Reviews

Selected Reviews for Silent Tears:

As the mother of a child adopted from China, I was very interested in reading this book. When it arrived, I couldn’t put it down until I got to the last page and yes, I cried throughout.

Kay Bratt tells an important story about the institutional environment so many of our children were raised in. Understanding the trauma they have been through goes a long way to knowing how to help them recover. While this is the story of one orphanage in one country, I imagine the scenarios could be true in far too many places. A must read for parents adopting from an orphanage.

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I’ll admit that as one of the many people who read Kay’s email updates while she was in China, I was predisposed to like this book. When I got it however, I found myself devouring it, and then reading it again.

Kay writes directly from the heart. There is no flummery, no purple prose, nothing to detract from the purity of emotion as she takes you through her challenging (and ultimately hopeful) experiences. This is no easy ride either. I am a paramedic of nearly twenty years, having plied my trade in an urban setting for most of that time, so not much gets to me. I do have a soft spot for children, and there were several spots in this book where I had to put it down and collect myself before I could read further. Kay’s ability as a writer to draw you in and make you acutely feel her joys and sorrows, is truly outstanding.

This book is not just about the orphans of China, it’s also about the transformative and strengthening power of faith and hope. It’s a story that needed to be told and it’s lessons are ones we call all benefit from. God bless Kay for her strength and courage. She may scoff at the appellation “hero”, but to me, she surely is one.

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I started this book intending to read it slowly. Well, I could not put it down! It is beautifully written and insightful. I love the honesty of the author as she is down and then back up with her emotions. She gives an excellent picture of what life is like in a Chinese orphanage, which is shocking to say the least. The best part; however, is that it is a “journey in hope”. I am so encouraged to see what one person can accomplish. We should all be so blessed to find an area in our lives that we can make a difference. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

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Kay, having been a small part of your heroic efforts in the orphanage, I am living each moment with you in the book! I can just see every face and smell the baby rooms; different each visit depending upon the circumstances, the many dirty diapers, wretched rice milk, etc.; and feel those little bodies…heavy, stiff, bony or limp, against me. I am moved beyond words as I turn each page. The way you have written it sounds just like you as you speak, open and from the heart, with nothing but love and determination coming through. I feel as if you are talking to me again, back in those China days. If only your soft Southern, ladylike speech could be transmitted from the page! That’s one thing the readers who don’t know you are missing. (At least you mention in the beginning that you are from the south, so they should be reading with a southern accent in their heads!) Next you must do a “book on tape” for the full effect!! I really am blown away. I started your book last night and could not stop….I kept thinking just a little more, then I got to page 276…Wow, I was so pleased to be included in your book. That day changed my life forever, and Peter’s too. I’m so happy it meant enough to you to be included…thank you! Your words were very kind, I’m glad I seemed in control that day – it was pretty tough, but I knew it was not about me, but about giving warmth and love to the little ones, just as you mention other times in the book. God bless you.

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This book is an excellent read. I first became aware of the plight of these children a few years ago after several couples that I knew adopted from China. Kay Bratt’s experience as a volunteer in a Chinese orphanage does not simply confirm the troubled state of the children but goes much further to show how one person can make a difference and bring forth change. Kay’s open willingness to share her personal story makes for an interesting, realistic and touching read. Highly recommended!

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My book arrived yesterday and as soon as I put my daughters to bed, I tore into it. At 1:30am, my husband wondered why our light was still on. I couldn’t stop reading. My own silent tears flowed down my cheeks all night long. Less than five months ago, we adopted a 21-month-old girl who needed open-heart surgery from China. I couldn’t’ stop thinking about her situation the entire time I was reading this book.

I’m going to encourage every one of my adoptive friends to read this book. This is a “must” read for parents adopting from China orphanages. Thank you for everything you did those 4 years, Kay. Thank you for keeping your writing real and uncensored.

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Thank you, Kay Bratt, for writing this book!

One of my daughters spent her first 10 months in the orphanage that is the subject of Silent Tears. Over the years, this child has shared many painful memories of her infancy. (And yes, babies are people who retain memories!) What an incredible gift to find someone who was there and who has taken the time to document the conditions these lovely children endured. We have very little pre-adoption history to share with our child. Thanks to Kay’s work, however, our daughter can feel confident both that her early memories are accurate and that her childhood struggles were grounded in the neglect she so clearly recalls.

Our baby, who is rapidly becoming a young woman, faced many of the challenges Kay describes toward the end of the book. Her ability to meet and overcome those challenges has been nothing short of stunning. Having watched this transformation in my own child, I was pleased to see that the author chose to use the “journey of hope” metaphor not only for her own experience in China but also for the journeys of the children. I was also happy to see Ms. Bratt recommend that adoptive parents seek professional help as the needs of neglected and abused children often far outstrip the skills of even the most experienced parent.

Silent Tears is a gift both to adoptive and pre-adoptive parents. Perhaps more importantly, however, it is a gift to a generation of children whose early histories have evaporated into the mist.

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This wonderfully written book paints an honest picture of life inside some orphanages in China. It is heart wrenching and difficult to read at times but it is a book that is a must read for anyone touched by international adoption. To me, it is a gift. A gift to help me understand things my daughter may or may not have experienced and to view things from a perspective I have yet to see personally. Most of all it is a message of hope, hope for what can still be done for so many waiting children. Thank you, Kay, for sharing your story and touching our hearts but most of all for loving the children. May we all learn from your experience and follow your lead.