Did you see an email message recently that said the Chicken Soup for the Soul publishers were planning a new book, Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul? The announcement touted the fact that the book would be edited by LeAnne Theiman, an adoptive mom.

Thieman is also co-author of Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Caregiver’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Father and Daughter Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul 2 and Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul! And she has a website to promote her inspirational keynotes speaking and seminars offerings: www.LeAnnThieman.com.

I have an adoptive mom that I adore and I am a new adoptive mom. With that said I was wondering if anyone else is concerned that they did not select an adoptee to edit this book. The perspective of these two corners of the triad are very different and, if we are talking about the “adopted” soul, wouldn’t you agree that an adoptee is better qualified?

Many of us had very positive experience with our adoptive families counterbalanced by very negative experiences with the bureaucracy that sought to erase the past as though it did not exist. And, until recently, in order to create an adoptive family one had to obliterate the biological family. And that still happens daily, especially in states where adoption records are withheld from those affected and original birth certificates sealed.

Thieman told a colleague of mine that, although all the stories in the book have to have an uplifting ending, because that’s the Chicken Soup formula, the this book will have stories of the trials and tribulations as well as the joys of adoption. I hope so. And we might hope that some of those will include how triad members triumphed over the forces that try to hide the facts of our lives from us. Adoption might be the most complex of all human relationships, so representations of it in print need to be balanced even if that means that many of its stories are sad or tragic.

As an adoptive parent, I am more concerned than ever that books, films, etc. that portray adoption do so accurately. It’s not all warm and fuzzy, even if some parts of it are. Much in our society treats adoption like a shameful secret. I have dealt with that. But I don’t want my son to have to.

I’ll be interested to read this book when it comes out. If it takes a balanced approach it will be well received by the adoption reform community, whereas a totally rosy picture will likely set off a ground-sell of vociferous opposition.