As a young 20-something with a master's degree in social work, Moody took a job as a child-welfare caseworker that introduced her to the world of adoptions and foster care, beginning a lifelong commitment that is chronicled in this compassionate work. Moody touches on the adoption sector's ugly side, such as 'baby buying' and profit-driven adoption facilitators. She takes care to counterbalance these negatives, however, by also detailing the positive changes that have occurred in the field over the course of her career. These include the increasing acceptance of 'open adoptions,' in which birth parents are allowed to play some role in their children's lives, and of same-sex couples as adopters. Throughout, Moody shares the personal experiences of many children and parents (whose identities are protected), some happy, some sad. The author also recalls her commitment at 13 to eventually become an adoptive parent, a dream she made real 23 years later. Moody's experiences certainly inform her practical approach, which touches on subjects including how to talk about adoption with children and how adoptive families can present themselves to the outside world. For any family that has faced the difficult issues of adoption or fostering from any perspective, Moody's book will be a valuable tool. * Publishers Weekly *
Anne Moody's insightful book captures the dynamic world of adoption. From her vantage point as a social worker and an adoptive mom, she provides compelling behind the scenes anecdotes that span state, international and domestic adoption. It's a great read for anyone exploring adoption. -- Shari Levine, Executive Director, Open Adoption and Family Services
Anne Moody's writing helps open wide the heart. A perfectly arranged mixture of memoir and analysis, The Children Money Can Buy looks back over the author's long career of helping people navigate the shifting and confusing landscape of foster care and adoption, and helps the reader draw valuable lessons from her experience. Her stories are moving, instructive, and unforgettable, told in a voice that fills the reader with respect and trust. -- Rebecca Wells, author of Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood
With the tenderness of memoir and the reach of great nonfiction, Anne Moody's The Children Money Can Buy examines the modern history of adoption from every angle. Moody draws on her own experiences to give us a book that is not just exhaustively researched, but personally lived. The result is deeply informative, yes, but also an intimate glimpse inside the adoption experience. -- Claire Dederer, author of Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses
I've read a lot of books on adoption and the foster care system, but none by an author with the breadth and depth of experience Anne has...she presents a fair and well-considered view of the matters at hand, and her persona on the page is inviting and winning. Anne's work sheds new light on an important topic we rarely hear about. What Anne has to say stands a good chance to make this world a better place. -- David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars
