Meus pais e eu: a história de Max
by Helena Prado Lopes
illus. by Alessandra Tozi
Language: Portuguese
Helena Prado Lopes, 2014.
p. : col. ill. ; cm.
Available: helenaprado@globo.com
Wie Lotta geboren wurde
by Ka Schmitz and Cai Schmitz-Weicht
Language: German
Atelier 9¾, 2013.
22. p. : col. ill. ; 14 x 14 cm.
Summary: Dieses Buch erzählt, wie Lotta von ihrem Papa geboren wurde. Wie das geht? Ganz einfach: Er hat eben auch eine Babyhöhle im Bauch… Das Buch bietet kindgerechte Worte und Bilder zu Samenspende, Ein-Eltern-Familien und Transgeschlechtlichkeit an. Für Kinder ab etwa zweieinhalb Jahren.
Available: http://www.atelier-neundreiviertel.de/bilderbuecher-regenbogenfamilien/wie-lotta-geboren-wurde/
Trip and Tux
by Menno Malta
Language: Dutch
2014
44 p. : col. ill. cm.
ISBN: 9087593945 ; 9789087593940
Summary: Trip en Tux is vooral een vrolijk kinderboek, maar het is ook geschreven om het onderwerp van eicel/sperma donatie bespreekbaar te maken bij jonge kinderen. All proceeds from the book go to Unicef.
Available: http://www.tripentux.nl/
La Búsqueda de Somy, un cuento de madres solteras por elección
by Carmen Martínez Jover
illus. by Rosemary Martínez
Language: Spanish
32 p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 6070084209 ; 9786070084201
Summary: Este libro es para ayudar a las madres solteras por elección a compartir con su hijo como fueron concebidos. Es un cuento de una ardilla, Somy y su deseo de ser madre.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/B%C3%BAsqueda-cuento-solteras-elecci%C3%B3n-Spanish/dp/6070084209/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414317593&sr=1-14
La Quête de Somy, l'histoire d'un choix de devenir mère célibataire
by Carmen Martínez Jover
illus. by Rosemary Martínez
Language: French
Carmen Martínez Jover, 2014.
32. p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 6070084217 ; 9786070084218
Summary: C'est une histoire charmante d'un choix délibéré de devenir mère célibataire, une des nombreuses manières de fonder une famille.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Qu%C3%AAte-lhistoire-devenir-c%C3%A9libataire-French/dp/6070084217/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414317217&sr=1-11
Somy's Search, a single mum by choice story
by Carmen Martínez Jover
illus. by Rosemary Martínez
Language: English
Carmen Martínez Jover, 2014.
32 p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 6070083970 ; 9786070083976
Summary: This is a story to help single mothers by choice to share with their child how they were conceived. Its is a story of a squirrel, Somy, and how she become a Mum.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Somys-Search-single-choice-story/dp/6070083970/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414316995&sr=1-13
Perché hai due papà?
by Francesca Pardi
illus. by A. Sanmartino and G. Torelli
Language: Italian
Milano : Lo Stampatello, 2014.
32 p. : col. ill. : cm.
ISBN: 8898312121 ; 9788898312122
Summary: La vera storia di una famiglia nata dall'amore di due uomini, con l'aiuto della gestazione di sostegno. Con parole semplici e lineari si spiega come nascono i bambini quando in famiglia nessuno può avere il pancione. Un racconto che aiuta a chiarirsi le idee, adulti e bambini. Età di lettura: da 6 anni.
Subject Headings:
- Famiglie di fatto - Opere per bambini
- Omosessualità maschile - Paternità - Opere per bambini
Piccola storia di una famiglia : perchè hai due mamme?
by Francesca Pardi
illus. by BUM
Language: Italian
[Milano] : Lo stampatello, 2011.
[6] c. ill. 15x15 cm.
ISBN: 9788890579905 ; 8890579900
Summary: Meri e Franci si amavano, proprio come un uomo e una donna, e volevano avere una famiglia... Con parole semplici e chiare si racconta come nasce una famiglia omogenitoriale, cosa significa procreazione assistita e come succede che un bambino abbia due mamme. Età di lettura: da 6 anni.
Subject headings:
- Famiglia di fatto - Opere per bambini
- Omosessualità femminile - Maternità - Opere per bambini
Available: http://www.lostampatello.com/catalogo1.html
Your story: How some special babies are made
written and illus. by Gina Hashrard
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2014.
