Today I’m sharing a very special and unique book with you; it comes in three forms; paperback, Kindle, and as an interactive Kindle Fire version as well. It’s called, Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Day Story and was written by our friend, Carolyn Wilhelm, of The Wise Owl Factory. This book will be of particular interest for those who have a friend or family member involved with an international adoption but is also great for any young child to understand more about the wider world.
What is Airplane Day?
Airplane Day, which can also be known as Adoption Day or Gotcha Day, is a celebration of the day a family adopts a child from an overseas country; just as a birth day is celebrated by maternal parents, Airplane Day is celebrated by adoptive parents. Personally, I quietly celebrate the day Tristan came home from the neonatal ward of the hospital each year, as this was when our life as a family began. There can be so many types of celebrations and understanding the reasons behind another’s joyous occasions helps you to know what’s important to them.
Carolyn and her husband, Gary, adopted a baby girl from Korea in 1980 and now that their son’s child has hit toddlerhood he is noticing more about his surroundings and beginning to ask questions about his aunt Betsy and the physical differences between her and the rest of the family. Carolyn decided to write this book for him to help him understand how his family is so special.
The Airplane Day Story
Alex and his parents are on their way to an Airplane Day celebration and their car breaks down. The tire needs to be changed so they call Grandpa (who has an uncanny resemblance to Gary) to come and help them. After the tire is fixed they continue on their way but Alex is confused because once they reach their destination, it isn’t the airport, and Alex hasn’t even seen an airplane!
Alex and his parents arrive to see Grandma (who looks surprisingly like Carolyn) and Grandpa with Aunt Betsy. They explain what Airplane day is, the significance behind it, and how Betsy was specially chosen and loved after being left in a box on the doorstep of the police station.
The Books
Kindle
Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Day Story comes in three formats, as I mentioned previously, with each format having its own attributes. The Kindle version doesn’t require shelf space and is easier on the pocketbook if funds are tight. You can add it to your collection of adoption resources and keep them all in one place, which is handy.
Interactive Edition for Kindle Fire and Android
The interactive version of Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Day Story adds a little extra fun for kids when they read it on a Kindle Fire or Android device. Each page has an icon, that when pressed, has one of three things triggered; a picture comes up on the screen with a vocabulary word, a sound is played (such as a door bell or clapping), or a short illustrated video is shown. Watch the video above and Tristan and Kallista will walk you through it and give you their own opinions about the book.
Paperback
The paperback version of Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day can be kept on the shelf and children can access it at anytime and take it with them and use it without technology. Paperbacks are great for many reasons, one of which is that they can be inscribed and gifted to those who are special to you. A copy of this book would make a terrific addition to any home library and an important part of a daycare’s or school’s collection.
International adoptions are becoming ever-more a part of modern society for a myriad of reasons and it’s important for families to feel cohesive, loved, and understand how and why they are connected the way they are. Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day is a great way to open the conversation about someone your child may know.
Carolyn Wilhelm is the author of The Wise Owl Factory site and blog. She has an MS in Gifted Education, a MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12, and has finished the KHT Montessori 12 month program. She makes mostly free resources for teachers and parents. You can catch up with her on her website, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
