On Adoption

On Adoption

Picture books
Adoption can be a very delicate procedure. Kids can have strong
fears and other feelings as they enter new homes. Even adoptive
parents with the best of intentions can be challenged to meet their
needs. Two new picture books quite neatly address this reality.
Elliot, protagonist of Julie Pearson's Elliot, goes into foster
care when it's decided that his parents don't know how to take care of
him. After a couple of foster placements and an unsuccessful reunion
with his birth parents it is decided that a forever family would be a
good idea. Elliot is a likeable hero whose mixed feelings are nicely
expressed.
Vera B. Williams is a giant in the picture book world. Sadly
she died shortly after completing Home At Last. It is a gracious and
meaningful gift to readers. Lester has finally been adopted. The
paperwork took a year. Every night in his new home he leaves his
bedroom. His dads wake up and find him standing beside their bed.
"To Lester, the middle-of-the-night quiet was the quiet of a
strange house. It had a persistent whisper in it, and he was sure that
whisper would eventually get Dad Rich to mutter, "What's up, little
guy?" or get Albert to swing his long legs and big feet off the bed
and into his great big slippers and to stand up and put his arms
around Lester. And never let him go."
Lester's life has been punctuated by abrupt separations. His
parents died on a car crash. His grandmother became too sick to take
care of him. Even the transition from the children's home involved a
leave taking.
Lester's dads have a dilemma. The interrupted sleep is taking a
toll. But they had decided before they signed the papers that Lester
would sleep in his own room. Their dog, Wincka, has showed them that
beings admitted to their bed do not readily leave.
Fortunately when the two footers are at the end of their rope a
good animal companion comes up with a perfect solution.
On a personal note, my daffodils look absolutely stunning.
A great big shout out goes out to the UMaine students getting finals
and projects out of the way before summer vaca.
jules hathaway


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