Munson Marvels: Adoption Stories for Children
Munson Marvels explores the life of a family with stories inspired by real life events that have occurred throughout their adoption journey. These stories touch on topics about adoption, self identity, family matters, race and ethnicity. These books are written to help create awareness and educate adopted children, as well as, family and friends about situations they may experience in life.
“Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.”
Munson Marvels by Lindsey Munson are two adoption stories that follow and explores the life of a family and throughout their adoption journey. The first book in the Munson Marvels is “Our Forever Family,” and the second book is “My Peach Family.” These two stories talk about adoption, self-identity, family matters, race, and ethnicity.
Author, Lindsey Munson wrote these books to help create awareness surrounding adoptions. She also wrote these books to help educate adopted children and family and friends about situations they may experience in life.
The first book in Munson Marvels, Our Forever Family, is about Abi, the author’s son, and his adoption journey. In this book, Abi learns about where he came from. He learns about Ethiopia’s culture and customs, and he learns that his life in Ethiopia is very similar to his life with his forever family and his friend’s family.
The second book in Munson Marvels, My Peach Family, is about Yenework’s feelings on her adoption journey and life. Yenework wants to look like her adoptive family and friends, but after having a conversation with her family, she soon realizes that she doesn’t need to look like her adoptive family and friends to fit in and feel beautiful. She realizes that she is perfect just the way she is and that her family is unique and special.
These two books in the Munson Marvels are lovely books for kids to have to help them better understand and talk about adoption openly. It also helps children realize that they are not the only ones, and many other children have been adopted.
I absolutely loved these books and love that I can share the Munson’s experiences of their adoption journey with many children, including my own. Not many people know, and it is actually a surprise. But my daughter, Priscilla, is being adopted by my husband. It is so wonderful that there are books such as the Munson Marvels that can help kids cope with their adoption journey and help them understand that your still family regardless of where you came from. It is lovely to have a book that kids can relate to and books for kids to read that are not from adoptive families that can better understand adoption.
Where Can I Find the "Munson Marvels" Series?
You can find the Munson Marvels Series by Lindsey Munson on Amazon.
Books in the Munson Marvels Series
Find out about these books HERE.
About the Author, Lindsey Munson
“Lindsey is a wife and mom of two kids adopted from Ethiopia. She is a Rock Island, IL native and graduate of Luther College. Lindsey worked in higher education admissions, fundraising, and advertising for most of her professional career. Most recently she decided to change career paths and follow a calling to work with children as a special education paraprofessional. Lindsey is a skin care consultant and loves helping people feel confident and beautiful in their own skin. She believes it is important to cherish and celebrate every moment in life no matter how big, small, good or bad. Lindsey loves the Chicago Cubs, traveling and spending time with her family.
Lindsey never planned on becoming an author of children books. She started writing as a way to help her children understand their own adoption journey and all of the emotions they may encounter along the way. In time, she realized that these stories could help other children that are adopted and their family and friends. So she decided to create the series, Munson Marvels, in hopes to educate and increase adoption awareness.”
Rapid Fire with Lindsey Munson
Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Lindsey: I never planned on becoming a writer. I first starting writing as a way for me to capture memories of things that my children experienced throughout their adoption journey. I thought taking their experiences and turning them into stories could help teach my kids about the more complex aspects about things like race, self-confidence, and adoption in a way they could relate to because the stories were about them.
Q. What was the most surprising thing you learned about creating books?
Lindsey: I didn’t realize that writing these books would leave me feeling vulnerable. It shows you who are your true friends and allies and who aren’t. On the flip side, it shows you how compassionate and kind strangers can be when they understand your life and what you are going through.
Q. What do you think makes a good story?
Lindsey: A good story should entertain the reader’s mind while also providing some educational lesson by allowing our minds to see a world we may have never seen or experienced.
Q. What advice do you have for writers?
Lindsey: Go for it!!! Everyone has a story to tell, and there are always people who want to read your story.
Q. Tell us about your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Lindsey: I would love to write more books in the Munson Marvels series. As my children get older, their life experiences will get more complicated so being able to share those and help other children who might be experiencing similar things would be so amazing. Knowing my books can help other children feel more confident, beautiful, and socially and emotionally secure in their own skin is what keeps me motivated to write more stories.
Q. How did you become involved in the subject or theme of your book?
Lindsey: My children are adopted from Ethiopia. My husband and I are white so being a bi-racial family adds a dynamic to our daily lives that many do not understand. Adoption and race are topics that I felt needed more representation in children’s books so I thought how better to do that than to share my family’s stories.
Q. What inspires you as a writer?
Lindsey: My children are my inspiration for everything in Munson Marvels. Their real-life experiences guide the stories, and our family is represented on every page in the pictures.
Q. What does your creative process look like?
Lindsey: The only thing I need to get my creative process flowing is talk to my children. They have experienced so much in their short lives and have such an interesting viewpoint in life. These experiences guide my books. I chose to use real photos in the books, which is not the norm for children’s books. I wanted to keep the books realistic to help children relate and understand the important life lessons and stories. The photos are slightly embellished to look cartoonish but still very realistic, including some photos of their adoption journey in Ethiopia.
Q. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
Lindsey: I hope that the young readers will understand that it doesn’t matter what color your skin is or what your family looks like. All that matters is love.
Q. Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
Lindsey: The biggest message I hope readers will grasp from Munson Marvels is that families do not need to look the same, and they don’t need to share DNA because love makes a family.
Don't Forget To Join Lindsey Munson on Social Media!
Don’t forget to check out these other children’s books about adoption, Freddy the Foster Frog A Home for Sally, and A Home for Bessie.
All in all, my family and I have really enjoyed this book and we know you will too! Please feel free to leave me any comments or questions about this review. I look forward to hearing from you!
* This book was kindly sent to me by Author, Lindsey Munson in exchange for an honest review.
