August Book Review — Wanted: A Journey to Surrogacy by Carolina Robbiano

Wanted: A Journey to Surrogacy by Carolina Robbiano paints a comprehensive picture about surrogacy. She writes in a caring and light-hearted manner, using language that children ages 4 to 8 years of age would be able to relate to and understand. In addition, she presents the subject of family and surrogacy in a very positive way.

At the beginning of the story, Robbiano sparks the young reader’s imagination with a description of how big the world is. How everything is like a journey, and there are so many things to learn and explore in each one. She also points out that the world is very diverse, and that not everything in life is easy, but that hope, courage and never giving up make the difference.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

From here, she introduces the concept of family, illustrating that families came in all shapes and sizes. Those who have parents who live together — whether that be a mom and dad, two dads or two moms — and those who have parents who live separately. Those who only have one parent, or families where children live with their grandparents.

Then, the story takes a turn when she says, “Some [families] have a lot of children…others don’t have any.” In the pages that follow, Robbiano describes two parents who try everything to have a child. When it all fails, they decide to go to the doctor to discuss their options. Both parents show true perseverance and dedication to the process, revealing to their child how much he/she is wanted and loved.

“You were already part of us…we dreamed about you at night, we imagined your shape in the clouds…”

This 42-page book is written from the parents’ perspective, telling their child about where he/she came from. It reads very smoothly and almost poetically. Brightly colored paintings, featuring animals of all kinds and kid-friendly landscapes, show up throughout the story as well, making it a perfect tale for bedtime.

A unique aspect of Wanted is that it’s written in both English and Spanish, creating a supportive feel for young readers learning a second language.

To close out the book, Robbiano has an adorable diagram entitled, “The Recipe for Having a Baby.” The parents, child and surrogate mentioned are all represented by hippos and illustrated in the diagram. At the center of the image is a baby hippo. Surrounding it are arrows with all the possible ways a parent can have a child.

Wanted: A Journey to Surrogacy was published through Archway Publishing in June 2015, and is a rare gem in the books about surrogacy. It is written in an endearing and kid-friendly manner that teaches young readers about the world around them, and helps them understand the concept of surrogacy. The book is available on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.

About the Author

Carolina Robbiano currently lives in Miami with her husband and son. She is a multilingual journalist who has 20 years’ experience writing, editing and traveling for Vogue, La Nacion, Cuisine and Vins, National Geographic. Together with her family, she celebrates and values people of all differences in races, cultures, religions and languages.

“Becoming a family through nontraditional means is barely explored in children’s literature,” Robbiano says, “and yet it is an important story for children of such families. It assures them that they are loved and that being different is not only okay but it is certainly the new normal.”[1]

To learn more about surrogacy be sure to visit surrogacychoices.com.

[1] “Children’s Book Presents Youth-Appropriate Approach to Surrogacy.” PRWeb, 7 Aug. 2017, www.prweb.com/releases/wanterd/ajourneytosurrogacy/prweb14577561.htm.