Emma's Story

by Deborah Hodge

When Emma sets out to make a cookie family with her Grandma, the happy afternoon suddenly turns sad. The cookies are meant to look like her family, but hers is the only one with licorice hair and eyes. She doesn’t look like the others; does that mean she doesn’t belong?

In gentle text, Deborah Hodge tells the story of one small girl’s the hopes and prayers of her Canadian parents, their trip to the other side of the world, their meeting with the new baby, and the very long ride home to the new family waiting for Emma

Thousands of baby girls from China have been adopted by North American families. Although this lovely book tells the story of one such little girl, it is about much more than the logistics of adoption. It is about the many ways in which we can come together to form a family.

Genres: Picture Books

24 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2003

About the author

Deborah Hodge is the award-winning author of 25 books for children. She specializes in writing engaging nonfiction for primary aged children. Her most recent title is Up We Grow! A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm, a book on sustainable farming and where our food comes from. Her other work includes, The Kids Book of Canada's Railway, winner of the Information Book Award of Canada, and Lily and the Mixed-up Letters, named an Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities. Deborah is a former primary teacher and curriculum writer for the BC Ministry of Education. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a perfectly nice story, but it’s not Emma’s. It her parents’ story, the story of how they wanted a daughter, waited and hoped for her, and then adopted her, loved her, and felt complete.