What inspired you to write a children’s story about your personal experience with adoption? 

 

I really didn’t set out to write an adoption story. In my mind, it was more of a “star” story. One of Marra’s first words was “star” – I can hear her saying “star!” and see her little newly walking body lurching toward the TV to touch the star in that famous Lion King scene. She loved her flannel star sheets and the glowing stars on the ceiling above her bed. The story just came to me. I felt it was in the stars for her to be ours.

 

What do you hope kids learn from your book? Adults?

 

I hope children and grownups learn that sometimes things don’t work out as you planned, but what does work out can be the right thing. You don’t realize it as you’re living through the pain, and it’s not easy. It sounds so corny, but you need to hold fast to this: love is the most important thing there is in life. Sometimes love means giving up a child. Sometimes it means adopting a child. I hope they’ll learn that you can love a child you didn’t birth every bit as much as one you did birth. That children don’t have to grow inside you – they can grow in your heart. And that birth moms are heroes.

 

Did you read this to your child when she was growing up? From when did you start reading to her? 

 

We started reading to Marra from the time we brought her home – she was three months old. I wrote this story soon after we came home from Guatemala and read it to her over and over again. I think she could recite it.

 

Were there any children’s books that inspired you to write this book?

 

Oh so many! I loved The Rainbabies by Laura Melmed, all the Froggy books by Jonathan London, and, of course Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

 

When did you realize you wanted your daughter to illustrate the book? 

 

She’s always been an artist – since the time she could hold a crayon. But I guess I knew when she started excelling at art in high school and winning international competitions that she was the real deal. Probably since then!

 

What advice do you have for other moms looking to adopt? 

 

Follow your heart. And never stop wishing on those especially bright stars. Dreams do come true.