Foster Baby

Patricia Fenton is chair of the Adoption Council of Ontario.

Foster Baby is an appealing book aimed at increasing understanding of
foster children and their needs. It is written on two levels—a simple,
bold text directed toward young children and beginning readers, and a
more detailed text for older children and adults.

The author, a community worker and an experienced foster parent,
provides a clear and simple outline of what is meant by foster care as
well as a sensitive description of the reasons a child may be in care.
The dominant theme is acceptance and the importance of nurturing a sense
of belonging. While the focus is on the foster baby, the author also
addresses the feelings that older children may experience upon the
arrival of a foster sister or brother. Children would enjoy the book’s
descriptions of some of the everyday routines of caring for a baby.

Each page includes an illustration (a combination of pencil drawing and
watercolor) depicting an aboriginal foster child and his foster family.
Full-page illustrations expressively portray the family in a variety of
daily activities.

While the book is of obvious interest to foster parents, one should not
overlook its value to other young readers as well. As a tool for
learning about nontraditional families, it would also be useful for
primary school teachers in classroom discussions about families. Highly
recommended.