by Iréné Celcer
illustrated by Horacio Gatto

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Follow an inquisitive little boy who learns of his parents' quest to have children, and the success they ultimately achieve in creating a family. Told in a language a child can understand, read the tale of how mom and dad met, fell in love, and ultimately built a family. This story on the gift of embryo donation is part of a book collection that brings to light the many reproductive options of family building. Come and celebrate the unique gift couples can receive on their way to becoming a family.

Other Books in this Collection
The Gift of Egg Donation
The Gift of Sperm Donation
The Gift of Surrogacy

About this Book (Expand All / Collapse All)

Advance Praise

"This book is about turning hopes and dreams into 'real' families...a wonderful tool for helping our children learn the truth about their unique beginnings without breaking the bonds of trust. The different roads taken to build families are explained [with] a warm and honest approach...to reassure our children who came into this world by unique means that they belong." —ELAINE R. GORDON, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist, Santa Monica/UCLA Hospital Author of Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy? "The Hope & Will Have a Baby series by Iréné Celcer is a great way to introduce young children to their birth story. The illustrations are terrific, and these books emphasize that making a family is the important thing. The writing is so clear and engaging that it's a book to be read to children when they are very young, and it lets children know that as they get older and more curious their parents are there to talk with them." —MARGOT WEINSHEL, LCSW, RN Faculty, Ackerman Institute for the Family Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, NYU Medical Center Coauthor of Couple Therapy for Infertility "Hope & Will Have a Baby provides a framework for parents to tell children their own story...a wonderful way to introduce children to their unique beginnings, and a wonderful way for parents to become comfortable with answering questions. Parents and professionals will be grateful for this book's willingness to tackle the many ways families are made. I especially appreciate that the children are told a story that is wrapped in warmth and respect." —HILARY HANAFIN, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist, Los Angeles, California

Excerpts & Illustration Gallery

From the opening pages of Hope & Will Have a Baby... Matthew loved to read books before going to sleep. Every night Matthew cuddled with his mother or father or sometimes both to read a book. Some nights it was a pirate story, and other nights it was a king or a monster tale. But one story was Matthew's favorite. His mother said it was her favorite too, their family's special fairy tale. Matthew loved to hear that story. "Mom?" asked Matthew. "Yes?" replied his mother. "Tell me our favorite story." "Okay. Are you ready?" "Yes!" Illustration Gallery Enjoy these selected illustrations, presented as a slide show.

Prologue

For Parents & Professionals We live in a world where third party reproductive assistance is not the standard way of building a family. Furthermore, this pathway would not ordinarily be chosen were it not for extraordinary circumstances. However, to those working in the field of infertility and collaborative reproduction, it is apparent that children born through such assistance are among the most longed for and awaited. The grand efforts that parents, surrogates and donors make to create families are acknowledged in this collection of books in an appropriate way for little ears to hear and little minds to learn about. Many intended parents struggle to decide when, what or how to tell relatives and friends about the pathways they are taking to become a family. And the quest is not over with the birth of their children. Once they are finally parents, couples may wonder if, how or when they should tell their offspring about their origins. As a mental health professional, it is my firm belief that the well-being of the children we are helping to create through assisted reproduction must be our first concern. The shared knowledge of those in the field suggests that it is important and advisable to be up front with offspring about their beginnings. Children have an indisputable right to know about their origins. After all, the sad and conflicted legacy of keeping secrets in the field of adoption has taught us all some important lessons that we should not disregard. Keeping a child's origin secret may produce a certain unsettled ambiance that the child cannot completely comprehend but still senses. Furthermore, the secret may create shame and an attitude of "walking on eggshells" for parents. Moreover, it deprives the child of feeling pride in his beginnings. Anyone that has been around children knows how paramount it is to their development to experience a sense of satisfaction and self-importance in themselves. Children need to be proud of who they are and how they came into this world and into their families. It is this pride in being a deeply desired and loved family member that will give them a strong sense of self-worth, and carry them through life with their heads held high in the face of any negativity about their unique beginnings. The purpose of this collection is to help parents tell their children the loving story of their conception, the goodness of all the people that were helpful along the way, and the joyous celebration of their arrival. It accents the caring way that they were planned, how much they were wanted, and the kindness of all involved in their creation, regardless of which reproductive option was ultimately realized. Understandably, resurrecting the matter of a child's unique beginnings could again bring back the old pain of infertility. This book collection came into being to give parents and intended parents a way to manage a task that may at first seem too overwhelming or stressful. It is meant to give couples a way to talk about their desires to become parents and their final success in doing so. It also is meant to give children an appropriate way to start understanding how they became their parent's offspring. Parents may choose to embellish, remove or add details of their own special family beginnings as they read to their children. And children will naturally do their own thing, with their uncanny sense of innocence and delight. Ultimately, it is the family's traditions, culture, and religious beliefs that will dictate the degree of disclosure. I would like to see parents and their children use this book with pleasure and gusto. It is my ardent hope that it will allow them to feel the pride and joy they deserve to feel. Good luck and congratulations on becoming a family! —Iréné Celcer

Dedication

Dedication To my parents who survived the Holocaust and against all odds were able to rebuild their lives and form a family. To all the donors and surrogates who are breaking new ground to help others realize the dream of their family. And to all children, however born, who enrich our lives. —Iréné Celcer

About the Author

Iréné Celcer Iréné Celcer, MA, LCSW, is originally from Argentina. She holds graduate degrees in psychology from Universidad de Belgrano, holistic psychology from Antioch University, and social work from Yeshiva University. She specializes in infertility, third party reproductive assistance, and eating disorders. She lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia. For the Hope & Will collection of books, Iréné Celcer donates a portion of her royalties for charitable and educational purposes. Organizations include: Save the Children Equality Now

About the Illustrator

Horacio Daniel Gatto Horacio Daniel Gatto is an internationally recognized illustrator and graphic designer. His award-winning children's illustrations have appeared in many publications and several national exhibitions. Mr. Gatto is a member of the Argentinean Illustrators Association and the Argentinean Illustrators Forum. He presently makes his home in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

More Details

Author's Website www.hopeandwill.com Illustrator's Website www.horaciogatto.com.ar Product Details Title: Hope & Will Have a Baby Subtitle: The Gift of Embryo Donation Publisher: Graphite Press ISBN-10: 0975581023 ISBN-13: 9780975581025 Cover: Paperback Interior: Full Color with Illustrations Length: 32 Pages Trim Size: 10.00 x 8.00 x 0.09 inches (25.40 x 20.32 x 0.24 cm) Weight: 0.27 pounds (122.47 grams) Ages: 3-7 Release Date: March 1, 2007 Press & Publicity A complete press kit is available to eligible media. Press Release Title Information Sheet Contact Publicist