Megan is part of an open adoption. She keeps in touch with her birth mother Kendra. There is a tree that is decorated annually for Megan’s birthday. It worries Megan when Kendra gets engaged and plans on moving that she won’t have the tradition of the birthday tree. Megan tries propagating a new tree for Kendra. Sadly, the tree doesn’t survive. Then, Megan has another idea to try digging up a tree. That doesn’t work either. When Kendra comes to visit she tells Megan she will never forget about her and doesn’t’ need a tree. Surprisingly, Kendra dug up the birthday tree so she can continue the tradition at her new house. I’d use this book in my class to talk about adoption, its different forms and to explain how families can be different. ( )

Megan is apart of a very special family. She lives with her parents, and she has a birth mother Kendra who she is still in contact with. They do not see each other often, but they communicate through letters and a special birthday tradition. Kendra lovingly plants a tree in her yard, decorates it on Megan's birthday each year, and sends her a picture of it to show she's remembering Megan. Megan feels this birthday tradition is being threatened when Kendra tells her she is moving. She will do anything to save this tree, to save this connection she has with her birth mother. Lears demonstrates the benefits of having an open adoption as the little girls shows love and appreciation to both her parents and her birth mother. She recognizes she has a very special family with many people who love her dearly. ( )

In this book a young girl named Megan is adopted into a family who has an open adoption with her birth mother, Kendra. When Megan was born Kendra planted a tree and every year she sends a picture of this wonderful tree to Megan on her birthday. Megan then gets news that Kendra will be moving and is scared that without the tree Kendra will forget all about her. She tries everything to get a new tree for Kendra to take with her but nothing works. Kendra then visits Megan with the surprise of having her birthday tree in the bed of her truck ready to move to her new house. I think this was a great story for kids to read in order to understand what an open adoption could possibly be. I think the story very gently and kindly explains some of the emotions a child who is adopted might feel if this were to happen to them. The character, Megan is able to show love, affection and appreciation for her adopted parents but also show the love she has for her birth mother, Kendra. This would be a great way to show a young adopted child who might be feeling this longing to be connected to their birth parents, that they are not alone in these feelings. ( )

Megan is adopted; however, she is part of an open adoption. This means, for Megan, that she has contact with her birth mother. This has become a special bond for Megan, and has given her a chance to know where she comes from without worrying that she doesn't belong in either her adoptive family's world or her birth mother's world. A wonderful tale to show that adoption can be handled well. ( )

Every year Megan gets pictures from her birth mom, Kendra, of a birthday tree, a special tree that Kendra planted just to remember Megan. One day Megan gets a letter from Kendra that says that Kendra is moving to a new town. Megan is upset, she is worried that when Kendra moves she won't have the birthday tree and she won't remember Megan anymore. Megan saves up money to buy a new tree, but she doesn't get enough money. Just when Megan wants to give up, Kendra pulls up Megan's house with the giant birthday tree in her truck. Kendra promises that she will never forget Megan.
I loved how supportive Megan's adoptive parents were, they encouraged Megan to have a relationship with Kendra and they told her that no matter what, Kendra would always love her. This would be a great book to read to a student who is adopted, even if it is not an open adoption. ( )