Many of my fellow bloggers at adoptionblogs.com have posted book reviews recently. Unfortunately I just don't have the time to read them all.

I want to point out some books that are useful to anyone looking at Ukrainian adoption or culture. The books aren't listed in any particular order.

I know the book is specifically about AIDS in Africa.... more

You probably wouldn't guess just by looking at this picture..... You are looking at the strongest willed person on the planet. This is Natasha at 3.5 years of age. She was black - hole - sucking - everything - in - and - not - letting - light - out strong willed.

She came home developmentally delayed in all ways; emotionally, gross motor skills, language. She was a walking talking puzzle of different developmental ages.

But one thing that she was absolutely clear on. She was the boss. She ran things.

At first when she got angry at me, she would show a... more

Here are a couple of sites to help you figure out what to pack, what to see, what to buy during your Ukrainian adoption trip.

Let's start with Travel to Ukraine. I like the Cultural Norms section. There is a good description on why the Ukrainian government makes visitors buy the special medical insurance when they enter the country. It is a form of... more

I mentioned Robert Klose's new book in More Ukrainian Adoption Books. It is titled Small Worlds: Adopted Sons, Pet Piranhas, And Other Mortal Concerns and comes out September 30.

I recently found a little more information about the book.

The cream of Klose’s columns has now been gathered in this delightful book culled largely from the more than 250 pieces written... more

All behavior has meaning. Everyone on this blue planet is seeking to have their needs met and avoid pain. And when a child or teenager or adult is frustrated... has poor impulse control they may become aggressive.

But not all frustration leds to aggression.

And not all aggression leds to violence.

In other words aggression isn't something to be feared. It can be a rich opportunity to help your child or teenager.

ag·gres·sion (-grshn) noun.

..........Hostile or destructive behavior or actions.

From: The... more

I saw an article last week, which flashed me back to November 2004 when my daughter was diagnosed with Dyslexia. Blogs on my flashback are found here and here.

I started looking for symptoms lists for Language Based Learning Disabilities. It impacts verbal communication more then most people realize. So I went back to my favorite book on the subject; Overcoming... more

Picture: Natasha (my darling daughter) June 2006. Her eyes are grey. You may be thinking they are blue, but trust me. They really are grey.

I recently traveled back in time with an article titled Discovering Language Disorder in our daughter. It discuss the signs of a language based learning disorder. The author, Carolyn, mentions one of my favorite books; Overcoming... more

I thought that I had found most of the interesting Ukrainian adoption books. Well.... I found a few more.

Starting with a classic. I cannot believe that I failed to mention this one. It is a great book for adoptive families that are just getting started and exploring their options. It is used as a reference book for many adoptive families.

The Russian Adoption Handbook: How to Adopt... more

Here are some Ukrainian Adoption books of interest. I haven't read all of them. But reading does help the time pass.

Finding Yasha : An Adoption Journey To Ukraine by Mickey & Len Sirowitz is Spiral-bound. Amazon.com is selling the book for $25.99. It was published May 11, 2006.

Yasha was adopted from Cherkassy.

FINDING YASHA is a very personal account of a shared family experience. It all began with a son's... more

I didn't realize just how important a lifebook was until my daughter had one. And it amazes me just how frequently Natasha pulls it out. We call it The Book of Natasha.

It has pages on my adoption trip and her adoption. Pages on her eye surgery and preschool. I have a couple of more school pages and a BFF (best friend forever) page that I need to add it. Well... I need to complete them first.

I decided to just keep growing The Book of Natasha because it has been so loved. It has gone to school for show and tell.... more