We Wanted You (Single Titles) - Hardcover

Rosenberg, Liz

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0761315977 ISBN 13: 9780761315971

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2002

Synopsis

The loving voices of a child's parents tell the story of an adoption, from waiting to meet the baby for the first time through the growth of a family. Peter Catalanotto's vibrant illustrations form a clever and dramatic counterpoint to the text: presented as a series of family snapshots, the images run backward in time.

About this title

About the Author

Liz Rosenberg, distinguished author, poet, and professor of children's literature, lives in Binghamton, New York. Her second book for Roaring Brook Press is On Christmas Eve.

Peter Catalanotto is a widely admired author and illustrator, whose second book for Roaring Brook Press is Happy Birthday America! He lives in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Reviews

reschool-Grade 3--Beginning "From the moment you were born-and even before that moment-we knew we wanted you," a poetic text and Catalanotto's glowing illustrations distinguish this book on adoption. As the parents explain how they waited and searched and hoped for Enrique, the illustrations show the boy during several milestones of his life, beginning with his high school graduation on the title page and moving back through his life with his adoptive parents: catching the school bus, getting measles, fishing with his father. Text and art work perfectly together; the pictures show the child getting younger and younger as the text culminates with the parents receiving their baby and ending, "We wanted you so much, back then. And we still do." The endpaper shows Enrique entering a new stage of his life: college. Although there are quite a few good books on this subject for parents to use with their children, this one is a lovely choice.
Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

With a simple, poetic elegance befitting her tender subject matter, Rosenberg (Monster Mama) taps into the feelings of longing, love and joy that accompany the adoption of a child. Catalanotto's (Emily's Art; Dad and Me) images create an effective subplot: on the occasion of their son's graduation from high school, a couple reminisces about the boy they embraced as part of their family even before he was born. The author creates a warm story of one family's experience, yet incorporates accessible explanations of adoption applicable to many situations ("Somewhere in the world a mother gave birth to you, a father gave life to you. We weren't your first father and mother"; "One day we got a telephone call telling us to come. For you"). Working within the emotional rhythms of this heartfelt trip down Memory Lane, Catalanotto presents a series of radiant paintings that form a kind of treasured photo album. With a combination of contemporary and timeless background details, he depicts young Enrique as an infant being rocked to sleep by his father, a beaming boy at the beach and, ultimately, as a proud young man washing his car and heading off to college. A welcome addition to the canon of picture books on the subject. Ages 5-9.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761315977
• ISBN 13: 9780761315971
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Catalanotto Peter
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32