The Finding Place

Found as a baby outside a school in China, Kelly Stroud is adopted and raised by North American parents. One day, her dad leaves the house to buy milk, and doesn't come back. Struggling anew with what it means to be loved and then left behind, Kelly embarks with her mother on a journey back to China in search of her cultural roots. The Finding Place is an adventure story which moves from urban North America to the magical landscape of Yangshuo, China. It is also the tale of a young girl's coming—of—age, written in the voice of an international adoptee whose unique perspective throws fresh light on the meaning of family: the people who raise us, and the parents who bring us into the world.

Julie Hartley lives in Toronto where she runs a creative writing school for young writers. She is a camp director, storyteller, speaker and playwright, and she has taught theatre at all levels, from elementary school to college and university. Her plays for young people have been performed in Canada, England and Ireland. Visit Julie's web site at www.juliehartley.ca.