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Reviews of China Girl (scroll down for reviews of other books) From Spokane Magazine, reviewed by Holly Chase Williams (May 2004) In many ways, China Girl recalls the fairy tales we all read as children. Except that the hero in need of rescue is 46-year-old WSU professor David Demers, who longs for fatherhood despite his single status. The princess who rescues him, winning his heart—and ours—is a Chinese toddler named Lee Ann. While Demers is studying the Care and Feeding of Small Children at a WSU daycare center, Lee Ann is found abandoned, umbilical cord still attached, in a village near Hefei, China, and taken to an orphanage. At eight months she is "gentle and clever, a little introverted, a little afraid of strangers." At 17 months, she’s ready to meet her Daddy. As in any fairy tale, there are dragons to be battled along the way. "Yes, she was scared," Demers recalls of their first meeting. "But that was nothing compared to what I was going through. What if she cried all the time? What if she didn’t like me? What if she hated me as she grew up, pierced every part of her body, and became a drug addict? Or worse yet, what if she became a fan of Rush Limbaugh?" Despite the sure knowledge of temper tantrums to come, Demers knew these annoyances would always be balanced by the moments every parent treasures. Like the afternoon Lee Ann said, "I love you, Daddy," for the first time. (It was at McDonald’s in Coeur d’Alene.) This book is a great read for a number of reasons. First, Demers’ decision is unique. Although some 5,000 Chinese babies are adopted by Americans each year, new parents are mostly couples, followed by a smaller number of single women and an exponentially smaller number of single men. Demers’ home study adoption worker had seen only three single fathers in 20 years. Second, the details of adoption and adjustment are just plain fascinating. But most compelling of all is the way this heartwarming story reminds us of what’s good and lovable in the relationships around us. ****************************************** From ForeWord Reviews, reviewed by Christine Thomas (April 2004) (FOUR-STAR Rating) When David Demers brought his seventeen month old adopted daughter, Lee Ann, back to the United States from China, it was then that he realized his role as a single parent, and that "Cheerios were created specifically to preserve [their] sanity." It is this kind of compassionate humor that characterizes China Girl, a memoir come travel narrative that chronicles one man’s journey to become a parent. ... His arrival in China to pick up Lee Ann, their first meeting, his trials at new fatherhood are all included, and specifics about the adoption process are also provided. His professorial tone gives the writing confidence, and his caring observations and humor make it simply touching. ************************************ From an anonymous reviewer at the 2004 Benjamin Franklin Awards, Publishers Marketing Association www.pma-online.org (June 2004) Very enjoyable style of writing! Great sense of humor!
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