- Hardcover: 40 pages
- Publisher: TILBURY HOUSE PUBLISHERS (Oct 22 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0884482251
- ISBN-13: 978-0884482253
- Product Dimensions: 25.7 x 22.6 x 1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,814,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Schreck's long-winded, laborious story introduces Mexican-born Lucy, adopted in infancy by an American couple. When her teacher gives an assignment to make a family tree and Lucy insists that she can't do it because she is "different," her parents challenge her to make a list of three families who are "the same." Predictably, the girl learns that each family she initially considers "typical" is not: Lucinda's mother is the breadwinner while her father cares for the children, Robert has two mothers, Dora and Seth have a stepfather and another family's youngest child died after being hit by a car. Lucy, of course, eventually completes the project, shaping a traditional clay Mexican Tree of Life that includes images of her birth parents and of her adoptive parents. Readers may have a tough time navigating through Schreck's narrative, laden with circuitous sentences (e.g., "When hard stuff came up school stuff like grades, fickle friends, and boys; family stuff like rules, respect, and adoption Lucy's parents looked at her with concern and love"). The paintings, unfortunately, seem both undefined and static. An endnote entitled "Rethinking a Family Tree Project" offers suggestions for making such activities "a comfortable learning experience for more students." Ages 6-10.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2001 -- Children's Book Council, NSTA
2001 Honor Book -- Society of School Librarians International
"...a wonderful book that captivates, entertains, and educates the reader from cover to cover." -- Adoption Today
"...celebrates family diversity in a truly interesting and constructive manner." -- Friends Journal "...a good book for a teacher who just doesn't understand that many families no longer fit the old mold!" -- Jewish Children's Adoption Network
"...an authentic job of capturing the powerful responses adopted kids have to identity issues raised by this assignment...an important contribution." -- PACT, An Adoption Alliance
"A family tree is not simple for an adopted child, and Lucy's adoption from Mexico makes her feel different. Lucy's wise and sensitive parents encourage her to find a way to complete the assignment: they will release her from the obligation if she can find three families that are the 'same.' Lucy's discoveries provide profound insights for all readers and teachers." -- Yellow Brick Road
"A beautiful exploration of how one family lets their child figure out a problem for herself." -- Maine Sunday Telegram
"...a journey that leads the young girl and the book's readers to discover that few families fit the traditional image.... By the conclusion, Lucy feels better about her situation and has devised a way to create a family tree that honors both her birth parents and the parents who are raising her." -- Pioneer Press
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
2001 Honor Book -- Society of School Librarians International
"...a wonderful book that captivates, entertains, and educates the reader from cover to cover." -- Adoption Today
"...celebrates family diversity in a truly interesting and constructive manner." -- Friends Journal "...a good book for a teacher who just doesn't understand that many families no longer fit the old mold!" -- Jewish Children's Adoption Network
"...an authentic job of capturing the powerful responses adopted kids have to identity issues raised by this assignment...an important contribution." -- PACT, An Adoption Alliance
"A family tree is not simple for an adopted child, and Lucy's adoption from Mexico makes her feel different. Lucy's wise and sensitive parents encourage her to find a way to complete the assignment: they will release her from the obligation if she can find three families that are the 'same.' Lucy's discoveries provide profound insights for all readers and teachers." -- Yellow Brick Road
"A beautiful exploration of how one family lets their child figure out a problem for herself." -- Maine Sunday Telegram
"...a journey that leads the young girl and the book's readers to discover that few families fit the traditional image.... By the conclusion, Lucy feels better about her situation and has devised a way to create a family tree that honors both her birth parents and the parents who are raising her." -- Pioneer Press
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adoption Counselors Recomment Lucy's Feet,
By Tracy Leach (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lucy's Family Tree (Hardcover)
This book speaks to the thoughts and concerns of an adopted child and acknowledges the loss and feelings of being different that many adopted children experience at different points in their lives. These feelings are addressed in a way that helps childen to see that each family is different in some way and respects the variety and diversity of all families. While addressing those differences, it also reinforces the bond and love between Lucy and her adoptive parents.This book gives practical advice about how to handle the family tree assignment that is common in many classrooms and can be challenging for adoptive families. This assignment is handled in a way that provides the child with a sense of self-esteem by recognizing and incorporating Lucy's cultural background and the importance of birthparents as a part of the identity of an adopted child. Parents reading this book will be reminded of the importance of respecting a child's privacy, especially a young teen. Lucy's parents exhibit a parenting style that encourages self-esteem and empowers Lucy to solve her problem in a way that is right for her. They respond with respect, concern, and interest in their child's feelings and needs, but do not pretend to know all the answers or make excuses. Lucy's family tree is very well written and provides life lessons for children and parents. As adoption professionals, we recommend this book for adoptive families, but more importantly, for all families who wnat to learn about dealing with feeling different and helping older children solve their problems.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lucy's Family Tree - an exceptional book,
