We all know the insults, racial slurs and mean faces that children can make up and use against others. Or what about the innapropriate questions adopted children are asked over and over again? Is that your real mother? Where are you from? There is a whole list of them I’ve been told about. It is my hope that my little Mei Li book might just bring some awareness to some classrooms of adopted children. I will be donating copies to various schools around the country and some outside the USA. If you’d like your school or classroom to be considered, please comment or send me an email and your recommendation will go in the next pot for drawing.
Next week I’ll be mailing copies of Mei Li and the Wise Laoshi to:
Sharon Elementary, Indiana
Benfer Elementary, Texas
Bain Elementary, NC
Brighton Elementary, CO
Maple Elementary, OH
..and…Auchtertyre Primary School, Scotland!
Has your child been bullied or teased? And how have you handled it? This would be a great place to exchange stories and ideas on how to handle.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh Kay this is wonderful. Would love to put izabellas preschool in the drawing
Shepherds flock learning center
West Des Moines
I would love to have a copy for our school Marigny Elementary and Magnolia Trace Elementary. My now adult adopted dd answered the question what about your “real” mother by saying “The real mother is the one who takes care of you”. She came up with it herself at age 8.
Cynthia…that is exactly right, and that is what the wise Chinese teacher tells Mei Li in the book!
Excerpt:
“But Laoshi, mean ‘ole Cameron said my mom
Isn’t my real mother.
And then I ran away,
So he wouldn’t see my brother.”
Laoshi scratched his head, and then he sternly said,
“Well, can you see her, touch her, hear her speak?
If the answer is yes, then she sounds real to me.
A mother is the one who scratches your back
And washes behind your ears.
She puts band aids on your hurt places,
And kisses away your tears.
She reads you stories
And tucks you in each night to bed.
She makes you chocolate cupcakes
And kisses your messy head.
It doesn’t matter where you were born
Or if you fell out of the sky
She is your real mom, you’re her real kid,
And I just told you why.”
Kay, I would love for our school to be included. It is Lillie Burney Elementary School in Hattiesburg, MS.
I would love to have this book in the library at Westridge Elementary School in Woodbridge, VA!
I would love to see a copy at Alpenglow Elementary School — ALASKA!
Kay I would love our school to be considered. We are a small rural school and are becoming more diverse every day. Although at this time Sierra is the only child adopted from China, we do have 2 students adopted from Taiwan and 2 students adopted from Russia. We also have some students from Pakistan and Mexico whose first language is not English. I would love to have your book in our library.I work at the school so I will make sure everyone knows about it!!!
Thank you for considering us!!!
Kathie Hikade
Marbletown Elementry School Stone Ridge, NY
khikade@yahoo.com
Kay, would you consider sending a copy to Excelsior Elementary in excelsior Minnesota? We have a mandarin immersion program within the school, but myChinese daughter has still experienced bullying, even with a higher than usual Asian population.
Please add my children’s school to the drawing pot. Kingston Springs Elementary in Kingston Springs, TN. I have two adopted children. A son from Russia and a daughter from China. This is not a culturally diverse school at all. It is a rural public school and very few minorities attened here. My daughter is in Kindergarten and I do not think this issue has come up yet, but I would love for the children in their school to be better educated from the get go. Thanks! This is an awesome gift.
OHHHHH! I would love to have this for my children’s school. Our daughter in in grade 1 and there are 2 other children from China in the school which I’m grateful for. Our son starts next year and he is the first boy in our little city to be adopted from China. It would be such a wonderful tool and resource!
Greenfield Elementary, Prince Edward Island, Canada. (Home to a famous fictional adopted red head Anne Of Green Gabels!
Deb
I just posted a review on Amazon and ordered 2 more copies. How wonderful that you are also donating copies. Such an important topic. Thanks for doing this, Kay. I’ll be promoting your book on Thursday on my blog.
Kay, I would love a copy for my daughter’s school – Geelong Grammar, in Australia. The school embraces positive psychology, and does a lot to assist its diverse student body from all over the world ………. but adoption? The staff are eager to listen and take on board what they learn, but my daughter still gets the “but where are your real parents?” from new students!
Sue
I will be using these recommendations to choose from for the next donated shipment, so keep them coming!
Thank you, Kim, I saw the review on Amazon and really appreciate it!
Hello Kay and thank you for your work. Please include us in the drawing: Breton Downs Elelmentary in East Grand Rapids, MI. We are blessed with a number of adoptive families (my 3rd grade class this year includes a beautiful special needs girl from South America.) I wouldlove to have this book as a resource and discussion tool. Last year in a grade wide study of the use of light in cultural celebrations I saw multiple adoptive students glow with pride when we talked about the traditions in their home countries and began to realize how important it is to include adoption topics into our classroom life. Thank you for considering us!
Would love to have my daughter’s school in the drawing. Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska. Thanks!
I would love to enter for Gracie’s school We have a really rough year with the bullying and the teacher not even being mature enough to deal with it.. I have it on my Kindle and she has read it many times. She goes to Castleman Creek in Hewitt TX
All your names are going in for the next set of schools to be chosen!
I would love for my children’s school to get a book.
I have 7 children from China and one from Guatemala. They go to a pretty diverse, small Christian school, but still get asked a lot of penetrating questions. Since the school is so small, I am confident that each teacher would read the book to his/her class. They go to Academy at Foxboro in MA.
Would love to have this book for my daughters elementary school, they are the only Asians there! It would be Susquenita Elem school in Duncannon, Pa
I gave the book to my children for Christmas. We recently adopted our son from China but I thought it would be good for my biological children to see what he might go through as he gets older. What a great book.
I am reading Chasing China now and wow did it bring back memories of our recent trip there, the crowds of people, the markets, the dinner with the lazy susan. I am enjoying the book.
Would love a copy for our school..Grandview Elementay in Derry, PA! Thanks Kay !
I would love to have your book at my kids’ school. Hugo Elementary, Hugo, MN!
I am keeping names for the next drawing of elementary schools to receive the Mei Li books. Keep ‘em coming!