Amanda's Wish Was Always Bennett

What's actually submitted here is front matter and back matter rather than the story pages themselves, so I'm judging this on the strength of its stated purpose, framing, and the scaffolding Todd Michael has built around Amanda and Bennett's story — and that scaffolding is doing real work. The dedication line, "For Bennett—who was wished for, waited for, hoped for, and loved from the very start," sets an emotional register that's earned rather than saccharine, and it's a strong enough hook that I trust it carries through the narrative pages.

Where this book distinguishes itself is in how deliberately it's built as a tool, not just a story. The "Notice, Care, Help" kindness framework gives children a concrete, repeatable action plan rather than an abstract moral, and the discussion questions move from plot recall ("What did Amanda wish for most?") into identity affirmation ("What makes your family special?") in a sequence that a teacher or parent could use without any extra prep. That's a real craft choice, not filler.

The subject matter — donor conception, two-mom families — is still underserved in picture books, and this one doesn't treat it as an issue to be managed but as an ordinary, loving fact to be celebrated. The "Note for Grown-Ups" earns its keep by naming the exact families this book is for without excluding anyone else. This is a book that knows its reader — the kid whose family doesn't look like the one in most storybooks — and hands that kid pride instead of explanation.