Abandoned at Birth – Janet Sherland - 2024 –
The author was born and adopted in 1954, when little was known about the impact of an infant being separated from his/her birth mother, possibly causing separation anxiety, other behavioral issues— later identified as a “primal wound” (1991). When Bob and Audrey adopted Sherland, they were an educated professional couple that adopted a total of four children. It seemed though that the new adoptive parents seemed more concerned with how children would elevate their social status and enhance their lives—not the other way around. Sherland adored her father and spent her childhood energy avoiding her adoptive mother’s volatile temper and fits of rage.

While attending Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY it seemed that Sherland had an anxiety and/or depressive disorder, that was possibly related to her adoption and rooted in her inability to identify and relate to others in a healthier manner. Sherland had added her information on several adoption search and reunion registries and was dismayed and deeply hurt that her birthmother wasn’t registered or seeking to find her. Years later, after she had happily married and had children of her own, she located her birthfather and discovered that one of her half-sisters hadn’t spoken to their mother in several years. After being dismissed several times, Sherland's 81-year-old birthmother fianlly agreed to meet her. Despite the fact that not all adoptive stories end in Hallmark Moments, there are slivers of hope and happiness in unexpected family dynamics and connections. (3.5*GOOD) *With thanks to Forefront Books via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

Review posted in the 100,000 member Facebook book review group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/126168734223817

Sherlund, Janet. Abandoned at Birth: Searching for the Arms that Once Held Me. Meryl Moss Media Group, 2024. Hardcover edition.

Reviewed By: Dr. Johnson C. Philip
My Star Rating Out of 5: ****

Having worked with an orphanage where countless children were given into adoption in the past, I got deeply interested in this book. In "Abandoned at Birth," Janet Sherlund talks about how adopted kids really want to feel like they belong somewhere and how hard it can be to find out who they really are.

People often think adoption is all about happiness - a baby gets a new family and everything is perfect. But the truth is, when a child is adopted, they might feel like they've lost something really important, and that feeling can stick with them for their whole life. It's not just hard for the adopted kid, but also for their birth parents and the parents who adopt them.

Janet Sherlund's book, "Abandoned at Birth," shows how tough adoption can be. She talks about feelings like rejection, sadness, and denial that many adopted kids and their families go through.

Sherlund was adopted just days after she was born. She writes about her journey to find her birth family, her longing to know her birth mom, and how it felt to not really know who she was. She shares all the hard parts of trying to figure out where she came from and why she was given away. And she shows how much courage it takes to find out who you really are.

With so many adopted people in the U.S. - about 5 million - and lots of them using DNA websites to find their biological families, "Abandoned at Birth" is an important book for our time. Sherlund's story can help others who are on the same journey feel understood and less alone. It also reminds us how much we all need to feel like we belong and know where we come from, whether it's our family, our culture, or our genes.

I read so many books about adoption each year and I found this title to be so interesting. It’s important that adopted people know their history and this book explores the hows and whys. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. The book is well researched and I enjoyed it.