I have to admit that this is my absolute favorite adoption book on the market. Borya and the Burps: An Eastern European Adoption Story could have been drawn from pictures of the three of us the day we went to meet AJ for the very first time so it holds a special place in my heart

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Borya and the Burps: An Eastern European Adoption Story, in my opinion, is one of the first children’s books to (almost) accurately portray an Eastern European adoption.

There are adoption advocates out there who will say that children may be frightened by Borya’s perspective of the orphanage and what is going on around him but those things are very real to a child.

For example, Borya wonders where the other baby went and if he will be all right (Borya’s tummy hurt all night.During times of high stress AJ has tummy issues still. ), Boyra is frightened his new Daddy will give him a shot like the other male who does in the orphanage (AJ loved males because he never saw them. He loved his male doctor and he loved Eric. He hated women and was scared of them because he was constantly disciplined and medicated by them, thus he was afraid of me.), and when the caretaker tells Borya that his new mommy and daddy are here to get him he responds with confusion and fear (what child would not be fearful of strangers and of leaving the only place they have ever known? Every child who has ever gone through this situation would certainly understand that.).

The book basically tells the story of how a couple go to an Eastern European country, go to an orphanage, find their child, go to court, and then return to their home. As simplistic as it is it does explain what the orphanage is like for a child, how court can be daunting, and how the process is emotional for everyone involved.

See other reviews at Perspective Press.