By Cheryl Hollatz-Wisely (Portland OR) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lucy's Family Tree (Hardcover)
Lucy's Family Tree is an excellent book for mid to older primary age children (8 - 11 year olds) who feel "different" for any reason. It is unique to find a picture book that speaks at an emotional level to older children. Lucy is adopted and through a homework assignment she learns about the wonderful breadth of what "family" can be. Specific activities are included at the end of the book that provide concrete ideas to support children who are adopted as well as children who feel their family is somehow different from everyone elses. This book addresses topics such as culture, ethnicity, and all sorts of nontraditional families. I believe this book is not only a tender story but is an educational experience as well. It would be useful for child therapists, children in adoptive and nontraditional families, and as a book read aloud in the classroom (because of the student discussions that will naturally emerge). Lucy's Family tree has a lot to teach us, and it reminds us how all children desire to simply be loved and belong. Halvorsen Schreck's story does just this.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.2 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews) 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adoption Counselors Recomment Lucy's Feet,
By Tracy Leach - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lucy's Family Tree (Hardcover)
This book speaks to the thoughts and concerns of an adopted child and acknowledges the loss and feelings of being different that many adopted children experience at different points in their lives. These feelings are addressed in a way that helps childen to see that each family is different in some way and respects the variety and diversity of all families. While addressing those differences, it also reinforces the bond and love between Lucy and her adoptive parents.This book gives practical advice about how to handle the family tree assignment that is common in many classrooms and can be challenging for adoptive families. This assignment is handled in a way that provides the child with a sense of self-esteem by recognizing and incorporating Lucy's cultural background and the importance of birthparents as a part of the identity of an adopted child. Parents reading this book will be reminded of the importance of respecting a child's privacy, especially a young teen. Lucy's parents exhibit a parenting style that encourages self-esteem and empowers Lucy to solve her problem in a way that is right for her. They respond with respect, concern, and interest in their child's feelings and needs, but do not pretend to know all the answers or make excuses. Lucy's family tree is very well written and provides life lessons for children and parents. As adoption professionals, we recommend this book for adoptive families, but more importantly, for all families who wnat to learn about dealing with feeling different and helping older children solve their problems. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lucy's Family Tree - an exceptional book,
By Cheryl Hollatz-Wisely - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lucy's Family Tree (Hardcover)
Lucy's Family Tree is an excellent book for mid to older primary age children (8 - 11 year olds) who feel "different" for any reason. It is unique to find a picture book that speaks at an emotional level to older children. Lucy is adopted and through a homework assignment she learns about the wonderful breadth of what "family" can be. Specific activities are included at the end of the book that provide concrete ideas to support children who are adopted as well as children who feel their family is somehow different from everyone elses. This book addresses topics such as culture, ethnicity, and all sorts of nontraditional families. I believe this book is not only a tender story but is an educational experience as well. It would be useful for child therapists, children in adoptive and nontraditional families, and as a book read aloud in the classroom (because of the student discussions that will naturally emerge). Lucy's Family tree has a lot to teach us, and it reminds us how all children desire to simply be loved and belong. Halvorsen Schreck's story does just this.
3.0 out of 5 stars
how do adopted children do a family tree?,
By Wayne S. Walker "Home School Book Review" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lucy's Family Tree (Paperback)
Have you ever done a family tree? Lucy comes home from school with the assignment to make a family tree for class. However, there is a problem because she was an adopted child from Mexico and feels that her family background is too complicated for her to make a family tree because it makes her too "different." Her parents challenge her to find three families that are "the same." So Lucy investigates her friends and her parents' friends. Lucinda Knapp has a stay-at-home father and a bread-winning mother. Benjamin and Natalie's family is Jewish, which is not typical in that neighborhood. The Keaton children have a step-father. And the Malones are still dealing with the loss of a daughter who was hit by a car.Can Lucy find a family that is "normal"? And what sort of family tree will she be able to devise? There is much to like about this book. As the parents of two adopted sons, one part Filipino and the other part Japanese, my wife and I have had to deal with some of the same issues raised by this story. It is true that in today's society families come in all shapes and sizes. It is also true that children simply have no control over what their families might look like. We should certainly strive to be sensitive to their needs. In the back there are a couple of pages on "Rethinking a Family Tree Project" with suggestions to teachers about different approaches in which no child will feel denigrated, denied, or overlooked in any way, along with some further resources on the subject. |
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