When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee Anthology
When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee Anthology
Select a format:
Publisher's Hardcover ©2023--
To purchase this item, you must first login or register for a new account.
HarperCollins
Annotation: A groundbreaking and must-read young adult fiction anthology written by adoptees of all backgrounds, for adoptees, that inclusively represents diverse experiences of youth adoptees.
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #372598
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: HarperCollins
Copyright Date: 2023
Edition Date: 2023 Release Date: 10/24/23
ISBN: 0-06-314440-9
ISBN 13: 978-0-06-314440-8
Dewey: Fic
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist (Wed Dec 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Though marginalized voices have become increasingly amplified in youth literature, there remains a dearth of stories about transracial adoptees. Books on adoption, especially those geared toward much younger readers, tend to focus on caregivers and on "good" feelings, with some narratives bordering on saviorism. In contrast, each of the 15 stories in this volume provides a glimpse into the complexity of adoptees' experiences. Genres range from slice-of-life to the supernatural and more fantastical, and one story is presented as a comic. A handful of protagonists identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latine, while the majority cue as being of different Asian heritages. There is more variety in family composition, which includes fellow adopted siblings, same-sex parents, and single-­parent households. Contributors include Meredith Ireland, Mark Oshiro, Eric Smith, and Mariama J. Lockington. The beauty of collections like this is that its contents can be read in any order, lending themselves to deep contemplation as much as leisurely reading. While some stories are more well-executed than others, taken together they remind readers that each of us is the expert in our own experience.

Kirkus Reviews

An anthology of short stories by and about transracial adoptees offering solidarity and understanding.Across 15 stories, authors from a broad variety of backgrounds explore the need to belong and the difficulties in doing so when one is a child adopted and raised by parents who look different and are of a different race. In Mariama J. Lockington's "Cora and Benji's Great Escape," set at Camp Unity, "A Black Identity Experience," Cora, a Black 15-year-old, uses poetry to explore her increasing sense of disconnection from her white adoptive mother, and she eagerly reunites with fellow adoptee and camp bestie, Benji. In MeMe Collier's "Haunt Me, Then," Hazel, who was adopted from China, is visited by the ghost of Jamie, her brother who was adopted from South Korea and died six months ago; raised by strict Christian parents, both siblings sought information about their birth parents, but Jamie's curiosity grew into rage. Though each story conveys its own nuances and contributes to deeper understanding of the subject, those that speak more directly to the central theme of adoption are overall stronger than the more abstract entries. An afterword by transracial adoptee and scholar JaeRan Kim deftly summarizes the value of this work: "those from dominant and majority groups need decentering if they are to develop into compassionate, justice-seeking adults. This book is for everyone-those personally connected to adoption and anyone interested in expanding their understanding of adoptees."An emotion-filled collection. (editors' note, about the authors, further reading) (Anthology. 13-18)

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
ALA Booklist (Wed Dec 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)
Kirkus Reviews
Reading Level: 6.0
Interest Level: 9-12

"An emotion-filled collection." —Kirkus Reviews

A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Fiction for Young Adult category!

Two teens take the stage and find their voice . . .

A girl learns about her heritage and begins to find her community . . .

A sister is haunted by the ghosts of loved ones lost . . .

There is no universal adoption experience, and no two adoptees have the same story. This anthology for teens edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung contains a wide range of powerful, poignant, and evocative stories in a variety of genres.

These tales from fifteen bestselling, acclaimed, and emerging adoptee authors genuinely and authentically reflect the complexity, breadth, and depth of adoptee experiences.

This groundbreaking collection centers what it’s like growing up as an adoptee. These are stories by adoptees, for adoptees, reclaiming their own narratives. 

With stories by:

  • Kelley Baker
  • Nicole Chung
  • Shannon Gibney
  • Mark Oshiro
  • MeMe Collier
  • Susan Harness      
  • Meredith Ireland
  • Mariama J. Lockington
  • Lisa Nopachai
  • Stefany Valentine
  • Matthew Salesses
  • Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom
  • Eric Smith
  • Jenny Heijun Wills
  • Sun Yung Shin
  • Foreword by Rebecca Carroll
  • Afterword by JaeRan Kim, MSW, PhD


*Prices subject to change without notice and listed in US dollars.
Perma-Bound bindings are unconditionally guaranteed (excludes textbook rebinding).
Paperbacks are not guaranteed.
Please Note: All Digital Material Sales Final.