I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose A. Lewis Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of I Love You Like Crazy Cakes
Book Review: Beautiful Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I initially wrote most of this review as a comment on someone else's review. However, I noticed many other people with similar reviews and felt the need to post my review here.
As an early childhood educator, I am disturbed by the inaccuracy and insensitivity of many people's comments. People have complained that there is no father in the story. What about the millions of children in our country who don't have fathers? Shouldn't there be books that that depict their families? There are few enough books like this on the market already. Even for those kids who do have both a mother and a father... what parent would only their child to read books that depict one definition of a family? This book is perfect for opening up the discussion about how many different ways their are to make a family... birth, adoption, foster care, one parent, two parents, grandparents, etc. I think that this is especially important for adopted children to see. Theirs isn't the only kind of family that differs from the traditional 2 parents with birth child(ren) model. In fact, most American families are "different," which in effect makes us all the more alike.
As for someone's the assertion that children without a father have a "sad life"... your comment is offensive and down right biggoted. I know many happy and healthy children and adults who are the products of houses without a father. Every last one of them would be disagree your comment. Yes, fathers are important and lead a pivotal role in the lives of many children. However, they are not essential for a child to grow up happy, healthy, and productive. Many children have other people in their lives (mothers, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, friends) who fill that role as well as the best of fathers. There is actually an extensive body of research showing that children of single parents and same sex parents are as well adjusted, happy, and successful as their peers who come from homes with both a mother and father.
As for people's thoughts about the pictures depicting sadness, I respectfully disagree. I did not find these pictures at all sad, but instead quite charming. That being said, adoption is a complicated process. It is one that is filled with great joy, but also many many other strong emotions. Sadness is one of these emotions that is at some point felt by all members of the triad (adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents.) You would never want to dwell on sadness when talking to your children about adoption. Celebration and love should be the primary emotions expressed. However, to deny that there are or can be other emotions, such as confusion or sadness, is to do your child a great disservice (and possibly harm.) No matter how much love and care there is in your family, all adoptees at some point will have questions and a mixture of emotions about their adoption. They will wonder how and why they were placed for adoption. They will also wonder about their birth parents and probably feel sad that they were given up. This doesn't mean that they don't love you, that you aren't the world's best parent, that they wish that you weren't their parent, or love you any less. However, at some point they will realize, that before you could "choose" them and love them, someone else--another parent--had to give them away. That is a painful realization to many adoptees. When parents do not leave the door open to discussions about these sorts of topics... when they pretend that everything related to adoption is joyful... their children feel guilt and shame for having any other sort of emotions regarding their adoption. Instead of having open discussions with their parents, which can be healing and bring a parent and child closer together, these children shut their feelings away. This is traumatic for many adoptees. It is also counterproductive if you are trying to build a loving and open relationship with your child.
I applaud books such as this one. Taken at face value, they are a simple story of love and family that can be read to young children, adopted or not. However, as your child grows older, it is one that you can return to to open the door to a wide range of discussions about love, family, diversity, and adoption.
Another honest book about adoption that I recommend is Tell Me a Real Adoption Story written by an adoptee Betty Jean Lifton. Tell Me a Real Adoption Story
Book Review: Likeable, good for small adoptees...
Summary: 4 Stars
This book was a good introduction for my children to the idea that they were born elsewhere and were cared for by others when they were new to the world. One of mine used to mimic one illustration where it kind of looks like the baby has her hand/fist up to her mouth. Good story with great airplane illustrations for kids! The story is touching for Moms, but I have always felt that it overlooked Dads and Dads' joy. I can understand why the author did it this way, but perhaps she should insert an encouraging prologue. As we turn the pages and dialogue is prompted to refresh our own story, I include details of Dad carrying my babies, and how each of them was unwilling to let go. Book Review: Daughter loves this book!
Summary: 5 Stars
My 8-yr. old daughter loves this book and I do too! Gives us a great jumping-off point to talk about our own family adoption story!Book Review: China adoption
Summary: 5 Stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and await being able to read it to our daughter from China next year when we finally get to bring her home. Book Review: I Love I Love You Like Crazy Cakes
Summary: 5 Stars
This book has superb illustrations by Jane Dyer that are timeless and classic. If you or someone you know has adopted a baby from overseas, especially from China, this book speaks to the heart. It is well-written and a keepsake.