Beautifully illustrated. Great storytelling about real people who can be real role models! Great read!

Adoptees Who Changed the World was an adorable board book sharing the stories of eight famous adoptees in a very basic way that can start to make conversations about adoptions with babies and toddlers a part of everyday life. The illustrations were precious and very child friendly. As a board book, this obviously didn't delve deep into each adoptees story, but I think it really serves its purpose as a book to introduce the topic to little ones so it becomes a norm for them. I appreciated that Lorri Antosz Benson included people of multiple racial backgrounds as well as from various time periods - both historical and current. .

Lorri Antosz Benson’s Adoptees is a deeply moving and insightful exploration of the adoptee experience, blending personal narratives with a compassionate understanding of the complexities that come with adoption. The author provides a nuanced portrayal of identity, belonging, and the search for roots, making the book both a heartfelt memoir and a universal story that resonates with anyone who has navigated the emotional terrain of being adopted.

What truly sets this book apart is Benson’s empathetic writing style. She does an excellent job of weaving her own journey with the voices of others, offering a range of perspectives on adoption, from those who have embraced their journey to those who continue to struggle with it. Her vulnerability and authenticity shine through every page, making the reader feel like they are walking alongside her and others on their personal quests for self-understanding.

While the book is undeniably moving, what elevates it further is its honesty. Benson doesn’t shy away from the difficult questions surrounding adoption, including the pain, confusion, and complexities that can arise from a history of abandonment or being raised in a non-biological family. She also sheds light on the joy and strength found in the reclamation of one's heritage and the beauty of chosen families.

The structure of the book is well-organized, allowing for smooth transitions between individual stories and the broader, thematic elements of adoption. Though some readers may find certain sections a bit heavy on introspection, these moments are crucial for anyone seeking to fully understand the emotional depth of the adoptee experience.
Only thing which I felt missing is the way publisher do not included last page or cover page, so with the content given, it seems like an incomplete book.

Though, what I liked most from the book is the Quote from 'Tasunke Witko', "Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children."

Overall, Adoptees is a compelling and emotional read that beautifully captures the multifaceted realities of adoption. Benson has crafted a work that is informative, reflective, and, most importantly, empathetic. It’s an essential read for adoptees, adoptive parents, or anyone seeking to better understand the emotional journey that adoption can entail.

From Crazy Horse to Simone Biles, and from Faith Hill to Steve Jobs, this small picture book looks at a selection of world-famous people who were adopted, for whatever reason. For each subject we get a suitably young-aimed, cartoonish illustration, a motivational quote, and two small paragraphs of their biography. As personal history it is too slight to really be of much use, but as an affirmation for children who know they were fostered or adopted, it could well be priceless.

My son is an international adoptee. He enjoyed reading this book with me and learning about adoptees who have made changes for the better in the world.

I love the representation in this book as well - it’s diverse group of adoptees makes the book stand out.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

Fun non-fiction book about famous adoptees. My only slight criticism is that I wish the people were more randomly mixed up. It seemed weird to weird about great men that changed history and then the actress from Broadway's Wicked. It almost lessened her accomplishments.

There are, I am quite certain, many adoptees who have changed the world. Of course, in a very short book, just a few can be featured. That is the case in this board book which briefly profiles nine adoptees. As can be seen from the cover, three of them are Steve Jobs, Simone Biles and Jamie Foxx. The others are George Washington Carver, Crazy Horse, Nelson Mandela, Kristin Chenowith, and Faith Hill. Each person has two pages with some biographical material and illustrations. Note that the illustrations are quite appealing.

I am not sure of the audience for this book. I don’t think that the text would appeal to the youngest children. I do think that this title could be used as a conversation starter.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Familius Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

A new small board book with big names such as Nelson Mandela, Faith Hill, Steve Jobs, Jamie Foxx, Simone Biles, and Kristen Chenoweth. Each page of this little board book tells a different story about how these real-life characters were adopted at a young age and what they did later in life.

