Many people want to adopt a child but don’t know how to start the process. Or, they have adopted and have questions such as how to discuss the adoption with the child in a way that is age appropriate. During our adoption journey, I found many books that educated me on adoption issues and provided a source of support. Following are a few of the books that really made an impact and helped mold me through the adoption experience.
5 Books That Helped Mold My Adoption Experience | Library Week
During our adoption journey, I found many books that educated me on adoption issues and provided a source of support.
Meghan Rivard
April 03, 2016
1. "God Found Us You" by Lisa Tawn Bergren
This is a wonderful book to read and share with your children. It is beautifully illustrated with a wonderful story. Mama Fox shares with Baby Fox, as he is getting ready for bed, about the day he came home. It is worded in a very pro-adoption and positive light when addressing the issue about why little fox couldn’t stay “with the mother who had me.”
2. "I Wished for You: An Adoption Story" by Marianne Richmond
This is another great book to read to your children. This story is written through conversation between little bear, Barley, and his Mama. Its focus is on how the mama has wished and dreamed for a child, what he would look like and act like, how she has waited and waited for him and how much she loves him now. The little bear asks questions that your young children may ask. It is also wonderfully illustrated in soothing colors.
3. "The Connected Child" by Karen Purvis
This is a wonderful resource for adoptive parents or foster parents. It is written by two psychologists and discusses how to build trust and attachment with an adopted child, as well as how to deal with behaviors that may arise once home. Today, “attachment” is a popular topic in the adoption field, and this book provides great information that enables parents to establish a starting point leading to attachment on a solid ground.
4. "The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption" by Lori Holden and Crystal Hass
If you are interested in open adoption or involved in an open adoption, this is a wonderful book. It is the authors’ first hand story of how they worked through the ups and downs of an open adoption, as well as stories from other families who are involved in an open adoption. We have an open adoption with our daughter’s birth family, and this was very insightful for me as it is very informative to read of other families’ experiences.
5. "Inside Transracial Adoption" by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg
If you have a transracial family, this is a very good resource. It gives strategies and examples on how to help your child build his or her identity and answer the questions that children might ask as they get older. The overview on Amazon.com says it beautifully: “Drawing on research, decades of experience as adoption professionals, and their own personal experience of adopting transracially, Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg offer insights for all transracial adoptive parents - from prospective first-time adopters to experienced veterans - and those who support them.”
We have a transracial family and I really enjoyed reading about other families’ experiences and how they worked through certain experiences. It is supportive for me to read about other families who are in the same situation and who “get it.”
Meghan Rivard
Meghan is an adoptive mother and a big advocate of adoption and foster care. She resides in Indiana with her husband, their one-year-old daughter who is the center of their lives, and their dog Max. She has a Bachelor's and Master’s Degree in Social Work. Meghan stays at home with her daughter but is so happy she found this outlet to share her personal adoption story and educate about adoption!
The views and opinions expressed through Adoption.com Articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Adoption.com. If you would like to report any articles for us to review, we would love to hear from you.