Half a World Away

"Despite flaws, a realistic—and much-needed—portrait of older-child adoption. (Fiction. 10-14)"

Romanian-born Jaden knows fear and anger but has trouble feeling love and trust. He was abandoned by his biological mother at age four, then shuttled to several foster homes before being adopted by an American couple. Now 12, Jaden thinks his adoptive parents must not be "satisfied" with him because they want another child, and they expect Jaden to go with them to Kazakhstan to meet and bond with his new adoptive baby brother. In this candid novel about three individuals struggling to become a family, National Book Award-winner Kadohata (The Thing About Luck) offers a rare insider's view of a boy with attachment difficulties searching to find security and purpose. While visiting the orphanage in Kazakhstan, Jaden is drawn to a special-needs toddler, even as he has trouble feeling anything for the baby his parents plan to adopt. Jaden also forms an unexpected and eye-opening friendship with the family's outspoken hired driver. Without sugarcoating the complexities and mishaps that can accompany overseas adoption, Kadohata creates an inspiring story that celebrates hope and second chances. Ages 10-14. (Sept.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-6--Twelve-year-old Jaden Kincaid is fascinated by electricity, admiring its powerful constancy and connectedness to everything. Electricity is one of the many things Jaden didn't know about when he was adopted from a Romanian orphanage four years earlier. More importantly, it serves as an emotional salve against the deep-rooted pain the tween feels from having been abandoned at age four by his birth mother. But Jaden doesn't feel connected to Penni and Steve, his adoptive parents. He lashes out by hoarding food, stealing, and lying to those around him. With his parents preparing to adopt a baby from Kazakhstan, Jaden feels confused and worries that he is being replaced. While the Kincaids busy themselves with the adoption, Jaden bonds with Dimash, a special needs toddler with whom he feels an instant kinship. Kadohata writes compellingly about the convoluted issues surrounding overseas adoption, including profound psychological and physical traumas suffered by children who are abandoned and neglected in orphanages of developing countries. Jaden is a multidimensional character who will likely frustrate readers but also draw their sympathy. Though it has strong characterization, the story suffers from issues that strain credibility; for instance, Jaden's parents don't see anything wrong with adopting another child when they already have a son with so many psychological issues. The pat conclusion feels like a letdown given the narrative's complex arc. Despite these slight flaws, Kadohata's candid exploration of adoption and attachment disorder is a timely choice that fills a gap in middle grade literature.--"Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, CA" Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Kadohata's stunningly intimate narrative reveals a complex boy, as self-protective as he is a danger to himself, but oh so clear about the true nature of things."—The New York Times