The Little Girl Affirms Adopted Children

The Little Girl is unique among children’s books about adoption because it is set entirely in China. Each beautifully illustrated vignette moves the reader through the rhythms of ordinary life: work, mealtimes, the giving of gifts and play. When viewed over the characters’ lifetime the extraordinary comes to light and father and daughter show themselves to be heroes in their own right. Hovering nearby, usually out of sight, is the greater hero who assures adopted children everywhere that someone is always watching over them.

For adoptive parents looking for a cultural touchstone, the story depicts the essence of common Chinese life, seamlessly affirming adoptive children without suggesting anxieties that multiracial families sometimes expect.