There really isn’t a better way to attach with children than reading a book together. Adoption, particularly international adoption, may come with extra challenges, but reading books can help and benefit everyone in the family. It can assist with bonding, attachment, understanding adoption, and language comprehension. Here is a list of wonderful adoption books written for a pint-sized audience with a need for gallon-sized answers.
A Mother For Choco, by Keiko Kasza.
This is a book about Choco, a bird who goes out looking for his mother. He meets many different animals and asks them if they are his mother, but does not find any other animal who look like him. Ultimately, Choco finds Mrs. Bear and learns families can be of many different shapes and sizes.
We Belong Together, by Todd Parr.
In this beautifully written and illustrated book, Todd uses bright pictures and easy language to explain that families can form in different ways.
Rosie’s Family: An Adoptive Story, by Lori Roscove.
The author shares the story of a dog family to explain the idea of adoption and that all families do not look alike.
Happy Adoption Day, by John McCutcheon.
This story about a family forming through adoption includes an adoption day song at the end of the book.
Our Baby From China, by Nancy D’Antonio.
The real-life story of a family who traveled to China to adopt their daughter and become a family.
A China Adoption Story: Mommy, Why Do We Look Different?, by Perry Schwartz.
This is a story about adoption and is about a daughter who begins to wonder why she doesn’t look like her parents.
Adoption comes with many questions, especially from children. It is important to give children accurate information, but in an age-appropriate way so they understand. Using books are a wonderful way to explain adoption to children and a start to the answers of some of their biggest questions.
