”Half a World Away”

By Cynthia Kadohata

You may know kids who were adopted from other countries. Whether they came from China, Guatemala or Ethiopia, they probably arrived as babies or toddlers with no memory of their birth country.

Jaden, the main character in “Half a World Away,” came to the United States from Romania, a country in Eastern Europe. But he was not a baby. At 8 years old, he sort of remembered his mother, who left him at a group home when was 4. But he clearly remembered living with 12 people in one room. He slept on the floor, and there was little food to go around.

When Penni and Steve brought him to the United States, Jaden had plenty of food and his own room. But those things, and even the love of his adoptive parents, didn’t make him happy. He was miserable and seemed to make those around him miserable, too.

Now, four years later, Penni and Steve announce they plan to adopt again. This time, it’s a baby from Kazakhstan, in Central Asia. Jaden is sure that his parents are looking to replace him, the failed son. He is forced to go with them to Kazakhstan to bond with the baby before they bring him home. The trip is going to be dreadful.

But the long and bumpy journey teaches Jaden that he has a crucial role to play in the adoption. He can embrace this growing blended family. Or he can wreck Penni and Steve’s plans and the baby’s chance for a better life.