Motherbridge of Love

While our family is mixed by marriage and birth, there are other families which are mixed-race by adoption. Motherbridge of Love, illustrated by Josee Masse (Barefoot Books, 2007) is a lovely picture book that explores Chinese international adoption and celebrates both birth mothers and adoptive mothers. You’ll notice that the title has no author, that’s because the text of this book is a poem which was submitted anonymously to the charity Mothers’ Bridge of Love. Founded in 2004 by Xinran — a Chinese author, broadcaster and journalist — the organization’s goal is to promote cultural understanding between adoptive parents and adopted Chinese children and to provide education and support to children in poor rural areas of China.

Even though my own sons are not adopted, my eyes began to tear up reading the verses:

Two different lives shaped to make you one,

One became your guiding star;

the other became your sun.

Reading this book with my children also opened up a discussion about why some of their friends do not look like their parents or siblings, and helped us talk about the circumstances surrounding adoption.

Text royalties from the sale of Motherbridge of Love will be donated to Mother’s Bridge of Love.

A review copy of Motherbridge of Love was sent to me by Barefoot Books. You can order a copy through the Barefoot Books website or through your local indie bookstore.

Thank you for following the HapaMama Summer Reading Series!

We’ll continue periodically highlighting Asian and mixed-race literature for children and adults. Check back for more new titles and also some fun contests for HapaMama readers to win free books.

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