EVERY YEAR ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

The author and illustrator of the lovely adoption picture book I Love You Like Crazy Cakes (2000) continue the love story experienced by the American mother and her adopted Chinese daughter. This time, they mark the passage of time by successive birthdays, going up through five years, although the final illustration shows the characters several years later. The unnamed child’s second birthday shows her becoming an American citizen. The author, who based this story on her own life as an adoptive mother, carefully integrates her daughter’s birth culture and customs. The final page shows the Chinese character for “family” and “home.” As with the first, this is gently told in first person. Dyer’s pictures continue to mesh beautifully with the text. The cheerful watercolor illustrations are varied, alternating between panel and full-page spreads in what is clearly a labor of love for those involved. Careful readers will note that a website for Chinese adoptions is included. While there are many picture books about adoption, Lewis and Dyer have created another special experience for sharing. (Picture book. 4-8)