by Carrie A. Kitze

What the publisher, EMK Press, has to say about I Don't Have Your Eyes:
"For the child who looks different from their parents for what ever reason...foster care, step parents, adoption. This multicultural book will empower your child to look beyond the physical features they have on the outside because inside our hearts, we are the same.  This book also is a great tool to teach young elementary students about differences. Use it with the free activity download  for a fun and powerful activity that talks about outside differences and inside sameness. Ages 2-7"

My thoughts:
This  book is a simple, straightforward look at the outward differences between parents and children of transracial adoption.  But, it not only focuses on the ways in which we might look different from our children, but on the many ways that we are very much the same.  Each 2-page spread (which is beautifully illustrated by Rob Williams), focuses on a different aspect of our appearance.  It's a book that contains few words, but BIG MEANING!  Some of my favorite comparisons in the book are "I don't have your knees.....but I have learned your way of giving thanks on mine", "I don't have your face.....but I know you love the look that is mine alone", and "I don't look like you on the outside.....but I look inside and in our hearts we are  the same."

In addition to being a writer, publisher, and public speaker, author Carrie Kitze is also an adoptive mom.  She knows the emotions of adoptive children who may wonder about birth parents or why they look different from the rest of their family.  This book is a great conversation starter;  but, in and of itself, it's enough to show your child that, no matter what he or she looks like on the outside, it's really the inside that matters most. 

This book will become a treasured keepsake in our home library.  If you are interesting in purchasing this book, or learning more about it, click here.  (The author will even autograph the book with a personalized message to your child.)

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