24 p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 150077474X ;9781500774745
Summary: This is a book for young children who have been conceived by egg donation. Professional guidance dictates that the parents of egg-donor children may like to raise their child with the knowledge that they are from an egg-donor pregnancy. That way, the children can grow up with the knowledge of where they come from, and the fact will always be there, ready to be processed when they start to understand the facts of life. This book is intended to help parents with this task. It is targeted at very young children (aged 2 to 4 years), with lots of big pictures and few words. It explains how their parents fell in love but did not have a baby, so they went to the hospital and someone special gave them an egg. As with all books in the 'Your Story' series, there is a space for a picture of the child concerned on the last page.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/150077474X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ruby's Story: An Embryo Adoption Journey
by W. Kathryn Clark and Joann Curtrara
illus. by Steve Kim
Language: English
40 p : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 0990348202 ; 9780990348207
Summary: This heartwarming story describes the journey of how one family comes together through the miracle of Embryo Adoption. We join a mother recounting her embryo adoption journey to her daughter, Ruby, who is now around 5 years old. The mother is a single woman who was never able to find her "special someone" to start a family with; she is introduced to the donating family through a friend. The story provides an age-appropriate explanation of IVF, embryo adoption and genetic relationships, and also focuses on the social aspect of adoption. In the US alone there are half-a-million frozen embryos in storage that have been created for IVF. Once family building is complete, many parents struggle with the decision of what the next steps are for their frozen embryos. Embryo Adoption is a unique opportunity for couples and individuals experiencing infertility to build their own family by giving these embryos a home.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Rubys-Story-Embryo-Adoption-Journey/dp/0990348202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413548614&sr=8-1&keywords=Ruby%27s+Story%3A+An+Embryo+Adoption+Journey
Di mamma ce n'è una sola
by Isabella Paglia
Language: Italian
Casalecchio di Reno (BO) : Fatatrac, 2012.
1 vol. (non paginato) : ill.
ISBN: 9788882222765 ; 8882222764
Summary: La parola mamma all'orecchio di ogni bambino suona magica. Ma chi è una mamma? Quante mamme può avere un bambino? Quanti modi esistono per venire al mondo? Una storia tenera, che scalda il cuore e fa sorridere e riflettere sulle diverse maniere che esistono per "arrivare" in una famiglia: il concepimento naturale, quello in provetta e l'adozione. Il tutto spiegato ai piccoli uditori da buffi bambini coloratissimi usciti dall'allegro pennello di Francesca Cavallaro con linguaggio semplice e comprensibile. Un libro divertente per educare ad argomenti importanti e attuali. Età di lettura: da 4 anni.
Available: http://www.amazon.it/Di-mamma-n%C3%A8-una-sola/dp/8882222764
The Very Kind Koala: A Surrogacy Story for Children
written and illustrated by Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2013.
24 p. col ill. cm.
ISBN: 1482621525 ; 9781482621525
Summary: The Very Kind Koala is a charming picture book for young children which provides an introduction to surrogacy through the simple story of a koala bear and her husband who needed the help of a very kind koala to carry their baby in her pouch. Parents can begin reading this story to children as young as 3 years of age to begin the dialog about their own helpful surrogate.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Surrogate mothers -- Juvenile fiction
- Mothers -- Juvenile fiction
- Infertility -- Juvenile fiction
Available: https://www.createspace.com/4184368
The Seed, The Egg, and The Magic Love Tummy
by Grandpa
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2014.
74 p. cm.
ISBN: 1499193696 ; 9781499193695
Summary: An illustrated first storybook, for under fives, designed to explain, in simple childlike terms, the process of IVF donor conception to children conceived as the result of sperm or egg donation. Fuzzy Bobbit is an inquisitive little rabbit who wants an answer to the question: "Where do babies come from?" He quizzes his little playmates, Frisky Rufus the red squirrel, Smartypants Slipper the weasel, and Bumble Firkin the shrew, but they are no use. So Fuzzy sets out to question the grown ups. His quest takes him far and wide through the forest. Along the way he meets a host of woodland creatures - Mr and Mrs Burrows, the moles, Colonel Knocker the woodpecker, Mr Skitter the squirrel, Doctor Barcode the badger, Nurse Prickles the hedgehog, and the Right Reverend Dr Plumage the kingfisher Bishop of Ash Grove. After an encounter with the French fox, Monsieur Renard and the Spanish dove, Signora Paloma, Fuzzy finds himself standing in front of his headmaster, Professor Hoot the owl. With the professor's help the little rabbit is finally able to unravel the mystery of The Seed, The Egg, and the Magic Love Tummy.
