This book researches child adoption in India and challenges prevalent theories of adoption. It is the only book of its kind to lend a voice to adopted children and shares the narratives of many families in their experiences of adoption. It also recounts the personal story of the author as an adoptive parent.

The first part of the book deals with the macro issues of child adoption, while the second provides a micro-level analysis of individual families. The socio-political and socio-cultural contexts within which adoptions occur are also analyzed.