Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata

"He was worried about this Dimash. He was way too skinny. What would become of these toddlers? There was no life if you didn't have a family. Jaden knew this because he didn't have a family, 

not really. That was why is life was worthless."

Jaden now lives in America. He was adopted from an orphanage in Romania. Jaden is confused and angry. He has no idea where he belongs and he cannot accept the love offered by his new 'parents'. He has done some dreadful things to their home and he treats their kindness with contempt. Penni and Steve are amazing - they have not given up on Jaden and now they have decided their family needs to adopt another child. Jaden was eight when he was adopted. This new child, from Kazakhstan, is a baby. Jaden worries this means the parents don't like him, that they will send him somewhere else. Then Jaden meets another toddler (Dimash) at the orphanage and he begins to form a bond with this tiny but sadly disabled boy. 

This book was published in 2014 so the print edition is out of print but the ebook is still easily available. 

This book is an interesting account of the processes of adoption and the desperate need to belong. It is also a book about communication or actually lack of communication. At times I found the tone of this story hard to cope with but I am glad I met Jaden. I understand and appreciate that in the end he still has a huge journey ahead of him. This is not a book with a sweet, unrealistic happy ending and so it is more suitable for older readers aged 11+.

I kept relating this story to a friend of mine who adopted her precious daughter from Bolivia. It would be good to hear her view of this book especially now that she is a young adult. I picked my copy up at a charity book sale because I previously really enjoyed two other books by Cynthia Kadohata - Kira-Kira and Wildflower. 

Click on these review quotes to read more about Half a World Away:

Jaden's candor about his past and his inability to adjust to life with his adoptive family makes him, if not exactly likable, an intriguing character whom readers will want to get to know better, and his emotional growth is believable and moving. Commonsense Media

Kadohata excels at turning complicated realities into compelling middle-grade fiction, but this is difficult narrative terrain. Children traumatized by abandonment, abuse and neglect; well-intentioned but naïve affluent parents adopting children in impoverished countries where corruption is rife: These subjects challenge adult comprehension. Kirkus

The point of view of an adopted child is not new, but one this troubled and angry in a children’s novel is a powerful new voice.  As a character Jaden is a study in complexity and contradictions.  His emotions are constantly high, but he mainly feels rage. ... Waking Brain Cells

You might like to listen to an interview (56 minutes) with Cynthia.