Star Of The Week
By Darlene Friedman, Illustrated by Roger Roth
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A heartfelt collaboration in which Friedman and Roth draw upon their experience as adoptive parents.—Kirkus Reviews
The pictures add character and a light touch to a story, which, while upbeat, deals forthrightly with the uncertainties of adoptees. Cassidy-Li’s thoughts and questions about her birth family will resonate with adopted children and serve as a springboard for discussion in homes and class rooms.—Booklist
Roth’s vibrant illustrations capture the personality of Cassidy-Li, the six-year-old narrator who tells her story in unaffected language that will appeal to children. Being “Star of the Week” is an exciting adventure for many youngsters, but it can cause anxiety for those who were adopted. … Part of the book is formatted as labeled snapshots in an album, and through these pictures readers meet Cassidy-Li’s friends and family. …The story has universal appeal, making it a good choice for a read-aloud.—School Library Journal
Debuting author Friedman, who is also the wife of Roth (The American Story) and the parent of a Chinese daughter, doesn’t try to smooth over the bittersweet elements of Cassidy Li’s story. … Roth’s affectionate domestic vignettes bolster the story’s authenticity considerably, and his vivid portrayal of the confident, thoughtful Cassidy Li speaks volumes about the unconditional love in her life.—Publishers Weekly
Star of the Week: A Story of Love, Adoption, and Brownies with Sprinkles offers insight for kids and the parents who love them. … Told in the disarming voice of Cassidy-Li, this story melds the complexities of unknown birthparents, abandonment, and identity, painting a realistic, yet charming, view of adoption that a young child can understand. … Star of the Week is an encouraging book for any adopted child dealing with the mysteries of her life.—Adoptive Families Magazine
Star of the Week: A Story of Love, Adoption, and Brownies with Sprinkles by Darlene Friedman with illustrations by Roger Roth is the rare adoption picture book for older child readers.—School Library Journal blog
“An adorable book that does not gloss over the questions children might have, this was a winner on the subject. Great for library and home shelves.”
A topic any adopted child can relate to, along with adoptive parents. A great tool to initiate a delicate conversation between parent and child about a difficult topic that keeps coming up once a child begins attending school. I would recommend to any family with adoptive children, whether from Asia or not.—Peggy Truitt
Star of the Week went in so deeply with both my girls. While I rarely write to authors, I just had to say thank you. … One of my daughters slept with her arms around the book last night and then we had another discussion about birth parents and forever families. I hope that Cassidy-Li will show up in some other books in the future. She’s a great little kid with such an authentic voice. Thanks for writing this and making this important contribution to all our daughters lives.—Liz McChesney
It is such a special book for my daughter and me, as our family is a multi-racial family as well. Although our “story” is quite different, it has a profound impact on my daughter when she gets to see other families, like ours, that are not quite “traditional.” Your story has touched us.—Beth Eldredge
Your book is already helping my clients. The gentle way it introduces questions of birthparents and heritage is great for that age range, so I am sure it will help some of the kids I see open up. This is the best new adoption book for kids that I have seen in a long time.—Dianne Kuchlak, Attachment Therapist
As a teacher of second graders for over 13 years, I know how difficult “Star of the Week” can be for some students. I believe the book will help open up the lines of communication for my son and others, as well as show how wonderful and special the “Star of the Week” experience can be!—Jennifer Jump
Star of the Week is a book that touched my heart. It deals with an important topic in such a loving manner. The warmness and closeness of their family shines through in the book. I also love the illustrations. I think Darlene and Roger should create a series of books on the topic. I have already recommended Star of the Week to my friends and family!—Cheryl Matticks
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! As a classroom reading teacher, I see so many possibilities to use this loving story with my students. The writing really captured the emotions of Cassidy-Li as she struggled to find her identity and come to terms with her longing to know about her roots. This book expressed a very complex problem in such a simple, easily understood way. It can really help all children to examine who they are and why their family history is so important. I see lots of writing assignments in my students’ future.—Hilary Williams