Available: https://www.createspace.com/4767853
The extra button
by Jules Blundell
illus. by Fefe
Language: English
Surrey Hills, Vic. : Michael Hanrahan Publishing, 2014.
44 p. cm.
ISBN: 9780992418212
Summary: Benny and Rose wanted more than anything to have their own family. This is their journey. In this gorgeous picture book Jules uses a story about a gingerbread couple as a metaphor to explain the difficult concept of donor conception to young children.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Parents -- Juvenile fiction
- Childbirth -- Juvenile fiction
- Childbirth
Available: http://www.amazon.com/The-Extra-Button-Jules-Blundell/dp/0992418208#
Zak's safari : a story for donor-conceived kids of two-mom families
by Christy Tyner
illus. by Ciaee
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2014.
33 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 9781502325464 ; 1502325462
My annotation: Narrated by a young boy, this is the story of how Zak’s family was made with the help of donor sperm. Zak takes the reader on a brief tour of how babies are made with sperm and egg, but explains that his parents didn’t have the sperm required because only men’s bodies have sperm and he has two moms. Zak explains how his parents visited a sperm bank and chose sperm from a catalog, making this the very first children’s book to describe the process of selecting sperm from a catalog. Zak also teaches his readers about “genes,” which carry secret instructions for how babies are to look as well. Zak’s tour of how babies are made is not as detailed as that in It takes love … but this is not a drawback. Zak explains just enough for his young readers to grasp early concepts around sperm donation. The book takes both a family-building approach and a child-conception approach because it explains the most basic details of how babies are made, while at the same time emphasizing that all families are made differently and that this is the way his family was made. The book employs the “helper” and the “nuts & bolts” scripts and is recommended for children ages 3-5.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Sperm banks -- Juvenile fiction
- Artificial insemination -- Juvenile fiction
- Lesbian mothers -- Juvenile fiction
Available: http://www.zaks-safari.com/
Available: https://www.createspace.com/4992334
The pea that was me : a two dads' egg donation and surrogacy story
written and illus. by Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2014.
17 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 1499746695 ; 9781499746693
My annotation: This book, about egg donation and surrogacy in two-dad families, is part of the Pea that was me series written by licensed marriage and family therapist, Kimberly Kluger-Bell. It is not so much a story as it is a very simple explanation of how “the pea that was me finally came to be!” The child narrator, a green pea, explains to her readers that it takes eggs, sperm, and a tummy in order to make a baby pea. When the egg and sperm are put together inside a “lady’s tummy,” a pea gets “bigger and bigger and bigger” until it grows into a baby. She explains however that her dads did not have any eggs, nor did they have a tummy, so they visit a doctor who knew “a very kind lady” who had eggs, and “another nice lady” who would “be happy to carry their baby pea!” The book introduces very young children to the words, “eggs,” “sperm,” “donor,” and “surrogate,” and would be suitable for children ages 3-5 since it provides the most basic explanation for how babies are made. The book takes a child conception approach and employs both the “helper” and the “nuts & bolts” scripts.
Available: https://www.createspace.com/4834676
The pea that was me : a two moms' sperm donation story
written and illus. by Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2014
23 p. : col. ill. ; 22 x 22 cm.
ISBN: 1495290042 ; 9781495290046
My annotation: Written by a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in fertility counseling, this is a book with a child narrator, represented by a baby pea, who explains how her two moms had her via donor sperm. She begins the story by asking the question, “where did the pea that was me come from?” They tell her that two things are required: eggs and sperm, which must be put together in order to grow a baby inside a mommy’s tummy. The narrator goes on to explain though that her moms didn’t have any sperm, without which you can’t make a baby, so they went to a doctor who told them “there was a very kind man who had lots of extra sperm” and would be happy to share it. So the doctor put the sperm from the man together with one of her mommy’s eggs and a baby pea started to grow. The book introduces several vocabulary words to young children: “sperm,” “egg,” and “donor,” as well as the concept that a doctor’s help was required in order for the baby pea that “finally came to be.” The book takes a child-conception approach and employs the “nuts & bolts” and the “helper” scripts. Recommended for children ages 3-5.
