The cheerful girl narrator of this story tells readers that she’s part of a lot of clubs. Some are “official” school clubs; others are ones she makes up with her friends. Other clubs are “just part of your life,” like her Donor Sibling Club, where “all the kids have parents who used the same donor to build their families.”
When the narrator was a baby, she tells us, her mom (who appears to be a solo mom) found some of those other parents. Then, when the girl was in school, she started wondering one day about her donor siblings, and asked her mom if they could have a meet-up. With a little planning, they made it happen: a special week where the girl can spend time with some of those siblings. Beforehand, the mom and the girl spoke about what makes the club special: the fact that they share the same donor and some of the same genes, which “are like tiny instructions inside our bodies that help make us who we are.” That means everyone in the club “has a little bit that matches” and sometimes have features that look alike. (The book does not go into further detail on assisted reproduction, which feels appropriate, as it would be tangential to the focus here. See author Sharon Leya’s other titles (below) if that’s what you seek, though.)
The narrator next introduces us to some of her donor siblings and their varied lives, as she spends time, virtually or in person, with each of them and their parents (including one two-mom family). She shares physical features with some, interests with others, and enjoys the time spent with all. At the end of the week, she makes a poster with photos of all her donor siblings and hangs it above her bed, reflecting that there are also probably ones she hasn’t met yet. Maybe they’ll meet someday and maybe they won’t—but if they do find each other, they’ll all be part of a very cool club. The story importantly conveys that meeting her donor siblings has been a meaningful and positive experience for her, even if it is only one piece of a full and active life that doesn’t regularly include them.
There are only a handful of picture books that explore the topic of donor siblings, and most are somewhat older titles. This one offers an upbeat, fresh take, making it a recommended story for families with donor siblings in their lives.
The narrator, her mom, and some of her donor siblings have very pale skin; others have slightly more tan skin.
