Grade:

Transfiguring Adoption awarded this book 5 Hoots out of 5 based on how useful it will be for a foster/adoptive family. [Learn more about our Hoot grading system here]

From the Cover of Jazzy’s Quest: Adopted and Amazing by Carrie Goldman and Juliet Bond:

“WHAT MAKES YOU AMAZING?
That’s what adoptee Jazzy Armstrong has to figure out before the big community talent show. Is she musical like her parents and sisters? Can she make dazzling flower arrangements like her birth mother, score goals on the soccer field like her birth brother, or is there something unique about Jazzy that is nothing like her families? Join Jazzy on her quest to discover just what makes her amazing!

‘This is a wonderful, captivating story. Jazzy’s quest to find her talent is a quest to find her place in her family, to be amazing along with them. Princess Leia, also adopted in her infancy by a loving family, provides Jasmine with a role model: a fellow adoptee and a girl who grows up to become a strong leader and maybe even a Jedi.’-Travis Langley, Ph.D., Author of Star Wars Psychology and Batman & Psychology

Visit Jazzy online at jazzysquest.com”

Transfiguring Adoption’s Thoughts:

The target audience for this fictional book is elementary-aged children. It’s an early reader chapter book, and the main character is in fourth grade, so it’s particularly good for middle to upper elementary children (although our 12 year old enjoyed reading this tale also). It appears that this book was intended for the general public to read. However, this work has a lot of merit for foster and adoptive families as it addresses many common issues kiddos in these families face. Jazzy’s Quest is 63 pages long, so while it’s a chapter book, it’s also a quick read. Our family read it together and discussed it in less than an hour.

This book addresses many of the issues children who were adopted face, along with issues all children face, such as mean children at school, disabilities, fitting in, and feeling talented. We loved the inclusion of Jasmine’s birth mom and brother in the book, as open adoption is not often portrayed in children’s books. Our kids all loved that they were able to relate to this book, and each of them found something about Jasmine’s character, talents, or interests they could relate to. This book is interesting and engaging, and we highly recommend it.

It’s Your Turn:

Chapter 1

1. Do you feel different than other people?
2. How can others help you to feel like you fit in?
3. How is Alec different than other kids at school?
4. How do Greta and Haley treat Alec?

Chapter 2

1. What does this chapter teach us about if people who aren’t adopted feel different than their family?
2. Do you have someone in your life who makes you feel better like Jazzy’s dad does?
3. Does Jazzy’s dad push her to be like her family?

Chapter 3

1. What are your talents?
2. What did we learn about Princess Leia in this chapter? Do you think she is a good role model?

Chapter 4

1. What did May and Sophie do when Jazzy was sad?

Chapter 5

1. How does Jazzy feel about having two moms? Do you feel that way?
2. What do you have in common with different members of your birth or adoptive family?

Chapter 6

1. Have you ever been left out? How did it make you feel?

Chapter 7

1. Do you have friends who were adopted?
2. Do you think it helps to know other kids who were adopted or who have had similar situations as you?
3. How did Michael feel at first when Jazzy asked if he was adopted?

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Note: Transfiguring Adoption is a nonprofit organization seeking to nurture growth in foster and adoptive families by giving a HOOT about their families. Transfiguring Adoption does not intend for its reviewers nor its review to be professional, medical or legal advice. These reviews and discussion guides are intended to help parents to better be able to connect and understand their children who come from traumatic backgrounds.