Available: https://www.createspace.com/4631754
It takes love (and some other stuff) to make a baby
by L. L. Bird
illus. by Patrick Girouard
Language: English
Catadon Press, 2014.
25 p. : col. ill. ; 21 x 21 cm.
ISBN: 9780991522309
My annotation: This wonderfully illustrated book explains how it takes three things to make a baby: sperm, an egg, and some love, and is a pretty detailed account of how babies are made with the help of donor sperm and a mommy’s egg. The book introduces children to several concepts and vocabulary words such as “ovaries,” “uterus,” “pregnant,” “sperm,” “egg,” “testicles,” “sperm donor,” and “sperm bank” and explains what each term means when it comes up in the context of the description of how babies are made in two-mom families. Children are told that a doctor helps put the sperm inside the mommy’s belly so that it could join with the egg, but also states that parents can sometimes do this on their own. No explanation of how that can happen though is included in the book. The book takes both a family-building approach because of its emphasis on the need for love in order to make a baby, and a child-conception approach because most of the book is about the brass tacks of how babies are made. The book employs the “helper” and “nuts & bolts” scripts and is recommended for children ages 5-8 because of the large vocabulary words introduced.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Artificial insemination, Human -- Juvenile literature
- Reproduction -- Juvenile literature
- Lesbian mothers -- Juvenile literature
Available: http://www.catadonpress.com/
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Takes-Love-some-other-stuff/dp/0991522303
I am extra special: an IVF story
by Belinda Messer and Rosie Luik
illus. by Jessica Smith
Language: English
2014
p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 9780992538705
Summary: Our first children's book in the "I Am Extra Special" series. An IVF story is aimed at children aged 4-10 years and explains how they were conceived using IVF. It is a beautifully illustrated story book dedicated to all the "Extra Special" babies of IVF.
Available: http://www.iamextraspecial.com/
Nora y Zoe: dos mamás para un bebé
by Rosa Maestro
illus. by Barbara Guillén Feltrer
Language: Spanish
Masola.org, 2014.
28 p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 8461693892; 9788461693894
Summary: Un cuento infantil, en el que dos mujeres se enamoran y deciden ser mamás. Recurren a las doctora Lola que les regalará una semillita mágica con la que lograr su sueño. Un cuento adaptado a los diferentes modelos de familia y hacer más visible las técnicas de reproducción asistida.
Available: http://www.amazon.es/Nora-Zoe-mam%C3%A1s-para-bebe/dp/8461693892/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403002435&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=nora+ya+zoe+maestro
Unsere Familie: Ein Buch für Wunschkinder nach Samenspende, die mir ihrer Solomutter aufwachsen
by Petra Thorn and Margaret Ritter
illus. by Tiziana Rinaldi
Language: German
Mörfelden: Fam-ART-Verlag, 2014.
ISBN 9783945275023
Summary: Immer mehr alleinstehende Frauen setzen ihren Kinderwunsch mit Hilfe einer Samenspende um. Dieses Aufklärungsbuch ist für ihre Kinder geschrieben. Es beschreibt in einfacher Sprache und mit bezaubernden Bildern, wie Solomütter mit Hilfe einer medizinischen oder persönlichen Samenspende ein Kind bekommen und Familie werden können.
Available: http://www.famart.de/kinderbuecher/
כלי נרגש מספור המפגש בין זרעון לבין ביצית : ספור של הפריה חוץ גופית ולדתו של "ילד מבחנה"
by קריגר, אסתר.
Language: Hebrew
א. קריגר,
2013
col. ill. ; cm.
Welcome to the family
by Mary Hoffman
illustrated by Ros Asquith
Language: English
London : Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2014.
32 p. cm.
ISBN: 9781847804617; 1847804616
Summary: This book takes one element of The Great Big Book of Families – the arrival of new members into a family – and explores all the different ways a baby or child can become part of a family. The book includes natural birth within a nuclear family, adoption, fostering, same sex families and many other aspects of bringing babies or children into a family. The approach will follow the Great Big Book series, with twelve double spreads each exploring one theme, and including lots of humour, jokes and fun along the way. This is a unique information book, with an important and positive message – every family is different and every family is equally valid and special, no matter how or when the children arrive.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Families -- Juvenile literature
- Families
Available: http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Family-Mary-Hoffman/dp/1847804616
Daddy and Papa's Little Angels: Acceptance of All Kinds of People
by Mystique Ann U'Nique
illus. by Jackie Crofts
Language: English
Bloomington, IN : AuthorHouse, 2013
40 p. : col. ill ; 21.3 x 27.5 cm
ISBN: 1491846062; 9781491846063
Summary: This children's book was inspired by Elton John's concern over his son Zachary having two homosexual dads. This book was written to promote love and compassion for homosexual families, those living with AIDS, and those who choose to have children via surrogacy. I also wrote to encourage older people who choose to start families. I wrote this book to help take away any related stigmas.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
- Gay parents -- Juvenile fiction
Available: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491846062/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Slottet med de mange værelser : hvordan er du blevet til?
