I Don't Have Your Eyes Hardcover – January 1, 2003

I Don’t Have Your Eyes by Carrie A. Kitzie presents a variety of parent/child racial and ethnic pairings that reflects great diversity. Its simple, spare text details the ways individual children differ a parent and then follows with another way in which they are same. Kitzie’s message: each of us is unique and have traits that are valued by families. Our differences enrich the family while our commonalities knit us together. This book appears on many lists as a favorite among adoptive families. It has broad appeal for many diverse families, not just a single ethnicity. It is relevant even to families who share ethnicity, race and culture because each of us are unique and in some ways each of us differs from our other family members.AQ* Lens: The key message here is that differences do not need to divide families nor do they need to be minimized or dismissed; differences can be noticed, appreciated and valued. An adopted child most know, feel & believe they are accepted for whom they authentically are. Because Rob Williams’ illustrations display such a broad spectrum of “looks” , children from many ethnicities and diverse backgrounds can enjoy this book.--Gayle H. Swift, "ABC Adoption & Me: A Multicultural Picture Book"

I Don’t Have Your Eyes, written by Carrie A. Kitze and illustrated by Rob Williams, is a great picture book for an interracial family. This is a book that celebrates the differences and the similarities between children and the parents who may not look like them.There is a difference between race and culture. Race comes from shared biological features; culture comes from shared experiences and values. This book, in a very simple and easy to understand way, is all about the difference between the two: a child may not be the same race as their other family members or friends, but they do have shared culture with them. Their eyes might be a different shape, but they view the world through a similar lens.This is a good one for transracial adoptees or interracial families to help affirm that, though they may not look like family members, they still have a lot of similarities, strengths, and love between them all the same. The illustrations and tone of the book are very gentle and empowering, and a wide variety of different kinds of families are depicted throughout.This review originally appeared on ABookandaHug.com

This is my new favorite children's book on adoption to share with your children, I Don't Have Your Eyes. My youngest daughter said those very words with tears in her eyes on her Forever Family Day in the courthouse right after the ceremony. She had run to the restroom and stared in the mirror searching for evidence of a change, anticipating her eyes changing to match mine when the adoption was complete! With a smile on my face, and a giggle in my head, I was able to tell her "but you have my heart". Her tears turned to giggles and smiles. Now we have this book to help us keep giggling together over having matching hearts.

I'm always searching out new books covering the theme of adoption. I've found that many adoption books are so specific in their message (abandonment, orphanage, China, Africa, etc.) and often they don't relate at all to our situation. I was so happy to find a book that covers a variety of situations and families. My favorite page is "I don't have your hands... but I have your way of gently touching others." The illustrations are very touching. Would definitely recommend for any adoptive family.

This is one of the best childrens' books I have ever read. I think its essential for children who have been adopted and its a great book for children not adopted because it gives children at a young age the idea of how special adoption really is. What I loved about the book is that it doesn't just talk about eyes, but legs, and nose...etc. The child is saying in the book I didn't get my features from you but look at all the important things I got from you such as your way of looking at life. It was beautiful, just beautiful. A must have.

I very much like the sentiment behind this book, and I love the multi-ethnic families represented.But I was turned off by the occasionally awkward syntax, and the final illustration in the book made me throw the thing out altogether. (Now I wish I'd taken a picture of it, it's so bad.) A little boy is being held, and has his arm around the grown-up's neck. But something has gone very badly wrong with the picture. This child has no bones in his arm, or something. It is straight up bizarre looking, and I can't believe the editor let it go to print like that. Creepy. I threw the book away.

Finalized adoption of a child on national adoption day. The local CASA gifted this book to us. My son loves all the big photos and at just 18 months old was trying to recite the words back to me as I read it to him. We loved it so much we purchased another copy to gift to our friend who is adopting internationally.

My 3 year old daughter adopted from China likes this book very much, she likes to follow along with the pictures and calls out "pop pop" etc. in reponse to the various people pictured in the book. We like this one!

Perfect book for multicultural families; very poetic and very beautiful to read.

This is the most beautiful adoption book I have read yet-I am buying it as an adult for my adoptive mother. It's so touching, I cried to read it and I know she will too!