This book is based on the true story of Natasha, a beautiful little girl with Down syndrome who lives in an orphanage in Russia, and the American family who hopes to adopt her. It is the story of a very special Christmas wish, and the strength of a mother's love. Proceeds from sales will benefit Downside Up, a Russian organization dedicated to helping families to care for children with Down syndrome. Additional proceeds will be donated to a fund to support Natasha's continued care.Note from the author: This was my very first children's book, and one of the sweetest stories of love that truly has no limits. We published it in both English and Russian so that Natasha could have her very own copy in her native language. Thanks so much to Katrina Morriss for sharing her story, Jay N Erika Boucher for the amazing illustrations, Alexander Plotkin and Valery Plotkin for our Russian translation, Veronica Torraca Bragdon for our discussion questions and original music, and Todd Civin for keeping our project rolling along! Five-star review from Readers' Favorite for Natasha and the Christmas Wish: Readers' Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "Honoring Excellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite: "Natasha felt lonely in the orphanage. It was Christmas in Russia and Natasha danced in her dreams with Father Frost. She wished for him to bring her mommy and daddy back. Father Frost heard her wish and sent her picture to the perfect family he found for her. They fell in love with Natasha's sweet face the moment they saw her picture. Mommy and Daddy traveled all the way to meet the special angelic girl they had fallen in love with. When they reached the orphanage, they were unable to tell Natasha how much they loved her because they were told Natasha could not speak. Mommy decided to teach Natasha sign language. Natasha was happy that Father Frost finally heard her prayers and granted her wish but Mommy and Daddy were unable to take Natasha back with them due to a change in adoption laws. Will things work out?Natasha and the Christmas Wish by Tammi Croteau and Katrina Morriss is a wonderful and heartbreaking story of love, kindness, hope, faith, and miracles. The illustrations bring the story and the magic of the Christmas season alive for readers and make a mother's love tangible. The images are whimsical and make the story appealing and captivating. It will make readers wish the Presidents of both the United States and Russia would change the adoption laws so that Natasha can be with her family. It is also a story for all those working with children with Down syndrome and will help them realize that love has no language and these children can do all kinds of things. The story has beautiful messages for youngsters and can be given as a gift during the Christmas season. Parents and tutors can use it for storytelling and read-aloud sessions to teach children good concepts and messages through the story of Natasha."
About the Author: About the Team Todd Civin, managing editor and founder of Civin Media Relations, wrote and published his first book, One Letter at a Time, with disabled athlete Rick Hoyt. This was followed by books two and three, Destined to Run with Ironman Wes Harding and Just My Game with Major League baseball player Jason Grilli. Since then, he and illustrator Jason Boucher have teamed up to create numerous children's books promoting awareness and acceptance of people with disabilities, such as Where There's a Wheel, There's a Way, A Bike to Call Their Own, Together We Finish and A Knight in Shining Armor. For more information and to view their available titles, visit civinmediarelations.com. New to the team is author Tammi Croteau, whose first book, Can't Bring Me Down, was inspired by her involvement with I Run 4, an organization that pairs runners with buddies who have disabilities. She dedicated the book, and all of her running miles, to her I Run 4 buddies, Brianna, Cheyanna, and Sarai. Tammi is a public affairs officer in the Army National Guard and resides in Texas with her fiancé, Josh, and their two cats, Emma and Briscoe. For more information, visit tammicroteaukeen.com. Co-author Katrina Morriss lives in Lake Elsinore, CA, with her husband, Steve, their three boys, Joshua, Jared, and Jacob, and their daughter Nevaeh. Katrina is a stay-at-home mom who spends her free time advocating for family preservation, orphan care, foreign adoption, and foster care. She dreams of a world where all children are loved and cherished. Russian translator Alexander Plotkin, born in St. Petersburg, Russia, is a U.S. Air Force veteran and current Air National Guard musician. Alex came to the United States from Israel in 1999. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Lynn University and a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University. Alex resides in Texas with his wife, Laura, and their dog, June. He works as a trainer for the Texas Department of Transportation and teaches at Huston-Tillotson University.