that the author - like the adoptive parents (re)presented in the story - is not Chinese, and the book relies on stereotypical Chinese markers: words like rice and moon; images of rivers, bamboo, and cuddly pandas. Are any of these concepts bad or especially inaccurate? Not exactly. As shorthand, they make sense. However, they're extremely broad, and may reflect a sort of exoticism of Chinese culture that's apparent in many similar adoption tales (both fictional and otherwise).
If you're not convinced, look at the depiction of the adoptive parents, who are presented without any such cultural indicators. A soaring bald eagle does not bring the baby to her American home, for example, nor do her new parents happily announce that they have enough McDonalds Happy Meals to feed her. (They DO mention having enough food; they're just not relegated to the most stereotypical diet staple of their country, like her biological parents who worry specifically about rice.)
Again, given its Western audience, these elements make sense, and I don't think the author is trying to stereotype China as merely exotic or "other." For the real "moon babies" reading this book, however, I hope they learn elsewhere what a rich and varied country they come from and what a vibrant culture they carry with them, wherever they end up.
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