As Vietnamese adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents (PAPs,) we are lucky to have so many books to choose from to help our children understand their adoption and their birth country. Danielle, Where Are You? by Cindy Roberts is especially relevant today because Danielle’s parents headed to Viet Nam after their Chinese adoption fell through. There are many, many families currently in this same situation, as I wrote about here, but all of us involved in Viet Nam adoption will find similarities to our own adoption experiences in this adorable book.

Danielle, Where are You?’s target audience is children adopted from Viet Nam. I love the bright, crisp illustrations and they will surely attract young readers. The story is straight forward and you will likely have it memorized quickly due to reading it so often! The tone of the book is light and cheerful yet honest. Danielle was an older toddler when she was adopted, so her transition was a bit more complicated than that of most infants. Parents waiting for an older child, or those why brought home an older child will be happy that this book represents a toddler adoption.

I appreciate that this book addresses the fact that adoptive parents make a choice as to which country their child will come from. If you felt drawn to Viet Nam because you knew that your child was there, but have been unsure about how to articulate that to your child, this book will help. Danielle’s parents knew that she wasn’t anywhere else in the world but Viet Nam, which is why they went there to adopt her.

I feel that this book’s most lasting impression will be that my child reading it will be able to relate to Danielle. She will see a happy transracial family. She will learn how Danielle was adopted and what her life was like in Viet Nam, and be able to compare that to her own story. Roberts’ personal story is touching and will help you talk to your own child about their adoption.


Other Books About Adopting From Viet Nam:
Finding Katherine
When You Were Born in Viet Nam