We Wanted You

by Liz Rosenberg

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761315977
• ISBN13: 9780761315971
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 9.1" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 5 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

Review from Books That Heal Kids

This book is precious. If you are an adoptive parent, introduce this book to your child. Every adopted child wants to hear the words in this book - and they will want to hear it over and over again. The words are so healing. As an adoptee, I smiled the first time I read this book because it made me feel so good inside.

Beautiful and Simple Book

Sweet & simple story about how much "we wanted you." It does have a brief mention of "first" parents, but it's handled very delicately. The pictures would even make it appropriate for an older child adoption. Our 2 1/2-year-old loves it.

So Simple and So Wonderful!

Both of our kids are adopted (as well as myself) and we have been reading adoption books to them since day one. "We Wanted You" is by far the best written and most simple. My son loves it. The way it's written makes the child feel so good about being adopted. My son who is three, asks for it every night. Don't wait! Read these books now. Make it a wonderful part of their lives. They will thank you!

Wonderful, Affirming & Comforting

As the nanny to two adopted children I constantly seek out books that deal with adoption. This book is such a sweet comforting book. It should be in every adopted child's library.

A must have for adoption collections!

As a school media specialist and the mom of two kids adopted from Korea, I am always looking for new books with an adoption theme. This one immediately caught my attention and actually made me cry as I read it! The sequence, starting with the son as a graduate and working backwards to his joyous arrival, is refreshing and thought provoking without being maudlin. The soothing text combines comfortably with the soft illustrations which depict a child with dark skin and black hair who could be Asian or Latino (at the end, a banner reading "welcome home Enrique" infers that he is of Latino heritage). The message that adopted children are so wanted is reinforced throughout this beautiful celebration of a family.