MY SISTER ABBY

This picture book about sisterhood and adoption celebrates similarities and differences within families.

Through Emma’s voice, this simply told, easy-to-read book begins with the story of Abby’s adoption from Africa’s West Coast and her transition into her new family. Emma is candid about the differences that she notices: Abby’s brown skin and curly hair, her tiny size and her extreme shyness. But as everyone gets used to one another, Abby grows stronger, emerges from her shell and bonds with Emma. They like a lot of the same things: jumping on a trampoline, dancing, birthday cake and parades. Like all sisters, there are also some things they don’t agree on, like olives. “Abby is my best friend,” the book ends. “I’m glad she is part of our family.” Barberi, a frequent Huffington Post contributor, is a parent to several children adopted from Africa, and she has no doubt used her own experience as the touchstone for this book. The authenticity of that first-person experience rings through the narrative here, effectively driving home the point—for readers of any age—that differences are part of what makes a family. Scroggin’s watercolor illustrations accompany the text. While they’re not sophisticated from a technical standpoint—the figures are uneven and often awkward—they’re nevertheless bright and inviting. The trappings of little girl–hood, universal in their appeal, are affectionately captured in the hues of the girls’ bedroom and translucent flutters of twirling skirts.

Sweet and simple without preaching, this book would be a welcome addition to any library collection and is a must-read for families with young adopted children.