It was the first time my son heard the word 'adoptee,' so I had to explain it to contextualize it. While he is exposed to kids living with their adoptive parents, he doesn't seem to know they were adopted. So, the book helped lay down the concept in short, simple descriptions appropriate for a very young audience.

The storytelling also reflects how this board book presents how adoptees eventually find a family in their newfound parents and pursue their passions. I love that the narrative doesn't say they became successful despite being adopted; instead, they are famous people who also happen to be adopted.

This adorable board book is the perfect addition to the home library of any adoptive family and should also be featured in public and school libraries.

Each person is explained in a way that is appropriate for children but also shows the truth without getting into details.

The illustrations are perfect and will engage children.

Thank you to Familius and Net Galley for the eARC!

Very cute children’s book to give a positive view of adoption and highlight famous adoptees! The illustrations are very cute.

Before my review, I'd like to thank the author, Lorri Antosz Benson, the illustrator, Juanita Londono-Gaviria, the publisher, Familius, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read Adoptees Who Changed the World, a children's picture board book focused on more recent well-known world-changers like Simone Biles and Steve Jobs as well as more historical figures like George Washington Carver. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon release. The cover has a nice pastel color scheme which is pleasant, and I like the illustration style that draws your eye to the figures themselves, who are the most important part of the story. Each figure takes up a 2-page spread, and the little info included is perfect for ages 0-4. Children who are adopted or have friends/family who are adopted will especially find this book inspiring, as they will feel represented in different careers of importance. I would definitely recommend to those who know children who fall into that category! Very cute book, loved it!

This is a good one following the format of the other “_____ who changed the world” books. Some of them I already knew about, but it would be good for kids.

And what I’ll say next is entirely on me, because this is just commentary about the concept of this book which I knowingly picked up — lately I’ve been thinking about how I’d like to teach my son to develop a sense of purpose and self-integration, which may look like a quiet, contented and meaningful life but not necessarily one that changes the whole world in a grandiose, articulable way. We put a lot of pressure on our kids to “do great things” and I could see this being especially true for adoptees, as if they should be extra grateful for the “second chance” they’ve been given and make the absolute most of that. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with teaching about the accomplishments and innovations of leaders in our society, but I do hope that my son learns just as much from his uncle, who is adopted, yes, and whose smiles and kindness are just as world-changing in my mind as any number of groundbreaking inventions or feats. Of course, my son is only a baby, so we’ll get there. Off my soapbox for now!

I enjoyed this book! It was fun to learn new facts about these famous people! I would highly recommend it to others!

Adoptees Who Changed the World by Lorri Antosz Benson is a short picture book (board book) that highlights 8 famous adoptees including Simone Biles and Steve Jobs. It briefly tells about their adoption (by biological family members, unrelated adoptive parents, etc.) and shows their accomplishments. Overall, I liked the book, but the story of one of the adoptees, George Washington Carver is pretty traumatic so readers may want to skip that one when sharing with kids.

Thanks to Familius and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

This book is described as a “board book introduction to people who made a difference in the world - and who also happen to be adopted.” I love the idea of the book. But I wish that it had included a few more people. And some of the language/vocabulary seems a bit advanced for small children.

I love it when a children’s book can teach adults as well. This book informed me of quite a few famous figures that I did not know where adopted. I think this kind of children’s book is very important, as it shows children from a young age that it does not matter how they start out in life, they are still capable of achieving great things.

First off, I did not know that so many of these amazing human beings were adopted! I absolutely LOVED this book! It was amazing to see the background of each person who is amazing in different ways. Such an inspirational book for all kids, but especially for those who may struggle with the knowledge that they were adopted.

I am a firm believer in making adoption a positive topic and I think this would be a great resource for that. It was informative, accessible and inspiring. The only thing is I think it would be nice to see people from outside of the US

This book may be short, but it's got substance! The topic is quite unusual for the genre, and the execution was great. The choices of people are quite US-centric, with the exception of Nelson Mandela, but it's still interesting to learn about these famous people's journey.

Great to see all the different types of adoption and reasons why were represented. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer but understand this is a children's board book. Nice colorful graphics that show what the adoptees have done also.