by Helene Goldberg and Maruska la Cour Mosegaard
illus. by Kirsten Gjerding
Language: Danish
Århus : Turbine, 2008.
[36] sider : alle ill. i farver ; 30 cm.
ISBN: 9788792208958; 8792208959
Summary: I den tid vi lever i er det ikke alle børn, der er resultatet af en tur i soveværelset. Mange er blevet til på en helt anden måde, og disse børn kar også krav på forklaring på spørgsmålet: Hvor kommer jeg fra?
Available: http://www.godeboerneboeger.dk/Slottet-med-de-mange-vaerelser.html
Karla leger "mor og børn"
by Pia Olsen og Karla Elena Olsen
illus. by Ina Korneliussen
Language: Danish
[Århus] : Siesta, 2012.
[28] sider : alle ill. i farver.
ISBN: 9788792893284; 8792893287
Summary: Hvordan laver man børn, når mor ikke har fundet en far? Det ved Karla godt, også selvom hun kun er 4 år. Karla er blevet til ved hjælp af en sæddonor. Hendes mor har fortalt, hvordan sædcellen og ægget bliver til en baby. Hun ved også nogenlunde, hvad en sæddonor er, men hun ved ikke så meget om, hvordan det er at have en far. Når Karla leger med sine dukker, leger hun mor og børn. I børnehaven hedder den samme leg far, mor og børn. Det er også en sjov leg, bare Karla ikke skal være faren - hun vil være babyen, eller moren. Karla leger mor og børner en ælle-bælle-bolle-bog for en ny type familie, der er blevet til ved hjælp af en sæddonor. Og så handler den om at vokse op i en familie uden far. Bogen kan læses som en efterfølger til Hvor er Karlas far? Bogen henvender sig til børn i alderen 3-6 år.
Available: http://www.salling.dk/shop/search-1.html?keyword=pia+olsen
Hvor er Karlas far?
by Pia Olsen and Karla Elena Olsen
illus. by Ina Korneliussen
Language: Danish
Århus : Siesta, 2011.
28 sider : alle ill.
ISBN: 9788792539564; 8792539564
Summary: Bogen Hvor er Karlas far? handler om to årige Karla, der blevet til ved hjælp af en sæddonor - det har hendes mor forklaret hende. Karla forstår ikke helt, hvad en sæddonor er, men han må være en flink mand, for han har hjulpet mor og Karla, så de kunne få hinanden. Og så morfar og mormor og Karla kunne få hinanden. Men sæddonoren kan ikke hjælpe Karla med at få en far. Karlas ven Ferdinand kan ikke helt forstå, hvorfor Karla ikke har en far. Ferdinand har en far - og det har babyspøgelset inde under sofaen også. Hvor er Karlas far? er den første danske børnebog, der henvender sig til børn, som er blevet til ved hjælp af en kendt eller anonym sæddonor. Et stigende antal danske kvinder vælger at få børn ved hjælp af en sæddonor. Men hvordan fortæller man om det? Eksperter anbefaler at tale med børnene om, hvordan de er blevet til, så tidligt som muligt. Bogen Hvor er Karlas far? henvender sig til børn i 2-5 års alderen. Den leverer enkle forklaringer på naturlige spørgsmål. Bogen er en god anledning til at tage den nødvendige snak med sit barn. Den kan også være et redskab for bedsteforældre, pædagoger og andre, som er usikre på, hvordan de skal tackle det, når barnet spørger til sin ’far’. Men vigtigst af alt er, at bogen ’klæder barnet på’ til at svare, når kammeraterne spørger: Hvor er din far?
Available: http://www.salling.dk/shop/search-1.html?keyword=pia+olsen
The pea that was me: a single mom's sperm donation children's story
written and illustrated by Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Language: English
CreateSpace, 2013
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 22 cm.
