Amanda Wall

Overview

Every adoption experience is unique but the yearning to have unconditional family love is universal. Two Indian sisters, Priya and Ari, experience what it's like to be adopted into a multi-cultural, interracial family. Walk alongside these two charming, dynamic girls as they journey through their time in India and transition to a new country with their forever family. There are many unexpected experiences both heartwarming and challenging.

"Finding Family in a Far-Away Land" is a pensive and sometimes comical book that demonstrates how children can experience the same journey quite differently. A glossary of cultural terms is included so that all can learn and enjoy what Ari and Priya cherish about their Indian roots. This story is meant to be a conversation starter among those hoping to learn about one family's adoption experience. This story comes highly recommended to teachers, counselors and families! The intended audience for this book is children ages 4-10.

Reviews

Reviewed by Kirkus Reviews

This book is a sweet tribute to one family’s adoption experience, and narrator Priya provides thoughtful, kid-friendly insights throughout. Families with adopted children will find them particularly relatable. Wall’s illustrations feature lovely watercolors that create vivid backgrounds and swirling skies. The work also features a patterned Indian artform called Rangoli, which uses sand and flower petals. A glossary defines Sanskrit terms used in the text.

A wonderfully illustrated story of family.

Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Finding Family in a Far-Away Land: An Adoption Story is a children’s book written and illustrated by Amanda Wall. Spending their childhood on the streets of India, two sisters (Priya and Ari) are adopted by a family that lives far away in a different land. The girls are shocked at first to see people who looked nothing like them, with fair skin, light-colored hair, and blue/green eyes. Although cautious, Priya and Ari board a plane with their new parents and new brother, ready to embrace the uncertainty and incredible new future ahead. Initially, they are cautious of the many differences in lifestyle, education, language, people, and animals in their new lives but soon are very excited to have become a big part of their adoptive, multicultural family, while retaining important customs of their own culture. 

I very much enjoyed Amanda Wall’s delightful tale of the entwining of two completely different cultures. Having been raised in Indigenous Australia only to find myself emerged in Finland’s culture, foods, and new ways of doing things, the changes can be very hard to take in, yet so very rewarding. Reading of their initial anxiety towards new foods and new animals actually made me smile. When life suddenly springs you into something adventurous and so far from the home life you once knew, it is understandable to be cautious, yet also very exciting. Learning to become part of a family which you had never before known not only brings hope, but also a unique experience in learning new languages, new skills, and seeing a whole world that you never knew existed.  

Finding Family in a Far-Away Land: An Adoption Story touches on every single aspect of my own cultural experiences and I applaud Amanda Wall’s writing and illustration skills which convey the message that new does not mean scary, and different does not mean evil. Embracing everything that life brings your way is the most wonderful outlook in every step you take. I suspect that adoption brings a whole new sense in the feeling of being loved while taking steps to achieve something amazing and wonderful each and every day. I wholeheartedly recommend Finding Family in a Far-Away Land to readers so that families can consider giving a new life and bright future to children who need it, regardless of where they live.

Reviewed by Kidliomag

This book is an overwhelming read for me and just beautiful inside out, from cover to inside illustrations, and the story of two beautiful Indian girls who adopted into a multi-cultural, interracial family in a new country.
Everything is so new for them, from people to culture, from their passport to their first airplane journey, they don’t know how to communicate with their new parents and family, but love is the only language that bridges the gap. Join two Indian sisters, Priya and Ari, and their journey to a far-away land full of new experiences.
This story is written from the perspective of two little girls, and as an Indian, I can resonate with their feelings. This book also gives us a message of family-love, self-acceptance, inclusion, and difference in a beautiful way. I want to thank Amanda for sharing the story of Priya and Ari, and this quote is so apt for them.

“You can take an Indian out of India, but you can never take India out of an Indian”
Perfect for everyone.

Reviewed by Jennifer Webb-freelance writer, teacher

This book fills an important niche in the marketplace for families and children touched and blessed by adoption. I can’t highlight how valuable this book is to help empower anyone who has been adopted or is considering it—especially those involved in international adoption. 

The author skillfully treads a fine line by honoring her daughters’ Indian culture while also shedding light on the negative aspects of their former lives that made adoption a necessity. 

The main focus and message of the book come from Priya and Ari’s willingness to try new things and their new family’s inclusivity of the girls’ heritage. The family never tries to belittle, ignore, or erase the sisters’ past. 

Priya and Ari are the stars of the show as they navigate their new home. Readers will smile as they learn dinner table etiquette (washing your hands in your water cup is a no-no!), make friends, and learn a whole new way of life. Their adventures are kid-friendly and incredibly relatable. I recommend Finding Family in a Far-Away Land: An Adoption Story for any and all kids and families touched by adoption.