A Candid Portrayal of the Adoption Process and Its Lasting Impact on Identity

Coming soon from Elizabeth Eastwood

I'm with Them: Lessons from My Children chronicles the personal journey of a single white woman who adopts two children from war-torn Peru and raises them in suburban America. Caring for infants during a terrorist uprising, navigating the complexities of choosing schools, and grappling with teenage rebellion teach her valuable lessons about heritage and culture, identity and race, family and belonging.

Raised in America's heartland, the author is surprised by the otherization her family faces. Her children have three strikes against them: they are adopted, brown-skinned, and raised by a single mom. Through them, she comes face to face with what it feels like to look different, be different, and stand out in a crowd. "I'm with them," she often responds to strangers' puzzled looks and prying comments.

This memoir blends vignettes—sometimes outrageous, often hilarious or poignant—with no-holds-barred social commentary that reveals deep truths about life in the United States.

Praise for I'm with Them: Lessons from My Children

“I’m With Them: Lessons from My Children is a candid, heartfelt, and unflinchingly honest memoir that traces the unconventional yet deeply human journey of a single white woman navigating motherhood after adopting two Peruvian children. In sharing her story, the author not only opens a window into the intimate moments of raising children across lines of race, culture, and trauma, but also confronts broader questions about identity, belonging, and what it truly means to be a family in contemporary America. From the political violence in Peru to the daily grind of suburban American life, the memoir moves fluidly between the extraordinary and the everyday. The author's voice is warm, witty, and wise—inviting readers into her world without sugarcoating its challenges.”
–Charnjit Gill, author of Pray Tell

“An authentic portrayal of cross-cultural adoption complexities. Throughout the memoir, Eastwood skillfully weaves her family's experiences with broader historical and social contexts. Whether explaining Peru's political turmoil, America's educational inequities, or racism's everyday manifestations, she helps readers understand how larger forces shaped her family's journey. These contextual elements never overwhelm the personal narrative but instead illuminate it. This balance creates a memoir that feels simultaneously intimate and expansive, showing how one family's story connects to larger societal patterns and challenges.”
–Tammy Letherer, author of The Buddha at My Table

“In I'm With Them, Eastwood reveals important truths and lessons for humanity. She shares the naked truth of her family's experiences with compelling rawness and honesty, leaving the reader with much to ponder. In our currently divisive cultural milieu, this memoir provides hope for change. I am better for having read the book.”
–Rebecca Colt Aslan, author of Some Truths Lie Beneath

“You don't want to miss going on this brave journey of interracial adoption and single motherhood with Elizabeth Eastwood as she follows her heart to Peru to bring home one child, then another. Told with keen insight and artful prose, I'm With Them: Lessons From My Children is a testament to women who muster the strength and rally their resources to navigate the challenges and reap the rewards of parenting on their own. This is a story of diversity and acceptance, an important one for our times.”
–Sue Leamy Kies, author of My Homecoming Dance

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