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Nutmeg Gets Adopted

by Judith Foxon, illustrated by Sarah Rawlings - £12.00  BAAF (2001)
paperback    ISBN 13: 9781873868997 | ISBN 10: 1873868995

This book tells the story of Nutmeg, a little squirrel, and his younger sister and brother who go to live with a new family after their birth mother realises that she cannot keep them safe.
 
One of the most traumatic things to happen to a child is to lose or be separated from his or her primary parent - usually their mother - and Nutmeg Gets Adopted will encourage children from a wide age range, in a similar situation, to explore their own stories and understand some of the very painful memories they will have of their early life.
 
It will also help children waiting for an adoptive family, or recently placed in one, to make sense of their experiences and to realise that what went wrong in their birth family was not their fault. Beautifully illustrated in full colour, the book is intended to be read to or with children by their own social worker, their current carers or their adoptive parents.
 
It is vital that people working with children are aware of their histories and moves since being looked after and talking about characters in stories can help children to think and talk safely about their own sad, angry and frightened feelings. Practice guidelines (which can be removed from the book) offer suggestions and triggers for further discussion which can be developed to suit the needs of each child.
 
The colourful and charming illustrations originally drawn for the trial version by a young adopted girl and friend of the author, have been developed by the illustrator to reflect the spirit and style of the originals and children will easily relate to the various characters portrayed.

(Price & availability last checked: January 2019)