Fingerprint Fun

Family Fun With Forever Fingerprints
By Sherrie Eldridge
As the author of Forever Fingerprints…An Amazing Discovery for Adopted Children, containing
my enthusiasm for the book is like trying to keep a huge beach ball underwater! I was doing well in my
efforts at avoiding being obnoxious with excitement until I saw the manuscript brought to life by the
artistic genius of illustrator, Rob Williams. The art is far beyond what I could have ever imagined and
immediately captures the attention of both children and adults. Intentionally illustrated to be super
inclusive, you will see no faces—only colorful close ups of bodies and hands, framed with soft finger
painted backgrounds. The last page shows a big circle of hands, some black, some white, some
brown, some adult, and some kids! After seeing each page, my beach ball popped out of the water and
soared high!
Then came the first time I read it aloud to parents and children at summer camp, sponsored by
Abrazo Adoption Associates of Texas. Kids interacted with me throughout the book and my heart flip
flopped uncontrollably as I saw parents and kids on the floor making forever fingerprints together. The
beach ball soared higher!
A few days ago, when our family had dinner together, our youngest daughter, Chrissie, brought out
the book and announced its arrival, like a birth announcement. Why not? I had reworked and refined it
for nine years and our six grandkids were my focus group and editors! Everyone clapped as Chrissie
held the book up high and then turned page by gorgeous page, with giggles, oooohs, and aaaahs.
And, the beach ball soared higher!
Since Carrie Kitze, the incredible publisher, furnishes a special fingerprint paper and ink pad with
orders from EMK Press (www.emkpress.com), we began doing fingerprints. Then, we read the page
about the three various designs our fingerprints can make, trying to figure out each other’s patterns. I
was distressed seeing mine because there were two large lines going through the print, which Michael,
our son-in-law kindly explained, tongue in cheek, were wrinkles. And, the beach ball soared higher!
Through this family experience, I began to see that it’s not just a book and project for kids and parents, but a family project, one that can be treasured for years to come. Our daughter wrote the date on
our sheet and will keep it as a memory maker. And, the beach ball soared higher!
Through the combined efforts, like-mindedness, and vision of Rob Williams, Carrie Kitze, and
myself, adopted kids now have a book that honors their past and deepens their relationships with the
parents. I predict that the beach balls of adopted kids and parents pop out of the water and soar after
they read Forever Fingerprints and make a memory sheet together.
Copyright © 2007, Sherrie Eldridge
Forever Fingerprints
An Amazing Discovery for Adopted Children
By Sherrie Eldridge Illustrated by Rob Williams
Publication Date Sept 2007, $17.95
32 pages, Hardcover/Library binding
ISBN13:978-0-97262-443-5
Published by EMK Press, Warren NJ
Distributed by Ingram and Baker & Taylor
732-469-7544 fax 732-469-7544
carriekitze@emkpress.com