Happy Adoption Day!

Inspired by a friend's tradition, noted children's singer/songwriter McCutcheon created this original song for those who might like to mark a special anniversary in their family's life--adoption day. His thoughtful lyrics (the score is included, of course) emphasize the joy and wonder of the event--""Out of a world so tattered and torn,/ You came to our house on that wonderful morn/ And all of a sudden this family was born""--and there's a rousing chorus just right for a festive party. In a move sure to accommodate many adoptive families, Paschkis (So Sleepy/Wide Awake) pictures the parents as white and the baby as Asian. Her gouache illustrations have a strong hint of traditional Scandinavian folk art, updated by bold color combinations, and they lend themselves particularly well to the multiethnic cast of friends and family with which she peoples each page. For a pleasingly themed read-aloud or gift, pair this volume with Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell's equally merry Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born (reviewed below). Ages 2-6. (Sept.)