ISBN: 149357454X; 9781493574544
Summary: The Pea That Was Me is a charming introduction to sperm donation for kids of single moms by choice for children ages 3 and up. In a positive and upbeat way, children are told about it takes a sperm and an egg to make "a little pea", that grows into baby, and then becomes a little boy or girl. Emphasis is on how much the child was wanted, and how grateful mommy is to the "very kind donor" who helped make it all possible.
Available: http://www.amazon.com/The-Pea-That-Was-Volume/dp/149357454X
Author's Web site: http://www.booksfordonorkids.com/
Noortje : dochter van een Bewust Alleenstaande Moeder
by Simone Scholtens
Language: Dutch
[Zwolle] : Bergboek, 2013.
27 p. : ill. ; 16x16 cm.
ISBN: 9789491186165 9491186167
My annotation: Noortje: the daughter of a conscious single mother is the beginning of a story of a mom who had her child via a known donor. Noortje lives in a big house with a cat that is currently pregnant with kittens. Because the cat’s belly is getting bigger, Noortje's questions begin. She asks her mom, "Mom, was I in your belly when I was a baby?" Yes her mom tells her. Noortje then asks, "How did I get in your belly?" That’s when her mom begins to tell her how babies are made with the egg of a mommy and the seeds of a daddy. But Noortje is confused at first because she only has a mom and no dad. Noortje has a “donor” though, her mom tells her, who gave his “seeds” to mom so that mom could have the baby she wanted so very much. Noortje’s mom explains to her that when seeds and eggs meet, babies begin to grow. Mom tells Noortje that she knows the donor, but does not explain how, who he is, or why she used a donor, so these details are left out. However, this book is just the beginning of the story and was written specifically for this child by this mother. It is presumed that Noortje is still very young and has only just begun to ask these questions so the story provides just enough information to satisfy her questions at this point. In this story, the donor actually comes to see Noortje after she is born and is “speechless” at what a beautiful baby she is. At the end, "Mama was very happy that the donor had given his seeds because now she had the sweetest baby in the world." Other than “donor,” and "seeds" and "eggs," no other terminology is introduced. The book takes a family-building approach even though the word family is never used. This is because Noortje’s conception is not heavily emphasized in the book but rather, how she came to be a part of this mother-child twosome is what is highlighted. This book employs “the helper” script. Noortje’s mom is the illustrator of the book and her illustrations are well-drawn black and white pencil illustrations against a colored watercolor background. The book is recommended for children ages 3-5 and is only available in Dutch.
Web site: http://noortje-dochtervaneenbewustalleenstaandemoeder.nl/index.html
Wo der nordwind weht
by Margaret P. Ritter
illus. by Karina Wacker
Language: German
Vienna : Bright Knight Books, 2013.
15 p. : col. ill. ; cm.
ISBN: 9783950342017
My annotation: This book is the first children’s book published out of Austria about donor conception. It is written as a fairy tale by a single mother for her daughter and is a warm, loving tribute to the miracle of her daughter’s very existence. It begins as her daughter Sunny, an impatient soul waits to be born, dying to be born, so that she may “let her light shine and … set free all her sparkling vitality on earth among the living.” But she must wait until the right person selects her so that she may be born. The book talks about how the souls of all children are meant to be no matter how they get here and that children must wait until they are “struck by … (the) shooting beam of (the) love” of their parents to be born into the “garden of life.” It hints that a man is needed in order to make a baby but also hints at immaculate conception as Sunny was conceived “without a man so much as touching” her mother. She was conceived in Denmark, the land “where the northwind blows” and the country to which her mother traveled from Austria where the use of sperm donation for single mothers and lesbians is rather liberal. It is an entirely personal story, written by this mother for this child and although it never uses the word “donor” or any of the usual terms associated with assisted conception, the book does however use big words like “bagatelle,” “pristine,” and “joi-de-vivre.” The book presents the “labor of love” script and takes both a family-building and a child-conception approach and ultimately counsels to both children and adults that we have the children we are meant to have. Although the concepts presented here are a bit abstract for younger children, the book was inspired by her three-year-old daughter's question, "Mama, where is my father?" For this reason it is recommended both for children ages 3-5 and 5-8. Simultaneously published in both German and English.
Available: http://www.amazon.de/Wo-Nordwind-weht-M-Ritter/dp/3950342001/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392557115&sr=1-1&keywords=wo+der+nordwind+weht
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