Chasing Charleigh: An Adoption Story Filled with Hope and Love

Chasing Charleigh: An Adoption Story Filled with Hope and Love

Written by Becky Cortesi-Caruso
Illustrated by Amanda Harrison

“Chasing Charleigh” helps young adoptees understand adoption, and gently tells a story that includes birth families in a positive, loving family. Told through the eyes of an inquisitive little girl, Charleigh, who asks her adoptive mother about many issues surrounding adoption, including the differences between closed and open adoption, biological and adoptive siblings, interracial adoption, and looking “different” from her adoptive family. The book is sensitively written, with beautiful illustrations, and is designed to guide parents and young adoptees into having comfortable discussions about questions or issues children may have regarding their own family circumstances.

Reviews

“What an honest, genuine portrayal of the beauty of adoption. As a school social worker and a prospective adoptive mother myself, this book gave me hope in my journey. Charleigh’s journey shows the gift this little girl is to the world and to both of her families and should be shared and celebrated!” – Stasia Bijak

“Author Becky Cortesi-Caruso has written a book that serves as a perfect starting point for parents seeking to discuss the topic of adoption with their child, especially for families who have adopted a child of a different race who may be asking questions about why their appearance is different from that of their adoptive family.” – Zoe Aarsen

“In an ever changing world of diversity, this beautiful story about unconditional love, acceptance and inclusion reminds us all how ultimate love has no boundaries. Cortesi-Caruso opens the door to the ‘what if’ to bridge two cultures together into one seamless story which brings hope for a new tomorrow.” – Dr. Kara Coglianese

“Chasing Charleigh is a story that lovingly describes inter-racial open adoption through the eyes of a child. Charleigh’s adoption is a gift to both her biological and adoptive families. The inquisitive little girl asks many questions and her mother answers them in an honest and caring way that Charleigh can understand. This heartwarming story supports the acceptance of diverse families and the
love that can be shared through adoption.” – Dr. Gineen O’Neil

“All families are unique and sometimes adopted children struggle to find out where they fit into their own families. Chasing Charleigh is a great book for adoptive parents to read with their children to help as they get older.  Becky uses her own experiences to answer some of her daughter’s questions about adoption, and to share a positive story about how sometimes family isn’t “just” those related to you, but also people you care about and love.” – Eric Schmidt