My Donor Sibling Club by Sharon Leya
Title: My Donor Sibling Club
Author: Sharon Leya
Illustrator: Janne Maru
Publisher: Orange Puffin Playgrounds
Publish Date: May 15, 2026
Format & Pages: paperback, 29 pages
ISBN: 9781963715446
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I received an advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley, thanks to publishers Orange Puffin Playgrounds and BooksGoSocial.
My Donor Sibling Club, written by Sharon Leya and illustrated by Janne Maru, is about a donor-conceived child who, with help from her mother, meets several of her donor siblings during what she calls “My Donor Sibling Club Week.” Maru’s illustrations are cute and detailed enough to add to the experience, demonstrating visually how donor siblings can be simultaneously similar and unique. Leya’s storyline and narration are realistic for an eight- or nine-year-old perspective, capturing age-appropriate details, interest, and vocabulary. Unfamiliar terms, such as ‘donor sibling’ and ‘genes,’ are defined within the story.
Educationally, this book serves as an excellent window into the life of a donor-conceived person. It also shows a variety of family situations and hints at different reasons why a child would be conceived via a donor. Since this topic is rarely covered in children’s literature, I am glad this well-written book exists for donor-conceived children to see themselves and their families represented. Due to the word count and vocabulary, I would consider this book best suited for ages 7+ for independent reading, but it is also suitable for younger children as a guided read-aloud.