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 - a must-haveThis compendium is top-notch. A couple of criticisms: The content is highly useful, but the editing needs help. Random and incorrect comma usage was distracting, and there are more than a few typos. This book could use a revised edition (already). Also, read this book to be prepared, but be aware that it is slanted towards the belief that adoptees WILL NECESSARILY HAVE certain issues, feelings, problems, and I think it is dangerous to make such generalizations. It is good to be informed, but put these potential issues in perspective. Your child will also have plenty of issues that have nothing to do with adoption. All that being said, this book was sorely needed and is quite informative. Rating:  - Very informative and helpfulThis book is very helpful for anyone interested in adoption. It covers everything you'd like to know. Rating:  - Is Pertman Blind?Egads, what is Alan Pertman doing hanging around with this bunch of fringe psychotherapy promoters? Brain Gym, EMDR, Sensory Integration, Attachment Therapy, Federici methods ("belt-loop parenting"), forced age regression, Neurofeedback, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and Foster Cline's Love and Logic parenting! These practices range from silly and worthless to abusive and dangerous. Alas, Pertman has given the well-respected Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute a black eye by legitimizing these unvalidated practices and in many instances, leading trusting parents to practices known to be abusive and dangerous. The APA and APSAC have, for example, condemned Attachment Therapy, which is mentioned frequently in this book. It has been connected with numerous criminal child abuse and death cases in recent years. Readers will be often mislead by unconventional beliefs about child development and directed to sources which contend that their abusive parenting and therapy methods are the only hope for adopted and foster children (e.g. Attachment Disorder Network) Look up the BBC programs on Brain Gym to see how idiotic it is having kids tap their "brain buttons" and the like. Pure nonsense. EMDR is just about as silly. The therapist waves a finger in front of the child's face or taps the child's head while the child is directed to think about traumatic memories. The practice has been shown to be no improvement on simply thinking about traumatic incidents. Love and Logic claims to be evidence-based, but no study of its effect on children has ever been published. Like most books that promote quackery, there's some common sense advice added to look plausible. Rating: - GREAT!!!This is a great book!!! If I had to pick one adoption book from the huge stack I have, it would be this one. I recommend this book to anyone that is adopting or has already adopted. Rating:  - Focus is really on international adoptionsI bought this book because I am interested in adopting from the foster care system in the US and I was looking for advice and information about dealing with trauma and attachment issues. While this book certainly contains a lot of information, most of the chapters focus explicitly on children adopted internationally. Some of it might be applicable to foster care adoption, but most of the information seemed pretty un-useful. I found other books much more useful, particularly "Adopting and Advocating for Your Special Needs Child".
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