Are you looking for inspiration during your adoption journey? Do you just have a soft spot for tender, heartwarming stories? Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Adoption is a compilation of adoption-themed tales. While it was published once as Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul, it has been updated, with 17 new stories added. Written from the perspective of adoptive parents, birth parents, those who were adopted, and others touched by adoption, these very real stories open up our eyes to unique, yet familiar, situations.
I am a sucker for a good tear-jerker, but in all honesty, lately I have avoided many movies and books that I know will require tissues in an attempt stifle my blubbering mess. When I was asked to read and review Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Adoption, I was a bit hesitant; I have read many others from the Chicken Soup series and I knew the theme of adoption would tug my heartstrings extra hard. I quietly opened the book to read the first story as my husband and son dozed off; I thought I would just read one or two and then resume the next day. Through tears streaming down my cheeks, I read the dimly-lit pages one after another, unable to stop. Each story was crafted with emotion, sharing a moment of love in a grafted family.
Each chapter embodies several works encompassing a theme like Discovery, Defining Moments, and Gratitude. Within each chapter are the individual stories which begin with a fitting quote or piece of scripture that leads the reader on with a thought in mind.
The stories in the book Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Adoption range from foster adoption, domestic adoption, and international adoption. Some of them open, some of them closed. Some reliving the first moments with their new child and some reflecting on thanks or reunions. Some stories took us to a time when adoption was very different than today. In each account, an uplifting message of belonging, meaning, thanks, family, and destiny were intertwined.
Ultimately, I am glad I decided to give it a read. Tears are therapeutic. Tears are human. And tears with a smile are beautiful! I think this will be a book I’ll put my name in and pass around to family members so they can share in the rich history, passion, and storytelling from more angles than I can provide them. Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Adoption would make a great gift for your friends and family or an addition to your collection. This book is an easy read and can be done in short bursts or long sittings. It will touch your adoption heart.
About the Authors
Amy Newmark is author, publisher, and editor-in-chief of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. LeAnn Thieman, speaker and prolific Chicken Soup for the Soul co-author, was part of Operation Babylift (Vietnam Orphan Airlift) in 1975.
About Chicken Soup for the Soul
Chicken Soup for the Soul is one of the world’s favorite and most recognized storytellers. It all started more than 20 years ago when our founders compiled a book of inspirational and motivational stories that became a runaway bestseller. Since then we’ve published 250 more titles in 40 languages and sold more than 100 million books in the U.S. alone. Today we’ve evolved beyond the bookstore with super premium pet food and a line of high quality food to bring people together for healthy meals. We’ve also expanded into visual storytelling with movies, TV shows, and a YouTube channel. In everything we do, our mission is the same: “changing the world one story at a time.™” – Chicken Soup for the Soul
